diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/shp/XBaseParser.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/shp/XBaseParser.cpp
index d9c563c6b..977c22508 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/shp/XBaseParser.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/shp/XBaseParser.cpp
@@ -87,13 +87,12 @@ XBaseParser::XBaseParser(const std::string fileName):
     if (fileName.empty() == false)
     {
 #ifdef WIN32
-        if( (fd = open( fileName.c_str(), O_RDONLY | O_BINARY )) <= 0 )
+        if( (fd = open( fileName.c_str(), O_RDONLY | O_BINARY )) < 0 )
 #else
-        if( (fd = ::open( fileName.c_str(), O_RDONLY )) <= 0 )
+        if( (fd = ::open( fileName.c_str(), O_RDONLY )) < 0 )
 #endif
         {
             perror( fileName.c_str() );
-            if (fd) close( fd );
             return;
         }
     }