diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/ExcludeViolationsFromFile.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/ExcludeViolationsFromFile.java
index da5a7db5..cdff7a06 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/ExcludeViolationsFromFile.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/ExcludeViolationsFromFile.java
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public void loadExcludeFromFailuresData(final String excludeFromFailureFile) thr
             return;
         }
         final Properties props = new Properties();
-        try (FileInputStream fileInputStream = new FileInputStream(new File(excludeFromFailureFile))) {
+        try (FileInputStream fileInputStream = new FileInputStream(excludeFromFailureFile)) {
             props.load(fileInputStream);
         } catch (final IOException e) {
             throw new MojoExecutionException("Cannot load properties file " + excludeFromFailureFile, e);
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/exec/PmdResult.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/exec/PmdResult.java
index 15cbe58e..4cebf0cf 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/exec/PmdResult.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/pmd/exec/PmdResult.java
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public int read() throws IOException {
                 return c;
             }
 
-            while (c != -1 && c == BOM) {
+            while (c == BOM) {
                 c = super.read();
             }
             return c;