diff --git a/C/save.c b/C/save.c
index c53722110..33ca7e3c8 100644
--- a/C/save.c
+++ b/C/save.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ myread(int fd, char *buff, Int len)
 {
   while (len > 0) {
     int nchars = read(fd, buff, len);
-    if (nchars < 0) {
+    if (nchars <= 0) {
       return do_system_error(PERMISSION_ERROR_INPUT_PAST_END_OF_STREAM, "bad read on saved state");
     }
     len -= nchars;
@@ -617,11 +617,13 @@ check_header(CELL *info, CELL *ATrail, CELL *AStack, CELL *AHeap)
   char            pp[80];
   char msg[256];
   CELL hp_size, gb_size, lc_size, tr_size, mode;
+  int n;
 
   /* make sure we always check if there are enough bytes */
   /* skip the first line */
+  pp[0] = '\0';
   do {
-    if (read(splfild, pp, 1) < 0) {
+    if ((n = read(splfild, pp, 1)) <= 0) {
       do_system_error(PERMISSION_ERROR_INPUT_PAST_END_OF_STREAM,"failed to scan first line from saved state");
       return FAIL_RESTORE;
     }
@@ -631,7 +633,7 @@ check_header(CELL *info, CELL *ATrail, CELL *AStack, CELL *AHeap)
   {
     int count = 0, n, to_read = Unsigned(strlen(msg) + 1);
     while (count < to_read) {
-      if ((n = read(splfild, pp, to_read-count)) < 0) {
+      if ((n = read(splfild, pp, to_read-count)) <= 0) {
 	do_system_error(PERMISSION_ERROR_INPUT_PAST_END_OF_STREAM,"failed to scan version info from saved state");
 	return FAIL_RESTORE;
       }
@@ -909,7 +911,7 @@ CopyCode(void)
   /* skip the local and global data structures */
   CELL j = get_cell();
   if (Yap_ErrorMessage)
-      return -1;
+    return -1;
   if (j != Unsigned(&GLOBAL) - Unsigned(Yap_HeapBase)) {
     Yap_ErrorMessage = "code space size does not match saved state";
     return -1;
diff --git a/changes-5.1.html b/changes-5.1.html
index 828c6e35f..26003ad60 100644
--- a/changes-5.1.html
+++ b/changes-5.1.html
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 <h2>Yap-5.1.2:</h2>
 <ul>
+<li> FIXED: -l and -L options (again?).</li>
+<li> FIXED: if we cannot read more chars in saved state we're dead.</li>
 <li> FIXED: termination info for failed and detached threads (obs Paulo Moura).</li>
 <li> FIXED: check_callable should check for modules (obs Paulo Moura).</li>
 <li> NEW: add thread_sleep/1, mostly works like system:sleep/1 (request from Paulo Moura).</li>
diff --git a/console/yap.c b/console/yap.c
index 9c4b24107..e19d426fd 100644
--- a/console/yap.c
+++ b/console/yap.c
@@ -433,47 +433,33 @@ parse_yap_arguments(int argc, char *argv[], YAP_init_args *iap)
 	    break;
 #endif
 	  case 'L':
-           p++;
            iap->HaltAfterConsult = TRUE;
-           if (*p != '\0') {
-             iap->YapPrologRCFile = p;
-             break;
-           } else {
-             if (--argc == 0) {
-               fprintf(stderr,
-                       " [ YAP unrecoverable error: missing file name with option 'L' ]\n");
-               exit(1);
-             }
-             p = *++argv;
-             if (p[0] == '-' && p[1] == '-' && p[2] == '\0') {
-               if (--argc == 0) {
-                 fprintf(stderr,
-                         " [ YAP unrecoverable error: missing filename with option 'L' ]\n");
-                 exit(1);
-               }
-               p = *++argv;
-               iap->YapPrologRCFile = p;
-               argc = 1;
-
-             } else {
-               iap->YapPrologRCFile = p;
-             }
-           }
-           break;
 	  case 'l':
-	    if ((*argv)[0] == '\0') 
-	      iap->YapPrologRCFile = *argv;
-	    else {
-	      argc--;
-	      if (argc == 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr," [ YAP unrecoverable error: missing file name with option 'l' ]\n");
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	      }
-	      argv++;
-	      iap->YapPrologRCFile = *argv;
-	    }
-	    break;
-	    /* run goal before top-level */
+           p++;
+	   if (!*++argv) {
+	     fprintf(stderr,
+		     "%% YAP unrecoverable error: missing boot file name\n");
+	     exit(1);
+	   } else {
+	     iap->YapPrologRCFile = *argv;
+	     argc--;
+	   }
+           if (*p) {
+	     /* we have something, usually, of the form:
+		-L --
+		FileName
+		ExtraArgs
+	     */
+	     /* being called from a script */
+	     while (*p && (*p == ' ' || *p == '\t'))
+	       p++;
+	     if (p[0] == '-' && p[1] == '-') {
+	       /* ignore what is next */
+	       argc = 1;
+	     }
+	   }
+	   break;
+	   /* run goal before top-level */
 	  case 'g':
 	    if ((*argv)[0] == '\0') 
 	      iap->YapPrologGoal = *argv;