--- nmap/nbase/nbase_misc.c

+++ nmap/nbase/nbase_misc.c

@@ -734,10 +734,13 @@ int fileexistsandisreadable(const char *pathname) {

 #endif

-  if (stat(pathname_buf, &st) == -1)

-    status = 0;

-  else if (access(pathname_buf, R_OK) != -1)

-    status = S_ISDIR(st.st_mode) ? 2 : 1;

+  if (access(pathname_buf, R_OK) == 0 && stat(pathname_buf, &st) == 0) {

+    if (S_ISREG(st.st_mode)) {

+    	status = 1;

+    } else if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {

+      status = 2;

+    }

+  }

   free(pathname_buf);

   return status;