diff --git a/EOS/helmholtz/actual_eos.H b/EOS/helmholtz/actual_eos.H
index 51e7da22d9..88cb4ffb0d 100644
--- a/EOS/helmholtz/actual_eos.H
+++ b/EOS/helmholtz/actual_eos.H
@@ -1364,6 +1364,9 @@ void actual_eos_init ()
         for (int j = 0; j < jmax; ++j) {
             for (int i = 0; i < imax; ++i) {
                 std::getline(table, line);
+                if (line.empty()) {
+                    amrex::Error("Error reading free energy from helm_table.dat");
+                }
                 std::istringstream data(line);
                 data >> f_local[idx] >> f_local[idx+3] >> f_local[idx+1]
                      >> f_local[idx+4] >> f_local[idx+2] >> f_local[idx+5]
@@ -1377,6 +1380,9 @@ void actual_eos_init ()
         for (int j = 0; j < jmax; ++j) {
             for (int i = 0; i < imax; ++i) {
                 std::getline(table, line);
+                if (line.empty()) {
+                    amrex::Error("Error reading pressure derivative from helm_table.dat");
+                }
                 std::istringstream data(line);
                 data >> dpdf_local[idx] >> dpdf_local[idx+2]
                      >> dpdf_local[idx+1] >> dpdf_local[idx+3];
@@ -1389,6 +1395,9 @@ void actual_eos_init ()
         for (int j = 0; j < jmax; ++j) {
             for (int i = 0; i < imax; ++i) {
                 std::getline(table, line);
+                if (line.empty()) {
+                    amrex::Error("Error reading electron chemical potential from helm_table.dat");
+                }
                 std::istringstream data(line);
                 data >> ef_local[idx] >> ef_local[idx+2]
                      >> ef_local[idx+1] >> ef_local[idx+3];
@@ -1401,6 +1410,9 @@ void actual_eos_init ()
         for (int j = 0; j < jmax; ++j) {
             for (int i = 0; i < imax; ++i) {
                 std::getline(table, line);
+                if (line.empty()) {
+                    amrex::Error("Error reading number density from helm_table.dat");
+                }
                 std::istringstream data(line);
                 data >> xf_local[idx] >> xf_local[idx+2]
                      >> xf_local[idx+1] >> xf_local[idx+3];