diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BinaryDictionaryGetter.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BinaryDictionaryGetter.java
index 2b6d983..5661842 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BinaryDictionaryGetter.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BinaryDictionaryGetter.java
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@
 import android.content.res.AssetFileDescriptor;
 import android.util.Log;
 
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.DictDecoder;
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FormatSpec;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FormatSpec.FileHeader;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.UnsupportedFormatException;
-import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.Ver3DictDecoder;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.utils.CollectionUtils;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.utils.DictionaryInfoUtils;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.utils.LocaleUtils;
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@
     private static boolean hackCanUseDictionaryFile(final Locale locale, final File f) {
         try {
             // Read the version of the file
-            final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(f);
+            final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(f);
             final FileHeader header = dictDecoder.readHeader();
 
             final String version = header.mDictionaryOptions.mAttributes.get(VERSION_KEY);
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictIOUtils.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictIOUtils.java
index 5cb40f3..2c5e93e 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictIOUtils.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictIOUtils.java
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@
      * @throws IOException if the file can't be read.
      * @throws UnsupportedFormatException if the format of the file is not recognized.
      */
-    /* package */ static void readUnigramsAndBigramsBinary(final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder,
+    /* package */ static void readUnigramsAndBigramsBinary(final DictDecoder dictDecoder,
             final Map<Integer, String> words, final Map<Integer, Integer> frequencies,
             final Map<Integer, ArrayList<PendingAttribute>> bigrams) throws IOException,
             UnsupportedFormatException {
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@
      * @throws UnsupportedFormatException if the format of the file is not recognized.
      */
     @UsedForTesting
-    /* package */ static int getTerminalPosition(final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder,
+    /* package */ static int getTerminalPosition(final DictDecoder dictDecoder,
             final String word) throws IOException, UnsupportedFormatException {
         if (word == null) return FormatSpec.NOT_VALID_WORD;
         dictDecoder.setPosition(0);
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@
             final File file, final long offset, final long length)
             throws FileNotFoundException, IOException, UnsupportedFormatException {
         final byte[] buffer = new byte[HEADER_READING_BUFFER_SIZE];
-        final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(file,
+        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file,
                 new DictDecoder.DictionaryBufferFactory() {
                     @Override
                     public DictBuffer getDictionaryBuffer(File file)
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/DictDecoder.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/DictDecoder.java
index 5e398bd..40e8524 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/DictDecoder.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/DictDecoder.java
@@ -118,6 +118,14 @@
     public boolean readForwardLinkAndAdvancePosition();
     public boolean hasNextPtNodeArray();
 
+    /**
+     * Opens the dictionary file and makes DictBuffer.
+     */
+    @UsedForTesting
+    public void openDictBuffer() throws FileNotFoundException, IOException;
+    @UsedForTesting
+    public boolean isOpenedDictBuffer();
+
     // Flags for DictionaryBufferFactory.
     public static final int USE_READONLY_BYTEBUFFER = 0x01000000;
     public static final int USE_BYTEARRAY = 0x02000000;
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/FormatSpec.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/FormatSpec.java
index bf35f6a..44ae33d 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/FormatSpec.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/FormatSpec.java
@@ -18,8 +18,11 @@
 
 import com.android.inputmethod.annotations.UsedForTesting;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.Constants;
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.DictDecoder.DictionaryBufferFactory;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FusionDictionary.DictionaryOptions;
 
+import java.io.File;
+
 /**
  * Dictionary File Format Specification.
  */
@@ -341,6 +344,28 @@
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns new dictionary decoder.
+     *
+     * @param dictFile the dictionary file.
+     * @param bufferType the flag indicating buffer type which is used by the dictionary decoder.
+     * @return new dictionary decoder if the dictionary file exists, otherwise null.
+     */
+    public static DictDecoder getDictDecoder(final File dictFile, final int bufferType) {
+        if (!dictFile.isFile()) return null;
+        return new Ver3DictDecoder(dictFile, bufferType);
+    }
+
+    public static DictDecoder getDictDecoder(final File dictFile,
+            final DictionaryBufferFactory factory) {
+        if (!dictFile.isFile()) return null;
+        return new Ver3DictDecoder(dictFile, factory);
+    }
+
+    public static DictDecoder getDictDecoder(final File dictFile) {
+        return getDictDecoder(dictFile, DictDecoder.USE_READONLY_BYTEBUFFER);
+    }
+
     private FormatSpec() {
         // This utility class is not publicly instantiable.
     }
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/Ver3DictDecoder.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/Ver3DictDecoder.java
index 6dff9b6..1a90a4b 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/Ver3DictDecoder.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/Ver3DictDecoder.java
@@ -173,11 +173,7 @@
     private final DictionaryBufferFactory mBufferFactory;
     private DictBuffer mDictBuffer;
 
