diff --git a/m-array.h b/m-array.h
index 16481099..45346714 100644
--- a/m-array.h
+++ b/m-array.h
@@ -677,9 +677,10 @@
     assert (file != NULL);                                              \
     M_C(name,_clean)(array);						\
     int c = fgetc(file);						\
-    if (c != '[') return false;                                         \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c != '[')) return false;                            \
     c = fgetc(file);                                                    \
-    if (c == ']') return true;                                          \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == ']')) return true;                             \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == EOF)) return false;                            \
     ungetc(c, file);                                                    \
     type item;                                                          \
     M_GET_INIT oplist (item);                                           \
diff --git a/m-deque.h b/m-deque.h
index 8fb6c597..abb4ff3e 100644
--- a/m-deque.h
+++ b/m-deque.h
@@ -687,9 +687,10 @@
     assert (file != NULL);                                              \
     M_C(name,_clean)(deque);						\
     int c = fgetc(file);						\
-    if (c != '[') return false;                                         \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c != '[')) return false;                            \
     c = fgetc(file);                                                    \
-    if (c == ']') return true;                                          \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == ']')) return true;                             \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == EOF)) return false;                            \
     ungetc(c, file);                                                    \
     type item;                                                          \
     M_GET_INIT oplist (item);                                           \
diff --git a/m-dict.h b/m-dict.h
index bf117b1d..48713366 100644
--- a/m-dict.h
+++ b/m-dict.h
@@ -504,9 +504,10 @@
     DICTI_CONTRACT(name, dict);                                         \
     M_C(name, _clean)(dict);						\
     int c = fgetc(file);						\
-    if (c != '{') return false;                                         \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c != '{')) return false;                            \
     c = fgetc(file);                                                    \
-    if (c == '}') return true;                                          \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == '}')) return true;                             \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == EOF)) return true;                             \
     ungetc(c, file);                                                    \
     key_type key;                                                       \
     M_IF(isSet)( ,value_type value);                                    \
diff --git a/m-list.h b/m-list.h
index 2ec36b06..f71a22d0 100644
--- a/m-list.h
+++ b/m-list.h
@@ -525,9 +525,10 @@
     assert (file != NULL && list != NULL);                              \
     M_C(name,_clean)(list);						\
     int c = fgetc(file);						\
-    if (c != '[') return false;                                         \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c != '[')) return false;                            \
     c = fgetc(file);                                                    \
-    if (c == ']') return true;                                          \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == ']')) return true;                             \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == EOF)) return false;                            \
     ungetc(c, file);                                                    \
     type item;                                                          \
     M_GET_INIT oplist (item);                                           \
diff --git a/m-rbtree.h b/m-rbtree.h
index 4f363b9b..a9b26c5f 100644
--- a/m-rbtree.h
+++ b/m-rbtree.h
@@ -948,9 +948,10 @@ typedef enum {
     assert (file != NULL);                                              \
     M_C(name,_clean)(rbtree);						\
     int c = fgetc(file);						\
-    if (c != '[') return false;                                         \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c != '[')) return false;                            \
     c = fgetc(file);                                                    \
-    if (c == ']') return true;                                          \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == ']')) return true;                             \
+    if (M_UNLIKELY (c == EOF)) return false;                            \
     ungetc(c, file);                                                    \
     type item;                                                          \
     M_GET_INIT oplist (item);                                           \