diff --git a/src/core/stream.js b/src/core/stream.js
index 669cab152..8688434d6 100644
--- a/src/core/stream.js
+++ b/src/core/stream.js
@@ -430,10 +430,12 @@ var FlateStream = (function FlateStreamClosure() {
     var codeSize = this.codeSize;
     var codeBuf = this.codeBuf;
 
+    var b;
     while (codeSize < maxLen) {
-      var b;
       if ((b = str.getByte()) === -1) {
-        error('Bad encoding in flate stream');
+        // premature end of stream. code might however still be valid.
+        // codeSize < codeLen check below guards against incomplete codeVal.
+        break;
       }
       codeBuf |= (b << codeSize);
       codeSize += 8;
@@ -441,7 +443,7 @@ var FlateStream = (function FlateStreamClosure() {
     var code = codes[codeBuf & ((1 << maxLen) - 1)];
     var codeLen = code >> 16;
     var codeVal = code & 0xffff;
-    if (codeSize === 0 || codeSize < codeLen || codeLen === 0) {
+    if (codeLen < 1 || codeSize < codeLen) {
       error('Bad encoding in flate stream');
     }
     this.codeBuf = (codeBuf >> codeLen);