diff --git a/wiretap/hcidump.c b/wiretap/hcidump.c
index 50c37c17c6..6f3641d098 100644
--- a/wiretap/hcidump.c
+++ b/wiretap/hcidump.c
@@ -36,18 +36,15 @@ struct dump_hdr {
 
 #define DUMP_HDR_SIZE (sizeof(struct dump_hdr))
 
-static gboolean hcidump_read(wtap *wth, int *err, gchar **err_info,
-    gint64 *data_offset)
+static gboolean hcidump_process_header(FILE_T fh, struct wtap_pkthdr *phdr,
+    int *err, gchar **err_info)
 {
 	struct dump_hdr dh;
-	guint8 *buf;
 	int bytes_read, packet_size;
 
-	*data_offset = file_tell(wth->fh);
-
-	bytes_read = file_read(&dh, DUMP_HDR_SIZE, wth->fh);
+	bytes_read = file_read(&dh, DUMP_HDR_SIZE, fh);
 	if (bytes_read != DUMP_HDR_SIZE) {
-		*err = file_error(wth->fh, err_info);
+		*err = file_error(fh, err_info);
 		if (*err == 0 && bytes_read != 0)
 			*err = WTAP_ERR_SHORT_READ;
 		return FALSE;
@@ -65,25 +62,38 @@ static gboolean hcidump_read(wtap *wth, int *err, gchar **err_info,
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
-	buffer_assure_space(wth->frame_buffer, packet_size);
+	phdr->presence_flags = WTAP_HAS_TS;
+	phdr->ts.secs = GUINT32_FROM_LE(dh.ts_sec);
+	phdr->ts.nsecs = GUINT32_FROM_LE(dh.ts_usec) * 1000;
+	phdr->caplen = packet_size;
+	phdr->len = packet_size;
+
+	phdr->pseudo_header.p2p.sent = (dh.in ? FALSE : TRUE);
+
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+static gboolean hcidump_read(wtap *wth, int *err, gchar **err_info,
+    gint64 *data_offset)
+{
+	guint8 *buf;
+	int bytes_read;
+
+	*data_offset = file_tell(wth->fh);
+
+	if (!hcidump_process_header(wth->fh, &wth->phdr, err, err_info))
+		return FALSE;
+
+	buffer_assure_space(wth->frame_buffer, wth->phdr.caplen);
 	buf = buffer_start_ptr(wth->frame_buffer);
 
-	bytes_read = file_read(buf, packet_size, wth->fh);
-	if (bytes_read != packet_size) {
+	bytes_read = file_read(buf, wth->phdr.caplen, wth->fh);
+	if (bytes_read == -1 || (guint32)bytes_read != wth->phdr.caplen) {
 		*err = file_error(wth->fh, err_info);
 		if (*err == 0)
 			*err = WTAP_ERR_SHORT_READ;
 		return FALSE;
 	}
-
-	wth->phdr.presence_flags = WTAP_HAS_TS;
-	wth->phdr.ts.secs = GUINT32_FROM_LE(dh.ts_sec);
-	wth->phdr.ts.nsecs = GUINT32_FROM_LE(dh.ts_usec) * 1000;
-	wth->phdr.caplen = packet_size;
-	wth->phdr.len = packet_size;
-
-	wth->phdr.pseudo_header.p2p.sent = (dh.in ? FALSE : TRUE);
-
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
@@ -91,20 +101,13 @@ static gboolean hcidump_seek_read(wtap *wth, gint64 seek_off,
     struct wtap_pkthdr *phdr, guint8 *pd, int length,
     int *err, gchar **err_info)
 {
-	union wtap_pseudo_header *pseudo_header = &phdr->pseudo_header;
-	struct dump_hdr dh;
 	int bytes_read;
 
 	if (file_seek(wth->random_fh, seek_off, SEEK_SET, err) == -1)
 		return FALSE;
 
-	bytes_read = file_read(&dh, DUMP_HDR_SIZE, wth->random_fh);
-	if (bytes_read != DUMP_HDR_SIZE) {
-		*err = file_error(wth->random_fh, err_info);
-		if (*err == 0 && bytes_read != 0)
-			*err = WTAP_ERR_SHORT_READ;
+	if (!hcidump_process_header(wth->random_fh, phdr, err, err_info))
 		return FALSE;
-	}
 
 	bytes_read = file_read(pd, length, wth->random_fh);
 	if (bytes_read != length) {
@@ -114,8 +117,6 @@ static gboolean hcidump_seek_read(wtap *wth, gint64 seek_off,
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
-	pseudo_header->p2p.sent = (dh.in ? FALSE : TRUE);
-
 	return TRUE;
 }