diff --git a/src/reader.cpp b/src/reader.cpp
index c7b99260e7..025445ca24 100644
--- a/src/reader.cpp
+++ b/src/reader.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ Reader::Reader(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
   compressed = false;
 }
 
+// avoid resource leak
+Reader::~Reader()
+{
+  if (fp != nullptr) close_file();
+}
+
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    try to open given file
    generic version for ASCII files with optional compression or for native binary dumps
diff --git a/src/reader.h b/src/reader.h
index 93f9197b7a..753b6956f7 100644
--- a/src/reader.h
+++ b/src/reader.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ namespace LAMMPS_NS {
 class Reader : protected Pointers {
  public:
   Reader(class LAMMPS *);
+  ~Reader() override;
 
   virtual void settings(int, char **);