diff --git a/src/resourcefiles/resourcefile.h b/src/resourcefiles/resourcefile.h
index 0f51d8d10b..9b39b09082 100644
--- a/src/resourcefiles/resourcefile.h
+++ b/src/resourcefiles/resourcefile.h
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ public:
 	static FResourceFile *OpenResourceFile(const char *filename, bool quiet = false, bool containeronly = false);
 	static FResourceFile *OpenDirectory(const char *filename, bool quiet = false);
 	virtual ~FResourceFile();
-	FileReader *GetReader() { return &Reader; }
+    // If this FResourceFile represents a directory, the Reader object is not usable so don't return it.
+    FileReader *GetReader() { return Reader.isOpen()? &Reader : nullptr; }
 	uint32_t LumpCount() const { return NumLumps; }
 	uint32_t GetFirstLump() const { return FirstLump; }
 	void SetFirstLump(uint32_t f) { FirstLump = f; }
diff --git a/src/w_wad.cpp b/src/w_wad.cpp
index 18bf2aa390..e084d4c749 100644
--- a/src/w_wad.cpp
+++ b/src/w_wad.cpp
@@ -1364,9 +1364,7 @@ FileReader *FWadCollection::GetFileReader(int wadnum)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	// Return reader for real files only and nullptr otherwise
-	FileReader* const reader = Files[wadnum]->GetReader();
-	return reader->isOpen() ? reader : nullptr;
+	return Files[wadnum]->GetReader();
 }
 
 //==========================================================================