diff --git a/src/lib/block-io.jl b/src/lib/block-io.jl
index 3521195c7..1a10cdedc 100644
--- a/src/lib/block-io.jl
+++ b/src/lib/block-io.jl
@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@ struct BlockIO <: IO
     function find_end_pos(bio::BlockIO, end_byte::Char)
         seekend(bio)
         try
-            while(!eof(bio.s) && (end_byte != read(bio, UInt8))) continue end
+            while(!eof(bio.s) && (end_byte != read(bio, Char))) continue end
         end
         position(bio.s)
     end
+
     function find_start_pos(bio::BlockIO, end_byte::Char)
         (bio.r.start == 1) && (return bio.r.start)
         seekstart(bio)
-        !eof(bio.s) && while(end_byte != read(bio, UInt8)) continue end
+        !eof(bio.s) && while(end_byte != read(bio, Char)) continue end
         position(bio.s)+1
     end