diff --git a/ml_io.cpp b/ml_io.cpp
index a5ac3b2..ab0cfed 100644
--- a/ml_io.cpp
+++ b/ml_io.cpp
@@ -50,8 +50,13 @@ MlValue list_dir(const std::string &path) {
 }
 
 bool is_path_file(const std::string &path) {
-	std::ifstream ifile(path.c_str());
-	return (bool) ifile;
+	struct stat buf{};
+	stat(path.c_str(), &buf);
+	return (bool) S_ISREG(buf.st_mode) ||
+			(bool) S_ISBLK(buf.st_mode) ||
+			(bool) S_ISCHR(buf.st_mode) ||
+			(bool) S_ISFIFO(buf.st_mode) ||
+			(bool) S_ISSOCK(buf.st_mode);
 }
 
 bool is_path_dir(const std::string &path) {