diff --git a/tests/json_test.c b/tests/json_test.c
index 7fcd6f8..12da188 100644
--- a/tests/json_test.c
+++ b/tests/json_test.c
@@ -87,17 +87,20 @@ void parse_single_file(const char *path)
     struct stat sb = { 0 };
     WantError = 0;
     /* open our file */
-    if (stat(path, &sb) == -1) {
+    
+    fh = fopen(path, "r");
+    if (fh == NULL) {
         perror(path);
         return;
     }
-    if (S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode)) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Skipping directory '%s'\n", path);
+
+    if (fstat(fileno(fh), &sb) != 0) {
+        fclose(fh);
         return;
     }
-    fh = fopen(path, "r");
-    if (fh == NULL) {
-        perror(path);
+
+    if (S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode)) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Skipping directory '%s'\n", path);
         return;
     }