diff --git a/cnpy.cpp b/cnpy.cpp
index 2d28578..9074e0e 100644
--- a/cnpy.cpp
+++ b/cnpy.cpp
@@ -277,13 +277,22 @@ cnpy::npz_t cnpy::npz_load(std::string fname) {
 }
 
 cnpy::NpyArray cnpy::npz_load(std::string fname, std::string varname) {
-    FILE* fp = fopen(fname.c_str(),"rb");
+    struct AutoCloser
+    {
+        FILE * fp;
+        AutoCloser (FILE * ptr) : fp(ptr) {}
+        ~AutoCloser (void)
+        {
+            if (fp != nullptr)
+                fclose(fp);
+        }
+    } closer(fopen(fname.c_str(), "rb"));
 
-    if(!fp) throw std::runtime_error("npz_load: Unable to open file "+fname);
+    if(!closer.fp) throw std::runtime_error("npz_load: Unable to open file "+fname);
 
     while(1) {
         std::vector<char> local_header(30);
-        size_t header_res = fread(&local_header[0],sizeof(char),30,fp);
+        size_t header_res = fread(&local_header[0],sizeof(char),30,closer.fp);
         if(header_res != 30)
             throw std::runtime_error("npz_load: failed fread");
 
@@ -293,46 +302,51 @@ cnpy::NpyArray cnpy::npz_load(std::string fname, std::string varname) {
         //read in the variable name
         uint16_t name_len = *(uint16_t*) &local_header[26];
         std::string vname(name_len,' ');
-        size_t vname_res = fread(&vname[0],sizeof(char),name_len,fp);      
+        size_t vname_res = fread(&vname[0],sizeof(char),name_len,closer.fp);
         if(vname_res != name_len)
             throw std::runtime_error("npz_load: failed fread");
         vname.erase(vname.end()-4,vname.end()); //erase the lagging .npy
 
         //read in the extra field
         uint16_t extra_field_len = *(uint16_t*) &local_header[28];
-        fseek(fp,extra_field_len,SEEK_CUR); //skip past the extra field
+        fseek(closer.fp,extra_field_len,SEEK_CUR); //skip past the extra field
         
         uint16_t compr_method = *reinterpret_cast<uint16_t*>(&local_header[0]+8);
         uint32_t compr_bytes = *reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(&local_header[0]+18);
         uint32_t uncompr_bytes = *reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(&local_header[0]+22);
 
         if(vname == varname) {
-            NpyArray array  = (compr_method == 0) ? load_the_npy_file(fp) : load_the_npz_array(fp,compr_bytes,uncompr_bytes);
-            fclose(fp);
+            NpyArray array  = (compr_method == 0) ? load_the_npy_file(closer.fp) : load_the_npz_array(closer.fp,compr_bytes,uncompr_bytes);
             return array;
         }
         else {
             //skip past the data
             uint32_t size = *(uint32_t*) &local_header[22];
-            fseek(fp,size,SEEK_CUR);
+            fseek(closer.fp,size,SEEK_CUR);
         }
     }
 
-    fclose(fp);
-
     //if we get here, we haven't found the variable in the file
     throw std::runtime_error("npz_load: Variable name "+varname+" not found in "+fname);
 }
 
 cnpy::NpyArray cnpy::npy_load(std::string fname) {
 
-    FILE* fp = fopen(fname.c_str(), "rb");
+    struct AutoCloser
+    {
+        FILE * fp;
+        AutoCloser (FILE * ptr) : fp(ptr) {}
+        ~AutoCloser (void)
+        {
+            if (fp != nullptr)
+                fclose(fp);
+        }
+    } closer(fopen(fname.c_str(), "rb"));
 
-    if(!fp) throw std::runtime_error("npy_load: Unable to open file "+fname);
+    if(!closer.fp) throw std::runtime_error("npy_load: Unable to open file "+fname);
 
-    NpyArray arr = load_the_npy_file(fp);
+    NpyArray arr = load_the_npy_file(closer.fp);
 
-    fclose(fp);
     return arr;
 }