diff --git a/src/lread.c b/src/lread.c
index 3104c441ecf..72523c057f1 100644
--- a/src/lread.c
+++ b/src/lread.c
@@ -896,6 +896,7 @@ lisp_file_lexically_bound_p (Lisp_Object readcharfun)
 	    ch = READCHAR;
 
 	  i = 0;
+	  beg_end_state = NOMINAL;
 	  while (ch != ':' && ch != '\n' && ch != EOF && in_file_vars)
 	    {
 	      if (i < sizeof var - 1)
@@ -921,6 +922,7 @@ lisp_file_lexically_bound_p (Lisp_Object readcharfun)
 		ch = READCHAR;
 
 	      i = 0;
+	      beg_end_state = NOMINAL;
 	      while (ch != ';' && ch != '\n' && ch != EOF && in_file_vars)
 		{
 		  if (i < sizeof val - 1)