diff --git a/src/xxd/xxd.c b/src/xxd/xxd.c
index 94cc220..698971a 100644
--- a/src/xxd/xxd.c
+++ b/src/xxd/xxd.c
@@ -346,16 +346,12 @@
 	  n1 = -1;
 	  if ((++p >= cols) && !hextype)
 	    {
-	      /* skip rest of line as garbage */
-	      want_off = 0;
-	      while ((c = getc(fpi)) != '\n' && c != EOF)
-		;
-	      if (c == EOF && ferror(fpi))
-		die(2);
-	      ign_garb = 1;
+	      /* skip the rest of the line as garbage */
+	      n2 = -1;
+	      n3 = -1;
 	    }
 	}
-      else if (n1 < 0 && n2 < 0 && n3 < 0)
+      if (n1 < 0 && n2 < 0 && n3 < 0)
 	{
 	  /* already stumbled into garbage, skip line, wait and see */
 	  if (!hextype)