diff --git a/binding-mri/binding-util.h b/binding-mri/binding-util.h
index 743da529..bed2a606 100644
--- a/binding-mri/binding-util.h
+++ b/binding-mri/binding-util.h
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ static inline VALUE
 rb_file_open_str(VALUE filename, const char *mode)
 {
     VALUE fileobj = rb_const_get(rb_cObject, rb_intern("File"));
-    return rb_funcall(fileobj, rb_intern("open"), 2, filename, mode);
+    return rb_funcall(fileobj, rb_intern("open"), 2, filename, rb_str_new2(mode));
 }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/binding-mri/filesystem-binding.cpp b/binding-mri/filesystem-binding.cpp
index c15705b4..41163d44 100644
--- a/binding-mri/filesystem-binding.cpp
+++ b/binding-mri/filesystem-binding.cpp
@@ -132,8 +132,15 @@ VALUE
 kernelLoadDataInt(const char *filename, bool rubyExc)
 {
 	rb_gc_start();
-
+    
+#ifndef OLD_RUBY
 	VALUE port = fileIntForPath(filename, rubyExc);
+#else
+    // the above results in an uninitialized IO,
+    // so let's use Ruby to open the file instead
+    // hopefully a temporary fix
+    VALUE port = rb_file_open_str(rb_str_new2(filename), "rb");
+#endif
 
 	VALUE marsh = rb_const_get(rb_cObject, rb_intern("Marshal"));