diff --git a/src/import.cc b/src/import.cc
index 3c2cce11..decd88a0 100644
--- a/src/import.cc
+++ b/src/import.cc
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ PolySet *ImportNode::evaluate_polyset(class PolySetEvaluator *) const
 		bool binary = false;
 		std::streampos file_size = f.tellg();
 		f.seekg(80);
-		if (!f.eof()) {
+		if (f.good() && !f.eof()) {
 			uint32_t facenum = 0;
 			f.read((char *)&facenum, sizeof(uint32_t));
 #ifdef BOOST_BIG_ENDIAN
@@ -220,13 +220,12 @@ PolySet *ImportNode::evaluate_polyset(class PolySetEvaluator *) const
 
 		char data[5];
 		f.read(data, 5);
-		if (!binary && !f.eof() && !memcmp(data, "solid", 5)) {
+		if (!binary && !f.eof() && f.good() && !memcmp(data, "solid", 5)) {
 			int i = 0;
 			double vdata[3][3];
 			std::string line;
 			std::getline(f, line);
 			while (!f.eof()) {
-				
 				std::getline(f, line);
 				boost::trim(line);
 				if (boost::regex_search(line, ex_sfe)) {
@@ -257,7 +256,7 @@ PolySet *ImportNode::evaluate_polyset(class PolySetEvaluator *) const
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		else
+		else if (binary && !f.eof() && f.good())
 		{
 			f.ignore(80-5+4);
 			while (1) {
@@ -283,10 +282,12 @@ PolySet *ImportNode::evaluate_polyset(class PolySetEvaluator *) const
 		else {
 			file >> poly;
 			file.close();
-			
 			p = new PolySet();
 			bool err = createPolySetFromPolyhedron(poly, *p);
-			if (err) delete p;
+			if (err) {
+				delete p;
+				p = NULL;
+			}
 		}
 #else
   PRINT("WARNING: OFF import requires CGAL.");
@@ -301,7 +302,7 @@ PolySet *ImportNode::evaluate_polyset(class PolySetEvaluator *) const
 		dxf_tesselate(p, dd, 0, Vector2d(1,1), true, false, 0);
 		dxf_border_to_ps(p, dd);
 	}
-	else 
+	else
 	{
 		PRINTB("ERROR: Unsupported file format while trying to import file '%s'", this->filename);
 	}
diff --git a/testdata/scad/bugs/empty-stl.scad b/testdata/scad/bugs/empty-stl.scad
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c3bfe9d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/scad/bugs/empty-stl.scad
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+// openscad should exit normally.
+// it should not crash and/or freeze and/or gobble RAM
+import("../../stl/empty.stl");
+import("../../stl/empty2.stl");
+echo("empty stl test ok");
+
diff --git a/testdata/stl/empty.stl b/testdata/stl/empty.stl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/testdata/stl/empty2.stl b/testdata/stl/empty2.stl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a5b90276
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/stl/empty2.stl
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+solid OpenSCAD_Model
+endsolid OpenSCAD_Model
+
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 83d1a942..b66c95e8 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -824,7 +824,8 @@ list(APPEND ECHO_FILES ${FUNCTION_FILES}
             ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/expression-shortcircuit-tests.scad
             ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/parent_module-tests.scad
             ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/children-tests.scad
-            ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/range-tests.scad)
+            ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/range-tests.scad
+            ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/bugs/empty-stl.scad)
 
 list(APPEND DUMPTEST_FILES ${FEATURES_FILES} ${EXAMPLE_FILES})
 list(APPEND DUMPTEST_FILES ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/escape-test.scad
@@ -1012,12 +1013,14 @@ add_cmdline_test(openscad-nonascii EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH} ARGS -o
 
 # Variable override (-D arg)
 
+# FIXME - this breaks on older cmake that is very common 'in the wild' on linux
 # Override simple variable
+if("${CMAKE_MAJOR_VERSION}.${CMAKE_MINOR_VERSION}.${CMAKE_PATCH_VERSION}" VERSION_GREATER 2.8.10)
 add_cmdline_test(openscad-override EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH}
                  ARGS -D a=3$<SEMICOLON> -o
                  SUFFIX echo
                  FILES ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/../testdata/scad/misc/override.scad)
-
+endif()
 
 # Image output parameters
 add_cmdline_test(openscad-imgsize EXE ${OPENSCAD_BINPATH}
diff --git a/tests/regression/echotest/empty-stl-expected.echo b/tests/regression/echotest/empty-stl-expected.echo
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b446acbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/regression/echotest/empty-stl-expected.echo
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ECHO: "empty stl test ok"