diff --git a/HISTORY b/HISTORY
index fe07e0bc..7c888758 100644
--- a/HISTORY
+++ b/HISTORY
@@ -171,3 +171,4 @@ Video Disk Recorder Revision History
 2000-09-15: Version 0.64
 
 - Video files now have the 'group read' bit set.
+- Fixed handling errors in 'readstring()'.
diff --git a/tools.c b/tools.c
index e081ee79..bd35f928 100644
--- a/tools.c
+++ b/tools.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * See the main source file 'vdr.c' for copyright information and
  * how to reach the author.
  *
- * $Id: tools.c 1.14 2000/09/09 12:53:34 kls Exp $
+ * $Id: tools.c 1.15 2000/09/15 13:30:24 kls Exp $
  */
 
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ int readstring(int filedes, char *buffer, int size, bool wait = false)
            break; // EOF
         if (n < 0) {
            LOG_ERROR;
-           break;
+           return -1;
            }
         rbytes += n;
         if (rbytes == size)