diff --git a/src/pattern.c b/src/pattern.c
index ec7e9556a..33e0e17f2 100644
--- a/src/pattern.c
+++ b/src/pattern.c
@@ -2328,6 +2328,11 @@ int pat_ref_read_from_file_smp(struct pat_ref *ref, const char *filename, char *
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (ferror(file)) {
+		memprintf(err, "error encountered while reading  <%s> : %s",
+				filename, strerror(errno));
+		goto out_close;
+	}
 	/* succes */
 	ret = 1;
 
@@ -2385,6 +2390,11 @@ int pat_ref_read_from_file(struct pat_ref *ref, const char *filename, char **err
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (ferror(file)) {
+		memprintf(err, "error encountered while reading  <%s> : %s",
+				filename, strerror(errno));
+		goto out_close;
+	}
 	ret = 1; /* success */
 
  out_close: