diff --git a/libc/stdio/fread_unlocked.cpp b/libc/stdio/fread_unlocked.cpp
index c9d6e5e5..a070ca66 100644
--- a/libc/stdio/fread_unlocked.cpp
+++ b/libc/stdio/fread_unlocked.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ size_t fread_unlocked(void* ptr,
 
 	unsigned char* buf = (unsigned char*) ptr;
 	size_t count = element_size * num_elements;
+	if ( count == 0 )
+		return num_elements;
 
 	if ( fp->buffer_mode == _IONBF )
 	{
diff --git a/libc/stdio/fwrite_unlocked.cpp b/libc/stdio/fwrite_unlocked.cpp
index 2dad4f68..2e25222a 100644
--- a/libc/stdio/fwrite_unlocked.cpp
+++ b/libc/stdio/fwrite_unlocked.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ size_t fwrite_unlocked(const void* ptr,
 
 	const unsigned char* buf = (const unsigned char*) ptr;
 	size_t count = element_size * num_elements;
+	if ( count == 0 )
+		return num_elements;
 
 	if ( fp->buffer_mode == _IONBF )
 	{