diff --git a/src/config_file.c b/src/config_file.c
index 135871950..2374b383c 100644
--- a/src/config_file.c
+++ b/src/config_file.c
@@ -499,7 +499,8 @@ static int cfg_getchar(diskfile_backend *cfg_file, int flags)
 	assert(cfg_file->reader.read_ptr);
 
 	do c = cfg_getchar_raw(cfg_file);
-	while (skip_whitespace && isspace(c));
+	while (skip_whitespace && isspace(c) &&
+	       !cfg_file->reader.eof);
 
 	if (skip_comments && (c == '#' || c == ';')) {
 		do c = cfg_getchar_raw(cfg_file);
@@ -844,7 +845,8 @@ static int config_parse(diskfile_backend *cfg_file)
 		c = cfg_peek(cfg_file, SKIP_WHITESPACE);
 
 		switch (c) {
-		case '\0': /* We've arrived at the end of the file */
+		case '\n': /* EOF when peeking, set EOF in the reader to exit the loop */
+			cfg_file->reader.eof = 1;
 			break;
 
 		case '[': /* section header, new section begins */