diff --git a/lib/main.c b/lib/main.c
index 673dbf3..940789a 100644
--- a/lib/main.c
+++ b/lib/main.c
@@ -1601,10 +1601,10 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 				hcl_logbfmt (hcl, HCL_LOG_STDERR, "ERROR: cannot read object - [%d] %js\n", hcl_geterrnum(hcl), hcl_geterrmsg(hcl));
 			}
 
-			break;
+			if (!xtn->reader_istty) goto oops;
+			continue;
 		}
 
-
 		if (hcl_print(hcl, obj) <= -1)
 		{
 			hcl_logbfmt (hcl, HCL_LOG_STDERR, "ERROR: cannot print object - [%d] %js\n", hcl_geterrnum(hcl), hcl_geterrmsg(hcl));
@@ -1627,6 +1627,8 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 					hcl_logbfmt (hcl, HCL_LOG_STDERR, "ERROR: cannot compile object - [%d] %js\n", hcl_geterrnum(hcl), hcl_geterrmsg(hcl));
 				}
 				/* carry on? */
+
+				if (!xtn->reader_istty) goto oops;
 			}
 			else if (xtn->reader_istty)
 			{
@@ -1660,7 +1662,11 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 		/*hcl_dumpsymtab (hcl);*/
 	}
 
-	hcl_close (hcl);
 
+	hcl_close (hcl);
 	return 0;
+
+oops:
+	hcl_close (hcl);
+	return -1;
 }
diff --git a/lib/read.c b/lib/read.c
index fcb0363..5053ec1 100644
--- a/lib/read.c
+++ b/lib/read.c
@@ -1276,6 +1276,7 @@ static HCL_INLINE hcl_oop_t leave_list (hcl_t* hcl, int* flagv, int* oldflagv)
 
 	/* the stack must not be empty - cannot leave a list without entering it */
 	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, !HCL_IS_NIL(hcl,hcl->c->r.s));
+/* TODO: fix bug here. unblanced ) cause assertion failure here */
 
 	/*head = HCL_CONS_CAR(HCL_CONS_CDR(hcl->c->r.s));*/