diff --git a/ruby.c b/ruby.c
index 1e2579c556..7ed4752b6e 100644
--- a/ruby.c
+++ b/ruby.c
@@ -1798,11 +1798,7 @@ load_file_internal(VALUE argp_v)
 	c = rb_io_getbyte(f);
 	if (c == INT2FIX('#')) {
 	    c = rb_io_getbyte(f);
-	    if (c == INT2FIX('!')) {
-		line = rb_io_gets(f);
-		if (NIL_P(line))
-		    return 0;
-
+            if (c == INT2FIX('!') && !NIL_P(line = rb_io_gets(f))) {
 		RSTRING_GETMEM(line, str, len);
 		warn_cr_in_shebang(str, len);
 		if ((p = strstr(str, ruby_engine)) == 0) {
diff --git a/test/ruby/test_rubyoptions.rb b/test/ruby/test_rubyoptions.rb
index d6db01e6a0..c804b59855 100644
--- a/test/ruby/test_rubyoptions.rb
+++ b/test/ruby/test_rubyoptions.rb
@@ -337,6 +337,9 @@ class TestRubyOptions < Test::Unit::TestCase
                       %w[4], [], bug4118)
     assert_in_out_err(%w[-x], "#!/bin/sh\n""#!shebang\n""#!ruby\n""puts __LINE__\n",
                       %w[4], [], bug4118)
+
+    assert_ruby_status(%w[], "#!")
+    assert_in_out_err(%w[-c], "#!", ["Syntax OK"])
   end
 
   def test_sflag
diff --git a/version.h b/version.h
index 3ba2111c53..6e81a12b54 100644
--- a/version.h
+++ b/version.h
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #define RUBY_VERSION "2.4.5"
 #define RUBY_RELEASE_DATE "2018-10-17"
-#define RUBY_PATCHLEVEL 327
+#define RUBY_PATCHLEVEL 328
 
 #define RUBY_RELEASE_YEAR 2018
 #define RUBY_RELEASE_MONTH 10