-    public Ver3DictDecoder(final File file) {
-        this(file, USE_READONLY_BYTEBUFFER);
-    }
-
-    public Ver3DictDecoder(final File file, final int factoryFlag) {
+    /* package */ Ver3DictDecoder(final File file, final int factoryFlag) {
         mDictionaryBinaryFile = file;
         mDictBuffer = null;
 
@@ -192,15 +188,21 @@
         }
     }
 
-    public Ver3DictDecoder(final File file, final DictionaryBufferFactory factory) {
+    /* package */ Ver3DictDecoder(final File file, final DictionaryBufferFactory factory) {
         mDictionaryBinaryFile = file;
         mBufferFactory = factory;
     }
 
+    @Override
     public void openDictBuffer() throws FileNotFoundException, IOException {
         mDictBuffer = mBufferFactory.getDictionaryBuffer(mDictionaryBinaryFile);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean isOpenedDictBuffer() {
+        return mDictBuffer != null;
+    }
+
     /* package */ DictBuffer getDictBuffer() {
         return mDictBuffer;
     }
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/personalization/DynamicPredictionDictionaryBase.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/personalization/DynamicPredictionDictionaryBase.java
index 5b1d064..9364fb0 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/personalization/DynamicPredictionDictionaryBase.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/personalization/DynamicPredictionDictionaryBase.java
@@ -25,14 +25,13 @@
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.ExpandableBinaryDictionary;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.LatinImeLogger;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.DictDecoder;
-import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.Ver3DictDecoder;
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FormatSpec;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.settings.Settings;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.utils.CollectionUtils;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.utils.UserHistoryDictIOUtils;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.utils.UserHistoryDictIOUtils.OnAddWordListener;
 
 import java.io.File;
-import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 
@@ -173,16 +172,19 @@
 
         // Load the dictionary from binary file
         final File dictFile = new File(mContext.getFilesDir(), mFileName);
-        final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(dictFile,
+        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(dictFile,
                 DictDecoder.USE_BYTEARRAY);
+        if (dictDecoder == null) {
+            // This is an expected condition: we don't have a user history dictionary for this
+            // language yet. It will be created sometime later.
+            return;
+        }
+
         try {
             dictDecoder.openDictBuffer();
             UserHistoryDictIOUtils.readDictionaryBinary(dictDecoder, listener);
-        } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
-            // This is an expected condition: we don't have a user history dictionary for this
-            // language yet. It will be created sometime later.
         } catch (IOException e) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "IOException on opening a bytebuffer", e);
+            Log.d(TAG, "IOException on opening a bytebuffer", e);
         } finally {
             if (PROFILE_SAVE_RESTORE) {
                 final long diff = System.currentTimeMillis() - now;
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/UserHistoryDictIOUtils.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/UserHistoryDictIOUtils.java
index 05f3061..ea32a74 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/UserHistoryDictIOUtils.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/UserHistoryDictIOUtils.java
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@
 
 import com.android.inputmethod.annotations.UsedForTesting;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.BinaryDictIOUtils;
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.DictDecoder;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.DictEncoder;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FormatSpec.FormatOptions;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FusionDictionary;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FusionDictionary.PtNodeArray;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.PendingAttribute;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.UnsupportedFormatException;
-import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.Ver3DictDecoder;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.personalization.UserHistoryDictionaryBigramList;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
     /**
      * Reads dictionary from file.
      */
-    public static void readDictionaryBinary(final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder,
+    public static void readDictionaryBinary(final DictDecoder dictDecoder,
             final OnAddWordListener dict) {
         final TreeMap<Integer, String> unigrams = CollectionUtils.newTreeMap();
         final TreeMap<Integer, Integer> frequencies = CollectionUtils.newTreeMap();
diff --git a/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictDecoderEncoderTests.java b/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictDecoderEncoderTests.java
index 1864845..2d57100 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictDecoderEncoderTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictDecoderEncoderTests.java
@@ -132,18 +132,6 @@
     // Utilities for test
 
