diff --git a/scheme/read.sld b/scheme/read.sld
index c6281cb3..3b266a89 100644
--- a/scheme/read.sld
+++ b/scheme/read.sld
@@ -152,12 +152,11 @@
               (in-port:set-cnum! ptbl 0)
               (parse fp '() toks all? #f parens ptbl))
            (parse fp '() toks all? #t parens ptbl)))
+      ((eq? c #\newline)
+       (in-port:set-lnum! ptbl (+ 1 (in-port:get-lnum ptbl)))
+       (in-port:set-cnum! ptbl 0)
+       (parse/tok fp tok toks all? #f parens ptbl c))
       ((char-whitespace? c)
-       (if (equal? c #\newline)
-           (in-port:set-lnum! ptbl 
-             (+ 1 (in-port:get-lnum ptbl))))
-       (if (equal? c #\newline) 
-           (in-port:set-cnum! ptbl 0))
        (parse/tok fp tok toks all? #f parens ptbl c))
       ((eq? c #\;)
        (parse/tok fp tok toks all? #t parens ptbl c))