diff --git a/lib/chibi/io/io.scm b/lib/chibi/io/io.scm
index ce7f58bf..5ccdd4bc 100644
--- a/lib/chibi/io/io.scm
+++ b/lib/chibi/io/io.scm
@@ -71,23 +71,25 @@
  ((not string-streams)
   (define (%read-line n in)
     (let ((out (open-output-string)))
-      (let lp ()
-        (let ((ch (read-char in)))
+      (let lp ((i 0))
+        (let ((ch (peek-char in)))
           (cond
            ((eof-object? ch)
             (let ((res (get-output-string out)))
               (and (not (equal? res "")) res)))
+           ((eqv? ch #\newline)
+            (read-char in)
+            (get-output-string out))
+           ((eqv? ch #\return)
+            (read-char in)
+            (if (eqv? #\newline (peek-char in))
+                (read-char in))
+            (get-output-string out))
+           ((>= i n)
+            (get-output-string out))
            (else
-            (write-char ch out)
-            (cond
-             ((eqv? ch #\newline)
-              (get-output-string out))
-             ((eqv? ch #\return)
-              (if (eqv? #\newline (peek-char in))
-                  (read-char in))
-              (get-output-string out))
-             (else
-              (lp)))))))))))
+            (write-char (read-char in) out)
+            (lp (+ i 1))))))))))
 
 (define (read-line . o)
   (let ((in (if (pair? o) (car o) (current-input-port)))
diff --git a/tests/io-tests.scm b/tests/io-tests.scm
index d434d31a..289362a3 100644
--- a/tests/io-tests.scm
+++ b/tests/io-tests.scm
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@
   (call-with-input-string "abc\ndef\n"
     (lambda (in) (let ((line (read-line in))) (list line (read-line in))))))
 
+(test "read-line" '("abc" "def" "ghi")
+  (call-with-input-string "abcdef\nghi\n"
+    (lambda (in)
+      (let* ((line1 (read-line in 3))
+             (line2 (read-line in 3)))
+        (list line1 line2 (read-line in 3))))))
+
 (test "read-line-to-eof" '("abc" "def")
   (call-with-input-string "abc\ndef"
     (lambda (in) (let ((line (read-line in))) (list line (read-line in))))))