     /**
-     * Makes new DictDecoder according to BUFFER_TYPE.
-     */
-    private Ver3DictDecoder getDictDecoder(final File file, final int bufferType) {
-        if (bufferType == USE_BYTE_BUFFER) {
-            return new Ver3DictDecoder(file, DictDecoder.USE_READONLY_BYTEBUFFER);
-        } else  if (bufferType == USE_BYTE_ARRAY) {
-            return new Ver3DictDecoder(file, DictDecoder.USE_BYTEARRAY);
-        }
-        return null;
-    }
-
-    /**
      * Generates a random word.
      */
     private String generateWord(final Random random, final int[] codePointSet) {
@@ -285,9 +273,7 @@
 
         FusionDictionary dict = null;
         try {
-            final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = getDictDecoder(file, bufferType);
-            dictDecoder.openDictBuffer();
-            assertNotNull(dictDecoder.getDictBuffer());
+            final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file, bufferType);
             now = System.currentTimeMillis();
             dict = dictDecoder.readDictionaryBinary(null, false /* deleteDictIfBroken */);
             diff  = System.currentTimeMillis() - now;
@@ -443,9 +429,7 @@
 
         long now = -1, diff = -1;
         try {
-            final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = getDictDecoder(file, bufferType);
-            dictDecoder.openDictBuffer();
-            assertNotNull("Can't get buffer.", dictDecoder.getDictBuffer());
+            final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file, bufferType);
             now = System.currentTimeMillis();
             dictDecoder.readUnigramsAndBigramsBinary(resultWords, resultFreqs, resultBigrams);
             diff = System.currentTimeMillis() - now;
@@ -531,9 +515,8 @@
     }
 
     // Tests for getTerminalPosition
-    private String getWordFromBinary(final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder, final int address) {
-        final DictBuffer dictBuffer = dictDecoder.getDictBuffer();
-        if (dictBuffer.position() != 0) dictBuffer.position(0);
+    private String getWordFromBinary(final DictDecoder dictDecoder, final int address) {
+        if (dictDecoder.getPosition() != 0) dictDecoder.setPosition(0);
 
         FileHeader fileHeader = null;
         try {
@@ -548,7 +531,7 @@
                 address, fileHeader.mFormatOptions).mWord;
     }
 
-    private long runGetTerminalPosition(final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder, final String word,
+    private long runGetTerminalPosition(final DictDecoder dictDecoder, final String word,
             int index, boolean contained) {
         final int expectedFrequency = (UNIGRAM_FREQ + index) % 255;
         long diff = -1;
@@ -584,14 +567,14 @@
         addUnigrams(sWords.size(), dict, sWords, null /* shortcutMap */);
         timeWritingDictToFile(file, dict, VERSION3_WITH_DYNAMIC_UPDATE);
 
-        final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(file, DictDecoder.USE_BYTEARRAY);
+        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file, DictDecoder.USE_BYTEARRAY);
         try {
             dictDecoder.openDictBuffer();
         } catch (IOException e) {
             // ignore
             Log.e(TAG, "IOException while opening the buffer", e);
         }
-        assertNotNull("Can't get the buffer", dictDecoder.getDictBuffer());
+        assertTrue("Can't get the buffer", dictDecoder.isOpenedDictBuffer());
 
         try {
             // too long word
@@ -648,7 +631,7 @@
             // ignore
             Log.e(TAG, "IOException while opening the buffer", e);
         }
-        assertNotNull("Can't get the buffer", dictDecoder.getDictBuffer());
+        assertTrue("Can't get the buffer", dictDecoder.isOpenedDictBuffer());
 
         try {
             MoreAsserts.assertNotEqual(FormatSpec.NOT_VALID_WORD,
diff --git a/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictIOUtilsTests.java b/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictIOUtilsTests.java
index 8e0c6df..a837494 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictIOUtilsTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictIOUtilsTests.java
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@
         int position = FormatSpec.NOT_VALID_WORD;
 
         try {
-            final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(file);
+            final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(file,
+                    DictDecoder.USE_READONLY_BYTEBUFFER);
             position = dictDecoder.getTerminalPosition(word);
         } catch (IOException e) {
         } catch (UnsupportedFormatException e) {
@@ -149,7 +150,7 @@
     }
 
