diff --git a/tests/test_syntax_errors.py b/tests/test_syntax_errors.py
index bd4ddd2e4..786d8f533 100644
--- a/tests/test_syntax_errors.py
+++ b/tests/test_syntax_errors.py
@@ -92,3 +92,7 @@ def test_sets(self):
                    '    a:\n'
                    '      set\n'
                    '...\n', None)
+
+    def test_non_printable_characters(self):
+        self.check('output: \x1b\n',
+                   None, problem=(9, 0))
diff --git a/yamllint/linter.py b/yamllint/linter.py
index c687f142e..c4f3a924e 100644
--- a/yamllint/linter.py
+++ b/yamllint/linter.py
@@ -183,6 +183,12 @@ def get_syntax_error(buffer):
                               'syntax error: ' + e.problem + ' (syntax)')
         problem.level = 'error'
         return problem
+    except yaml.reader.ReaderError as e:
+        problem = LintProblem(e.position + 1,
+                              0,
+                              'syntax error: ' + e.reason + ' (syntax)')
+        problem.level = 'error'
+        return problem
 
 
 def _run(buffer, conf, filepath):
diff --git a/yamllint/parser.py b/yamllint/parser.py
index de331f472..e6a74a32b 100644
--- a/yamllint/parser.py
+++ b/yamllint/parser.py
@@ -121,9 +121,9 @@ def comments_between_tokens(token1, token2):
 
 
 def token_or_comment_generator(buffer):
-    yaml_loader = yaml.BaseLoader(buffer)
 
     try:
+        yaml_loader = yaml.BaseLoader(buffer)
         prev = None
         curr = yaml_loader.get_token()
         while curr is not None:
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ def token_or_comment_generator(buffer):
             prev = curr
             curr = next
 
-    except yaml.scanner.ScannerError:
+    # errors like this are already analysed by get_syntax_error
+    except (yaml.scanner.ScannerError, yaml.reader.ReaderError):
         pass