diff --git a/src/b_game.cpp b/src/b_game.cpp
index 1cb91ddf49..4300e0ada6 100644
--- a/src/b_game.cpp
+++ b/src/b_game.cpp
@@ -532,13 +532,9 @@ bool FCajunMaster::LoadBots ()
 		DPrintf (DMSG_ERROR, "No " BOTFILENAME ", so no bots\n");
 		return false;
 	}
-	try
+	if (!sc.OpenFile(tmp))
 	{
-		sc.OpenFile(tmp);
-	}
-	catch (CRecoverableError &err)
-	{
-		Printf("%s. So no bots\n", err.GetMessage());
+		Printf("Unable to open %s. So no bots\n");
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/g_game.cpp b/src/g_game.cpp
index ec1a7be506..b2e27eed42 100644
--- a/src/g_game.cpp
+++ b/src/g_game.cpp
@@ -2798,7 +2798,17 @@ void G_DoPlayDemo (void)
 	{
 		FixPathSeperator (defdemoname);
 		DefaultExtension (defdemoname, ".lmp");
-		M_ReadFileMalloc (defdemoname, &demobuffer);
+		FileReader fr;
+		if (!fr.Open(defdemoname))
+		{
+			I_Error("Unable to open demo '%s'", defdemoname.GetChars());
+		}
+		auto len = fr.GetLength();
+		demobuffer = (uint8_t*)M_Malloc(len);
+		if (fr.Read(demobuffer, len) != len)
+		{
+			I_Error("Unable to read demo '%s'", defdemoname.GetChars());
+		}
 	}
 	demo_p = demobuffer;
 
diff --git a/src/m_misc.cpp b/src/m_misc.cpp
index bda8dcb806..2b23ef6c2e 100644
--- a/src/m_misc.cpp
+++ b/src/m_misc.cpp
@@ -115,60 +115,6 @@ bool M_WriteFile (char const *name, void *source, int length)
 }
 
 
-//
-// M_ReadFile
-//
-int M_ReadFile (char const *name, uint8_t **buffer)
-{
-	int handle, count, length;
-	struct stat fileinfo;
-	uint8_t *buf;
-
-	handle = open (name, O_RDONLY | O_BINARY, 0666);
-	if (handle == -1)
-		I_Error ("Couldn't read file %s", name);
-	// [BL] Use stat instead of fstat for v140_xp hack
-	if (stat (name,&fileinfo) == -1)
-		I_Error ("Couldn't read file %s", name);
-	length = fileinfo.st_size;
-	buf = new uint8_t[length];
-	count = read (handle, buf, length);
-	close (handle);
-
-	if (count < length)
-		I_Error ("Couldn't read file %s", name);
-
-	*buffer = buf;
-	return length;
-}
-
-//
-// M_ReadFile (same as above but use malloc instead of new to allocate the buffer.)
-//
-int M_ReadFileMalloc (char const *name, uint8_t **buffer)
-{
-	int handle, count, length;
-	struct stat fileinfo;
-	uint8_t *buf;
-
-	handle = open (name, O_RDONLY | O_BINARY, 0666);
-	if (handle == -1)
-		I_Error ("Couldn't read file %s", name);
-	// [BL] Use stat instead of fstat for v140_xp hack
-	if (stat (name,&fileinfo) == -1)
-		I_Error ("Couldn't read file %s", name);
-	length = fileinfo.st_size;
-	buf = (uint8_t*)M_Malloc(length);
-	count = read (handle, buf, length);
-	close (handle);
-
-	if (count < length)
-		I_Error ("Couldn't read file %s", name);
-
-	*buffer = buf;
-	return length;
-}
-
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // PROC M_FindResponseFile
diff --git a/src/m_misc.h b/src/m_misc.h
index 660eb7a587..2eee63b7d3 100644
--- a/src/m_misc.h
+++ b/src/m_misc.h
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ class FIWadManager;
 extern FGameConfigFile *GameConfig;
 
 bool M_WriteFile (char const *name, void *source, int length);
-int M_ReadFile (char const *name, uint8_t **buffer);
-int M_ReadFileMalloc (char const *name, uint8_t **buffer);
 void M_FindResponseFile (void);
 
