diff --git a/core/file.cpp b/core/file.cpp
index 608c5da0..da2da58f 100644
--- a/core/file.cpp
+++ b/core/file.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ static bool __file_mkdir()
 
 void file_init(struct file *file, const std::string &name, unsigned int version)
 {
-	file->f_mode = NOT_OPEN;
+	file->f_mode = OPEN_READ;
 	file->f_version = version;
 	file->f_prev = 0;
 	file->f_file = NULL;
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const std::string file_path(struct file *file)
 
 const unsigned int file_version(struct file *file)
 {
-	if (file->f_mode == OPEN_READ)
+	if (file->f_file && (file->f_mode == OPEN_READ))
 		return file->f_prev;
 	return file->f_version;
 }
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@ static bool __file_open_write(struct file *file)
 
 bool file_open(struct file *file, OpenMode mode)
 {
-	if ((file->f_name == "") || (mode == NOT_OPEN) ||
-	    (file->f_mode != NOT_OPEN))
+	if ((file->f_name == "") || (file->f_file != NULL))
 		return false;
 
 	if (mode == OPEN_READ)
@@ -105,12 +104,9 @@ bool file_open(struct file *file, OpenMode mode)
 
 void file_close(struct file *file)
 {
-	if (file->f_mode != NOT_OPEN) {
-		if (file->f_file)
-			fclose(file->f_file);
-		file->f_file = NULL;
-	}
-	file->f_mode = NOT_OPEN;
+	if (file->f_file)
+		fclose(file->f_file);
+	file->f_file = NULL;
 }
 
 int file_readf(struct file *file, const char *fmt, ...)
diff --git a/include/core/file.h b/include/core/file.h
index 78ded272..c2bd54e7 100644
--- a/include/core/file.h
+++ b/include/core/file.h
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 enum OpenMode {
 	OPEN_READ,	/**< File is open for reading.	*/
 	OPEN_WRITE,	/**< File is open for writing.	*/
-	NOT_OPEN,	/**< File is not open.		*/
 };
 
 
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ bool file_exists(struct file *);
  */
 bool file_open(struct file *, OpenMode);
 
-/* Close an open file, setting file->mode to NOT_OPEN. */
+/* Close an open file, setting file->f_file to NULL. */
 void file_close(struct file *);
 
 /* Read an entire line from the file and return it to the caller. */
diff --git a/tests/core/file.cpp b/tests/core/file.cpp
index ecf76d48..cdc605d8 100644
--- a/tests/core/file.cpp
+++ b/tests/core/file.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ static void test_verify_constructor(struct file *file, const std::string &fpath)
 {
 	test_equal((void *)file->f_file, NULL);
 	test_equal(file_version(file), 0);
-	test_equal(file->f_mode, NOT_OPEN);
+	test_equal(file->f_mode, OPEN_READ);
 	test_equal(file_path(file), fpath);
 }
 
@@ -21,13 +21,10 @@ static void test_empty()
 	file_init(&fempty, "", 0);
 	test_verify_constructor(&fempty, "");
 
-	test_equal(file_open(&fempty, NOT_OPEN), (bool)false);
 	test_equal(file_open(&fempty, OPEN_READ), (bool)false);
 	test_equal((void *)fempty.f_file, NULL);
-	test_equal(fempty.f_mode, NOT_OPEN);
 	test_equal(file_open(&fempty, OPEN_WRITE), (bool)false);
 	test_equal((void *)fempty.f_file, NULL);
-	test_equal(fempty.f_mode, NOT_OPEN);
 
 	test_equal(file_exists(&fempty), (bool)false);
 	test_equal(test_data_file_exists(NULL), (bool)false);
@@ -43,7 +40,6 @@ static void test_file()
 	test_equal(file_exists(&file), (bool)false);
 	test_equal(test_data_file_exists(NULL), (bool)false);
 
-	test_equal(file_open(&file, NOT_OPEN), (bool)false);
 	test_equal(file_open(&file, OPEN_READ), (bool)false);
 	test_equal(file_open(&file, OPEN_WRITE), (bool)true);
 	test_not_equal((void *)file.f_file, NULL);
@@ -52,7 +48,7 @@ static void test_file()
 
 	file_close(&file);
 	test_equal((void *)file.f_file, NULL);
-	test_equal(file.f_mode, NOT_OPEN);
+	test_equal(file.f_mode, OPEN_WRITE);
 
 	test_equal(file_exists(&file), (bool)true);
 	test_equal(test_data_file_exists("file.txt"), (bool)true);