diff --git a/macros.pl b/macros.pl
index b1970cf5..165d09f7 100755
--- a/macros.pl
+++ b/macros.pl
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ sub charcify(@) {
 #
 # Generate macros.c
 #
-open(OUT,">macros.c") or die "unable to open macros.c\n";
+open(OUT,"> macros.c\0") or die "unable to open macros.c\n";
 
 print OUT "/*\n";
 print OUT " * Do not edit - this file auto-generated by macros.pl from:\n";
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ my $lastname;
 my $z;
 
 foreach $fname ( @ARGV ) {
-    open(INPUT,$fname) or die "unable to open $fname\n";
+    open(INPUT,"< $fname\0") or die "$0: $fname: $!\n";
     while (<INPUT>) {
 	$line++;
 	chomp;