diff --git a/src/du.c b/src/du.c
index a8fb2ed10..df5088e30 100644
--- a/src/du.c
+++ b/src/du.c
@@ -928,8 +928,6 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 
   if (files_from)
     {
-      FILE *istream;
-
       /* When using --files0-from=F, you may not specify any files
 	 on the command-line.  */
       if (optind < argc)
@@ -940,14 +938,13 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 	  usage (EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 
-      istream = (STREQ (files_from, "-") ? stdin : fopen (files_from, "r"));
-      if (istream == NULL)
+      if (! (STREQ (files_from, "-") || freopen (files_from, "r", stdin)))
 	error (EXIT_FAILURE, errno, _("cannot open %s for reading"),
 	       quote (files_from));
 
       readtokens0_init (&tok);
 
-      if (! readtokens0 (istream, &tok) || fclose (istream) != 0)
+      if (! readtokens0 (stdin, &tok) || fclose (stdin) != 0)
 	error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0, _("cannot read file names from %s"),
 	       quote (files_from));