diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 8bb0242f..428e7c58 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+    - cleaned up calls to readdir() (messju)
     - fixed bug with passing multiple modifiers to a parameter
       (Monte)
     - updated docs for html_checkboxes, html_options and html_radios (messju)
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index ee387532..9e72ad75 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -2142,7 +2142,7 @@ class Smarty
             } else {
                 // remove matching file names
                 $handle = opendir($auto_base);
-                while ($filename = readdir($handle)) {
+                while (false !== ($filename = readdir($handle))) {
                     if($filename == '.' || $filename == '..') {
                         continue;    
                     } elseif (substr($auto_base . DIR_SEP . $filename,0,strlen($tname)) == $tname) {
@@ -2168,7 +2168,7 @@ class Smarty
 
        if($handle = @opendir($dirname)) {
 
-            while (null != ($entry = readdir($handle))) {
+            while (false !== ($entry = readdir($handle))) {
                 if ($entry != '.' && $entry != '..') {
                     if (@is_dir($dirname . DIR_SEP . $entry)) {
                         $this->_rmdir($dirname . DIR_SEP . $entry, $level + 1, $exp_time);