diff --git a/src/base/ftobjs.c b/src/base/ftobjs.c
index 4ef702a2b..032b52600 100644
--- a/src/base/ftobjs.c
+++ b/src/base/ftobjs.c
@@ -1489,7 +1489,7 @@
   static FT_Error
   open_face( FT_Driver      driver,
              FT_Stream      *astream,
-             FT_Bool        external_stream,
+             FT_Bool        *anexternal_stream,
              FT_Long        face_index,
              FT_Int         num_params,
              FT_Parameter*  params,
@@ -1515,7 +1515,7 @@
     face->stream = *astream;
 
     /* set the FT_FACE_FLAG_EXTERNAL_STREAM bit for FT_Done_Face */
-    if ( external_stream )
+    if ( *anexternal_stream )
       face->face_flags |= FT_FACE_FLAG_EXTERNAL_STREAM;
 
     if ( FT_NEW( internal ) )
@@ -1545,7 +1545,10 @@
                                 (FT_Int)face_index,
                                 num_params,
                                 params );
-    *astream = face->stream; /* Stream may have been changed. */
+    /* Stream may have been changed. */
+    *astream = face->stream;
+    *anexternal_stream =
+      ( face->face_flags & FT_FACE_FLAG_EXTERNAL_STREAM ) != 0;
     if ( error )
       goto Fail;
 
@@ -2586,7 +2589,7 @@
           params     = args->params;
         }
 
-        error = open_face( driver, &stream, external_stream, face_index,
+        error = open_face( driver, &stream, &external_stream, face_index,
                            num_params, params, &face );
         if ( !error )
           goto Success;
@@ -2622,7 +2625,7 @@
             params     = args->params;
           }
 
-          error = open_face( driver, &stream, external_stream, face_index,
+          error = open_face( driver, &stream, &external_stream, face_index,
                              num_params, params, &face );
           if ( !error )
             goto Success;