 // [RH] M_ScreenShot now accepts a filename parameter.
diff --git a/src/posix/i_steam.cpp b/src/posix/i_steam.cpp
index 9819bc09e3..9542bdd4aa 100644
--- a/src/posix/i_steam.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/i_steam.cpp
@@ -122,27 +122,28 @@ static TArray<FString> ParseSteamRegistry(const char* path)
 
 	// Read registry data
 	FScanner sc;
-	sc.OpenFile(path);
-	sc.SetCMode(true);
-
-	// Find the SteamApps listing
-	if(PSR_FindAndEnterBlock(sc, "InstallConfigStore"))
+	if (sc.OpenFile(path))
 	{
-		if(PSR_FindAndEnterBlock(sc, "Software"))
+		sc.SetCMode(true);
+
+		// Find the SteamApps listing
+		if (PSR_FindAndEnterBlock(sc, "InstallConfigStore"))
 		{
-			if(PSR_FindAndEnterBlock(sc, "Valve"))
+			if (PSR_FindAndEnterBlock(sc, "Software"))
 			{
-				if(PSR_FindAndEnterBlock(sc, "Steam"))
+				if (PSR_FindAndEnterBlock(sc, "Valve"))
 				{
-					dirs = PSR_ReadBaseInstalls(sc);
+					if (PSR_FindAndEnterBlock(sc, "Steam"))
+					{
+						dirs = PSR_ReadBaseInstalls(sc);
+					}
+					PSR_FindEndBlock(sc);
 				}
 				PSR_FindEndBlock(sc);
 			}
 			PSR_FindEndBlock(sc);
 		}
-		PSR_FindEndBlock(sc);
 	}
-
 	return dirs;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/sc_man.cpp b/src/sc_man.cpp
index 2a515d91bd..277604d686 100644
--- a/src/sc_man.cpp
+++ b/src/sc_man.cpp
@@ -244,18 +244,25 @@ void FScanner::Open (const char *name)
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-void FScanner::OpenFile (const char *name)
+bool FScanner::OpenFile (const char *name)
 {
-	uint8_t *filebuf;
-	int filesize;
-
 	Close ();
-	filesize = M_ReadFile (name, &filebuf);
+
+	FileReader fr(name);
+	if (!fr.Open(name)) return false;
+	auto filesize = fr.GetLength();
+	auto filebuf = new uint8_t[filesize];
+	if (fr.Read(filebuf, filesize) != filesize)
+	{
+		delete[] filebuf;
+		return false;
+	}
 	ScriptBuffer = FString((const char *)filebuf, filesize);
 	delete[] filebuf;
 	ScriptName = name;	// This is used for error messages so the full file name is preferable
 	LumpNum = -1;
 	PrepareScript ();
+	return true;
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
diff --git a/src/sc_man.h b/src/sc_man.h
index 44dd9370a5..9962cbde09 100644
--- a/src/sc_man.h
+++ b/src/sc_man.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ public:
 	FScanner &operator=(const FScanner &other);
 
 	void Open(const char *lumpname);
-	void OpenFile(const char *filename);
+	bool OpenFile(const char *filename);
 	void OpenMem(const char *name, const char *buffer, int size);
 	void OpenString(const char *name, FString buffer);
 	void OpenLumpNum(int lump);
diff --git a/src/statistics.cpp b/src/statistics.cpp
index e70642cf41..865ba04110 100644
--- a/src/statistics.cpp
+++ b/src/statistics.cpp
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static void ParseStatistics(const char *fn, TArray<FStatistics> &statlist)
 	try
 	{
 		FScanner sc;
-		sc.OpenFile(fn);
+		if (!sc.OpenFile(fn)) return;
 
 		while (sc.GetString())
 		{