diff --git a/lib/gshadow.c b/lib/gshadow.c
index e66704a2..072166f6 100644
--- a/lib/gshadow.c
+++ b/lib/gshadow.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ void setsgent (void)
 	if (NULL != shadow) {
 		rewind (shadow);
 	} else {
-		shadow = fopen (SGROUP_FILE, "r");
+		shadow = fopen (SGROUP_FILE, "re");
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/shadow.c b/lib/shadow.c
index 3bacd204..cc1edc96 100644
--- a/lib/shadow.c
+++ b/lib/shadow.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ void setspent (void)
 	if (NULL != shadow) {
 		rewind (shadow);
 	}else {
-		shadow = fopen (SHADOW_FILE, "r");
+		shadow = fopen (SHADOW_FILE, "re");
 	}
 }