diff --git a/lib.c b/lib.c
index 18adbd2..82b804b 100644
--- a/lib.c
+++ b/lib.c
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ int getrec(char **pbuf, int *pbufsize, bool isrecord)	/* get next input record *
 				infile = stdin;
 			else if ((infile = fopen(file, "r")) == NULL)
 				FATAL("can't open file %s", file);
+			innew = true;
 			setfval(fnrloc, 0.0);
 		}
 		c = readrec(&buf, &bufsize, infile, innew);
diff --git a/testdir/T.misc b/testdir/T.misc
index dff57db..77e6dd1 100755
--- a/testdir/T.misc
+++ b/testdir/T.misc
@@ -195,6 +195,24 @@ aa1a2a
 EOF
 diff foo1 foo2 || echo 'BAD: T.misc ^regex reapplied fails'
 
+# ^-anchored RS matching should be active at the start of each input file
+tee foo1 foo2 >foo3 << \EOF
+aaa
+EOF
+$awk 1 RS='^a' foo1 foo2 foo3 >foo4
+cat << \EOF > foo5
+
+aa
+
+
+aa
+
+
+aa
+
+EOF
+diff foo4 foo5 || echo 'BAD: T.misc ^RS matches the start of every input file fails'
+
 # The following should not produce a warning about changing a constant
 # nor about a curdled tempcell list
 $awk 'function f(x) { x = 2 }