diff --git a/xml.go b/xml.go
index 23deec2..9eaff84 100644
--- a/xml.go
+++ b/xml.go
@@ -913,7 +913,8 @@ func (b *byteReader) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
 func (b *byteReader) ReadByte() (byte, error) {
 	_, err := b.r.Read(b.b)
 	if len(b.b) > 0 {
-		return b.b[0], nil
+		// issue #38
+		return b.b[0], err
 	}
 	var c byte
 	return c, err