     /**
-     * Find a word using the Ver3DictDecoder.
+     * Find a word using the DictDecoder.
      *
      * @param dictDecoder the dict decoder
      * @param word the word searched
@@ -157,21 +158,20 @@
      * @throws IOException
      * @throws UnsupportedFormatException
      */
-    private static PtNodeInfo findWordByBinaryDictReader(final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder,
+    private static PtNodeInfo findWordByBinaryDictReader(final DictDecoder dictDecoder,
             final String word) throws IOException, UnsupportedFormatException {
         int position = dictDecoder.getTerminalPosition(word);
-        final DictBuffer dictBuffer = dictDecoder.getDictBuffer();
         if (position != FormatSpec.NOT_VALID_WORD) {
-            dictBuffer.position(0);
+            dictDecoder.setPosition(0);
             final FileHeader header = dictDecoder.readHeader();
-            dictBuffer.position(position);
+            dictDecoder.setPosition(position);
             return dictDecoder.readPtNode(position, header.mFormatOptions);
         }
         return null;
     }
 
     private PtNodeInfo findWordFromFile(final File file, final String word) {
-        final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(file);
+        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file);
         PtNodeInfo info = null;
         try {
             dictDecoder.openDictBuffer();
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@
     private void checkReverseLookup(final File file, final String word, final int position) {
 
         try {
-            final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(file);
+            final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file);
             final FileHeader fileHeader = dictDecoder.readHeader();
             assertEquals(word,
                     BinaryDictDecoderUtils.getWordAtPosition(dictDecoder, fileHeader.mHeaderSize,
diff --git a/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/UserHistoryDictIOUtilsTests.java b/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/UserHistoryDictIOUtilsTests.java
index 72b9478..3eabe2b 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/UserHistoryDictIOUtilsTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/utils/UserHistoryDictIOUtilsTests.java
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@
     }
 
     private void readDictFromFile(final File file, final OnAddWordListener listener) {
-        final Ver3DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(file, DictDecoder.USE_BYTEARRAY);
+        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file, DictDecoder.USE_BYTEARRAY);
         try {
             dictDecoder.openDictBuffer();
         } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
diff --git a/tools/dicttool/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/BinaryDictOffdeviceUtils.java b/tools/dicttool/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/BinaryDictOffdeviceUtils.java
index 1417ca4..fa80385 100644
--- a/tools/dicttool/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/BinaryDictOffdeviceUtils.java
+++ b/tools/dicttool/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/BinaryDictOffdeviceUtils.java
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@
 
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.BinaryDictDecoderUtils;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.DictDecoder;
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FormatSpec;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FusionDictionary;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.UnsupportedFormatException;
-import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.Ver3DictDecoder;
 
 import org.xml.sax.SAXException;
 
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
                     crash(filename, new RuntimeException(
                             filename + " does not seem to be a dictionary file"));
                 } else {
-                    final DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(decodedSpec.mFile,
+                    final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file,
                             DictDecoder.USE_BYTEARRAY);
                     if (report) {
                         System.out.println("Format : Binary dictionary format");
diff --git a/tools/dicttool/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/DictionaryMaker.java b/tools/dicttool/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/DictionaryMaker.java
index 767c147..5302e97 100644
--- a/tools/dicttool/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/DictionaryMaker.java
+++ b/tools/dicttool/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/DictionaryMaker.java
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@
     private static FusionDictionary readBinaryFile(final String binaryFilename)
             throws FileNotFoundException, IOException, UnsupportedFormatException {
         final File file = new File(binaryFilename);
-        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(file);
+        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(file);
         return dictDecoder.readDictionaryBinary(null, false /* deleteDictIfBroken */);
     }
 
diff --git a/tools/dicttool/tests/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/BinaryDictOffdeviceUtilsTests.java b/tools/dicttool/tests/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/BinaryDictOffdeviceUtilsTests.java
index 6e82e37..1eff497 100644
--- a/tools/dicttool/tests/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/BinaryDictOffdeviceUtilsTests.java
+++ b/tools/dicttool/tests/com/android/inputmethod/latin/dicttool/BinaryDictOffdeviceUtilsTests.java
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@
 
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.DictDecoder;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.DictEncoder;
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FormatSpec;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FormatSpec.FormatOptions;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FusionDictionary;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FusionDictionary.DictionaryOptions;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.FusionDictionary.PtNodeArray;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.UnsupportedFormatException;
-import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.Ver3DictDecoder;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.makedict.Ver3DictEncoder;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
             assertEquals("Wrong decode spec", BinaryDictOffdeviceUtils.COMPRESSION, step);
         }
         assertEquals("Wrong decode spec", 3, decodeSpec.mDecoderSpec.size());
-        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = new Ver3DictDecoder(decodeSpec.mFile);
+        final DictDecoder dictDecoder = FormatSpec.getDictDecoder(decodeSpec.mFile);
         final FusionDictionary resultDict = dictDecoder.readDictionaryBinary(
                 null /* dict : an optional dictionary to add words to, or null */,
                 false /* deleteDictIfBroken */);