diff --git a/auth.py b/auth.py
index e47dd6cbb..94af04139 100644
--- a/auth.py
+++ b/auth.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import secrets
 import datetime
 from utils import is_system_account
 from utils import has_users_path
+from utils import text_in_file
 
 
 def _hash_password(password: str) -> str:
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ def store_basic_credentials(base_dir: str,
     password_file = base_dir + '/accounts/passwords'
     store_str = nickname + ':' + _hash_password(password)
     if os.path.isfile(password_file):
-        if nickname + ':' in open(password_file, encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(nickname + ':', password_file):
             try:
                 with open(password_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fin:
                     with open(password_file + '.new', 'w+',
diff --git a/blocking.py b/blocking.py
index 9d5c506c9..412b32f4f 100644
--- a/blocking.py
+++ b/blocking.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from utils import get_nickname_from_actor
 from utils import acct_dir
 from utils import local_actor_url
 from utils import has_actor
+from utils import text_in_file
 from conversation import mute_conversation
 from conversation import unmute_conversation
 
@@ -46,8 +47,7 @@ def add_global_block(base_dir: str,
         # is the handle already blocked?
         block_handle = block_nickname + '@' + block_domain
         if os.path.isfile(blocking_filename):
-            if block_handle in open(blocking_filename,
-                                    encoding='utf-8').read():
+            if text_in_file(block_handle, blocking_filename):
                 return False
         # block an account handle or domain
         try:
@@ -85,16 +85,14 @@ def add_block(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
     blocking_filename = acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/blocking.txt'
     block_handle = block_nickname + '@' + block_domain
     if os.path.isfile(blocking_filename):
-        if block_handle + '\n' in open(blocking_filename,
-                                       encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(block_handle + '\n', blocking_filename):
             return False
 
     # if we are following then unfollow
     following_filename = \
         acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/following.txt'
     if os.path.isfile(following_filename):
-        if block_handle + '\n' in open(following_filename,
-                                       encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(block_handle + '\n', following_filename):
             following_str = ''
             try:
                 with open(following_filename, 'r',
@@ -119,8 +117,7 @@ def add_block(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
     followers_filename = \
         acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/followers.txt'
     if os.path.isfile(followers_filename):
-        if block_handle + '\n' in open(followers_filename,
-                                       encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(block_handle + '\n', followers_filename):
             followers_str = ''
             try:
                 with open(followers_filename, 'r',
@@ -159,8 +156,7 @@ def remove_global_block(base_dir: str,
     if not unblock_nickname.startswith('#'):
         unblock_handle = unblock_nickname + '@' + unblock_domain
         if os.path.isfile(unblocking_filename):
-            if unblock_handle in open(unblocking_filename,
-                                      encoding='utf-8').read():
+            if text_in_file(unblock_handle, unblocking_filename):
                 try:
                     with open(unblocking_filename, 'r',
                               encoding='utf-8') as fp_unblock:
@@ -187,8 +183,7 @@ def remove_global_block(base_dir: str,
     else:
         unblock_hashtag = unblock_nickname
         if os.path.isfile(unblocking_filename):
-            if unblock_hashtag + '\n' in open(unblocking_filename,
-                                              encoding='utf-8').read():
+            if text_in_file(unblock_hashtag + '\n', unblocking_filename):
                 try:
                     with open(unblocking_filename, 'r',
                               encoding='utf-8') as fp_unblock:
@@ -224,8 +219,7 @@ def remove_block(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/blocking.txt'
     unblock_handle = unblock_nickname + '@' + unblock_domain
     if os.path.isfile(unblocking_filename):
-        if unblock_handle in open(unblocking_filename,
-                                  encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(unblock_handle, unblocking_filename):
             try:
                 with open(unblocking_filename, 'r',
                           encoding='utf-8') as fp_unblock:
@@ -262,8 +256,7 @@ def is_blocked_hashtag(base_dir: str, hashtag: str) -> bool:
         hashtag = hashtag.strip('\n').strip('\r')
         if not hashtag.startswith('#'):
             hashtag = '#' + hashtag
-        if hashtag + '\n' in open(global_blocking_filename,
-                                  encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(hashtag + '\n', global_blocking_filename):
             return True
     return False
 
@@ -373,11 +366,10 @@ def is_blocked_domain(base_dir: str, domain: str,
         allow_filename = base_dir + '/accounts/allowedinstances.txt'
         # instance allow list
         if not short_domain:
-            if domain not in open(allow_filename, encoding='utf-8').read():
+            if not text_in_file(domain, allow_filename):
                 return True
         else:
-            if short_domain not in open(allow_filename,
-                                        encoding='utf-8').read():
+            if not text_in_file(short_domain, allow_filename):
                 return True
 
     return False
@@ -407,44 +399,37 @@ def is_blocked(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         else:
             global_blocks_filename = base_dir + '/accounts/blocking.txt'
             if os.path.isfile(global_blocks_filename):
-                if '*@' + block_domain in open(global_blocks_filename,
-                                               encoding='utf-8').read():
+                if text_in_file('*@' + block_domain, global_blocks_filename):
                     return True
                 if block_handle:
                     block_str = block_handle + '\n'
-                    if block_str in open(global_blocks_filename,
-                                         encoding='utf-8').read():
+                    if text_in_file(block_str, global_blocks_filename):
                         return True
     else:
         # instance allow list
         allow_filename = base_dir + '/accounts/allowedinstances.txt'
         short_domain = _get_short_domain(block_domain)
         if not short_domain:
-            if block_domain + '\n' not in open(allow_filename,
-                                               encoding='utf-8').read():
+            if not text_in_file(block_domain + '\n', allow_filename):
                 return True
         else:
-            if short_domain + '\n' not in open(allow_filename,
-                                               encoding='utf-8').read():
+            if not text_in_file(short_domain + '\n', allow_filename):
                 return True
 
