diff --git a/src/code/fd-stream.lisp b/src/code/fd-stream.lisp
index bf3bc4295..b143f7475 100644
--- a/src/code/fd-stream.lisp
+++ b/src/code/fd-stream.lisp
@@ -2857,7 +2857,7 @@
              (:file-length
               ;; there are at least 2 ways to do this: stat() or lseek() a few times
               (let* ((fd (stdio-file-fd stdio-file))
-                     (cur (sb-unix:unix-lseek fd 0 sb-unix:L_SET)) ; SEEK-SET
+                     (cur (sb-unix:unix-lseek fd 0 sb-unix:L_INCR)) ; SEEK-CUR
                      (end (sb-unix:unix-lseek fd 0 sb-unix:L_XTND))) ; SEEK-END
                 ;; go back to where it was
                 (sb-unix:unix-lseek fd cur sb-unix:L_SET)
diff --git a/tests/tmpfile.pure.lisp b/tests/tmpfile.pure.lisp
index 6f29fe15e..a463e9fd8 100644
--- a/tests/tmpfile.pure.lisp
+++ b/tests/tmpfile.pure.lisp
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
     (multiple-value-bind (output warn err)
         (sb-c:compile-form-to-file '(progn (defvar *foo* 3)) tmpfile)
       (assert (and output (not warn) (not err)))
+      (assert (eq (sb-int:info :variable :kind '*foo*) :special))
+      (sb-int:clear-info :variable :kind '*foo*)
       (let ((stream (sb-impl::stream-from-stdio-file tmpfile :input t)))
+        ;; compile-form-to-file leaves the file positioned to its end.
+        (file-position stream 0)
         (sb-fasl::load-as-fasl stream nil nil)
         (sb-unix:unix-fclose tmpfile)
         (assert (eq (sb-int:info :variable :kind '*foo*) :special))