diff --git a/src/d_netfil.c b/src/d_netfil.c
index 821d2a5b..3dc9da68 100644
--- a/src/d_netfil.c
+++ b/src/d_netfil.c
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ void SV_FileSendTicker(void)
 		if (ram)
 			M_Memcpy(p->data, &f->id.ram[transfer[i].position], size);
 		else if (fread(p->data, 1, size, transfer[i].currentfile) != size)
-			I_Error("SV_FileSendTicker: can't read %s byte on %s at %d because %s", sizeu1(size), f->id.filename, transfer[i].position, strerror(ferror(transfer[i].currentfile)));
+			I_Error("SV_FileSendTicker: can't read %s byte on %s at %d because %s", sizeu1(size), f->id.filename, transfer[i].position, M_FileError(transfer[i].currentfile));
 		p->position = LONG(transfer[i].position);
 		// Put flag so receiver knows the total size
 		if (transfer[i].position + size == f->size)
@@ -847,7 +847,7 @@ void Got_Filetxpak(void)
 		// We can receive packet in the wrong order, anyway all os support gaped file
 		fseek(file->file, pos, SEEK_SET);
 		if (fwrite(netbuffer->u.filetxpak.data,size,1,file->file) != 1)
-			I_Error("Can't write to %s: %s\n",filename, strerror(ferror(file->file)));
+			I_Error("Can't write to %s: %s\n",filename, M_FileError(file->file));
 		file->currentsize += size;
 
 		// Finished?
diff --git a/src/m_argv.c b/src/m_argv.c
index e8bfdd3d..e1046f8a 100644
--- a/src/m_argv.c
+++ b/src/m_argv.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "doomdef.h"
 #include "command.h"
 #include "m_argv.h"
+#include "m_misc.h"
 
 /**	\brief number of arg
 */
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ void M_FindResponseFile(void)
 			if (!file)
 				I_Error("No more free memory for the response file");
 			if (fread(file, size, 1, handle) != 1)
-				I_Error("Couldn't read response file because %s", strerror(ferror(handle)));
+				I_Error("Couldn't read response file because %s", M_FileError(handle));
 			fclose(handle);
 
 			// keep all the command line arguments following @responsefile
diff --git a/src/m_misc.c b/src/m_misc.c
index 87d648b2..0246a2cf 100644
--- a/src/m_misc.c
+++ b/src/m_misc.c
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #endif
 
+#include <errno.h>
+
 // Extended map support.
 #include <ctype.h>
 
@@ -2363,3 +2365,13 @@ void M_SetupMemcpy(void)
 	M_Memcpy = cpu_cpy;
 #endif
 }
+
+/** Return the appropriate message for a file error or end of file.
+*/
+const char *M_FileError(FILE *fp)
+{
+	if (ferror(fp))
+		return strerror(errno);
+	else
+		return "end-of-file";
+}
diff --git a/src/m_misc.h b/src/m_misc.h
index 658028b4..1e7befb1 100644
--- a/src/m_misc.h
+++ b/src/m_misc.h
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ void strcatbf(char *s1, const char *s2, const char *s3);
 
 void M_SetupMemcpy(void);
 
+const char *M_FileError(FILE *handle);
+
 // counting bits, for weapon ammo code, usually
 FUNCMATH UINT8 M_CountBits(UINT32 num, UINT8 size);
 
diff --git a/src/sdl12/sdl_sound.c b/src/sdl12/sdl_sound.c
index ed1afd8e..1a7525fe 100644
--- a/src/sdl12/sdl_sound.c
+++ b/src/sdl12/sdl_sound.c
@@ -1435,7 +1435,7 @@ static boolean LoadSong(void *data, size_t lumplength, size_t selectpos)
 
 	if (fwrite(data, lumplength, 1, midfile) == 0)
 	{
-		CONS_Printf(M_GetText("Couldn't write music into file %s because %s\n"), tempname, strerror(ferror(midfile)));
+		CONS_Printf(M_GetText("Couldn't write music into file %s because %s\n"), tempname, M_FileError(midfile));
 		Z_Free(data);
 		fclose(midfile);
 		return false;
diff --git a/src/w_wad.c b/src/w_wad.c
index 841d8fd3..54ae7fb2 100644
--- a/src/w_wad.c
+++ b/src/w_wad.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsWad (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp, const char* filen
 	// read the header
 	if (fread(&header, 1, sizeof header, handle) < sizeof header)
 	{
-		CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, M_GetText("Can't read wad header because %s\n"), strerror(ferror(handle)));
+		CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, M_GetText("Can't read wad header because %s\n"), M_FileError(handle));
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsWad (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp, const char* filen
 	if (fseek(handle, header.infotableofs, SEEK_SET) == -1
 		|| fread(fileinfo, 1, i, handle) < i)
 	{
-		CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, M_GetText("Corrupt wadfile directory (%s)\n"), strerror(ferror(handle)));
+		CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, M_GetText("Corrupt wadfile directory (%s)\n"), M_FileError(handle));
 		free(fileinfov);
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsWad (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp, const char* filen
 				handle) < sizeof realsize)
 			{
 				I_Error("corrupt compressed file: %s; maybe %s", /// \todo Avoid the bailout?
-					filename, strerror(ferror(handle)));
+					filename, M_FileError(handle));
 			}
 			realsize = LONG(realsize);
 			if (realsize != 0)
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsZip (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp)
 	fseek(handle, -4, SEEK_CUR);
 	if (fread(&zend, 1, sizeof zend, handle) < sizeof zend)
 	{
-		CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Corrupt central directory (%s)\n", strerror(ferror(handle)));
+		CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Corrupt central directory (%s)\n", M_FileError(handle));
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	numlumps = zend.entries;
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsZip (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp)
 
 		if (fread(zentry, 1, sizeof(zentry_t), handle) < sizeof(zentry_t))
 		{
-			CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Failed to read central directory (%s)\n", strerror(ferror(handle)));
+			CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Failed to read central directory (%s)\n", M_FileError(handle));
 			Z_Free(lumpinfo);
 			free(zentry);
 			return NULL;
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ static lumpinfo_t* ResGetLumpsZip (FILE* handle, UINT16* nlmp)
 		fullname = malloc(zentry->namelen + 1);
 		if (fgets(fullname, zentry->namelen + 1, handle) != fullname)
 		{
-			CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Unable to read lumpname (%s)\n", strerror(ferror(handle)));
+			CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Unable to read lumpname (%s)\n", M_FileError(handle));
 			Z_Free(lumpinfo);
 			free(zentry);
 			free(fullname);