diff --git a/trunk/ripnews/news/newsrc.rb b/trunk/ripnews/news/newsrc.rb
index c557529..7a476f0 100644
--- a/trunk/ripnews/news/newsrc.rb
+++ b/trunk/ripnews/news/newsrc.rb
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ def load(file=nil)
 	@newsrc["group"] = {}
 	@newsrc["list"] = []
 
-	lines = IO.readlines("#{file}")
-	import_rc(lines)
+	if FileTest.file?( "#{file}" ) and FileTest.readable?( "#{file}" )
+		lines = IO.readlines("#{file}")
+		import_rc(lines)
+	end
 
 	return true
 end