diff --git a/ANNOTATE-3.05/read_matrix.cpp b/ANNOTATE-3.05/read_matrix.cpp
index 9de20b2..e7b7d97 100644
--- a/ANNOTATE-3.05/read_matrix.cpp
+++ b/ANNOTATE-3.05/read_matrix.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ void read_matrix_file(const char *mat_file_name){
 		adapt_matrix_params();
 		score_mat_back = score_mat_forw; //copy the forward into the reverse
 
-		while(matfile.getline(mat_line,1000,'\n')!=NULL){
+		while(matfile.getline(mat_line,1000,'\n')){
 
 			if ((mat_line[0] == '\0') || (mat_line[0] == ';'))
 				// skipping empty mat_lines if any
diff --git a/convert-pscm_source/read_matrix.cpp b/convert-pscm_source/read_matrix.cpp
index 78c735d..7238c7d 100755
--- a/convert-pscm_source/read_matrix.cpp
+++ b/convert-pscm_source/read_matrix.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void read_matrix_file(char* mat_file_name){
 		adapt_matrix_params();
 		score_mat_back = score_mat_forw; //copy the forward into the reverse
 
-		while(matfile.getline(mat_line,1000,'\n')!=NULL){
+		while(matfile.getline(mat_line,1000,'\n')){
 
 			if ((mat_line[0] == '\0') || (mat_line[0] == ';'))
 				// skipping empty mat_lines if any