diff --git a/read.c b/read.c
index 38cba0058f11e152576b86b901abbeaf806efef7..deaadb5024b2d0ceecd2c45b5e864961c88cb601 100644
--- a/read.c
+++ b/read.c
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ static void *on_process(oop_source *oop, oop_read *rd, int try_read) {
       }
       assert(rd->style.nul_mode == OOP_RD_NUL_DISCARD);
       for (notnul= nul+1;
-	   notnul < buf+thisrecsz && notnul == '\0';
+	   notnul < buf+thisrecsz && *notnul == '\0';
 	   notnul++);
       thisrecsz-= (notnul-nul);
       checked= nul-buf;