     # account level allow list
     account_dir = acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain)
     allow_filename = account_dir + '/allowedinstances.txt'
     if os.path.isfile(allow_filename):
-        if block_domain + '\n' not in open(allow_filename,
-                                           encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if not text_in_file(block_domain + '\n', allow_filename):
             return True
 
     # account level block list
     blocking_filename = account_dir + '/blocking.txt'
     if os.path.isfile(blocking_filename):
-        if '*@' + block_domain + '\n' in open(blocking_filename,
-                                              encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file('*@' + block_domain + '\n', blocking_filename):
             return True
         if block_handle:
-            if block_handle + '\n' in open(blocking_filename,
-                                           encoding='utf-8').read():
+            if text_in_file(block_handle + '\n', blocking_filename):
                 return True
     return False
 
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 5d49d7379..857786257 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -40,6 +40,20 @@ INVALID_CHARACTERS = (
 )
 
 
+def text_in_file(text: str, filename: str) -> bool:
+    """is the given text in the given file?
+    """
+    try:
+        with open(filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
+            content = file.read()
+            if content:
+                if text in content:
+                    return True
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+    return False
+
+
 def local_actor_url(http_prefix: str, nickname: str, domain_full: str) -> str:
     """Returns the url for an actor on this instance
     """
@@ -1320,8 +1334,7 @@ def follow_person(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
     # was this person previously unfollowed?
     unfollowed_filename = base_dir + '/accounts/' + handle + '/unfollowed.txt'
     if os.path.isfile(unfollowed_filename):
-        if handle_to_follow in open(unfollowed_filename,
-                                    encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(handle_to_follow, unfollowed_filename):
             # remove them from the unfollowed file
             new_lines = ''
             with open(unfollowed_filename, 'r',
@@ -1341,7 +1354,7 @@ def follow_person(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         handle_to_follow = '!' + handle_to_follow
     filename = base_dir + '/accounts/' + handle + '/' + follow_file
     if os.path.isfile(filename):
-        if handle_to_follow in open(filename, encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(handle_to_follow, filename):
             if debug:
                 print('DEBUG: follow already exists')
             return True
@@ -1648,7 +1661,7 @@ def remove_moderation_post_from_index(base_dir: str, post_url: str,
     if not os.path.isfile(moderation_index_file):
         return
     post_id = remove_id_ending(post_url)
-    if post_id in open(moderation_index_file, encoding='utf-8').read():
+    if text_in_file(post_id, moderation_index_file):
         with open(moderation_index_file, 'r',
                   encoding='utf-8') as file1:
             lines = file1.readlines()
@@ -1679,7 +1692,7 @@ def _is_reply_to_blog_post(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         return False
     post_id = remove_id_ending(post_json_object['object']['inReplyTo'])
     post_id = post_id.replace('/', '#')
-    if post_id in open(blogs_index_filename, encoding='utf-8').read():
+    if text_in_file(post_id, blogs_index_filename):
         return True
     return False
 
@@ -1720,8 +1733,7 @@ def _is_bookmarked(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
         acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/bookmarks.index'
     if os.path.isfile(bookmarks_index_filename):
         bookmark_index = post_filename.split('/')[-1] + '\n'
-        if bookmark_index in open(bookmarks_index_filename,
-                                  encoding='utf-8').read():
+        if text_in_file(bookmark_index, bookmarks_index_filename):
             return True
     return False
 
@@ -3024,8 +3036,7 @@ def dm_allowed_from_domain(base_dir: str,
         acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/dmAllowedInstances.txt'
     if not os.path.isfile(dm_allowed_instances_file):
         return False
-    if sending_actor_domain + '\n' in open(dm_allowed_instances_file,
-                                           encoding='utf-8').read():
+    if text_in_file(sending_actor_domain + '\n', dm_allowed_instances_file):
         return True
     return False
 
@@ -3339,8 +3350,7 @@ def is_group_actor(base_dir: str, actor: str, person_cache: {},
         if debug:
             print('Cached actor file not found ' + cached_actor_filename)
         return False
-    if '"type": "Group"' in open(cached_actor_filename,
-                                 encoding='utf-8').read():
+    if text_in_file('"type": "Group"', cached_actor_filename):
         if debug:
             print('Group type found in ' + cached_actor_filename)
         return True
@@ -3353,8 +3363,7 @@ def is_group_account(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str) -> bool:
     account_filename = acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '.json'
     if not os.path.isfile(account_filename):
         return False
-    if '"type": "Group"' in open(account_filename,
-                                 encoding='utf-8').read():
+    if text_in_file('"type": "Group"', account_filename):
         return True
     return False