diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/SemverPlugin.kt b/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/SemverPlugin.kt
index 2af53b3..3ac341c 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/SemverPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/SemverPlugin.kt
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ class SemverPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
                     put(config.preReleasePrefixKey, version.preReleasePrefix)
                 if (version.separator != Version.DEFAULT_SEPARATOR)
                     put(config.separatorKey, version.separator)
-                FileOutputStream(config.properties).use { output ->
-                    store(output, "Generated by the Semver Plugin for Gradle")
+                FileOutputStream(config.properties).writer().use { writer ->
+                    store(writer, "Generated by the Semver Plugin for Gradle")
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -88,11 +88,11 @@ class SemverPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
         }
         propsFile.apply {
             project.logger.info(
-            if (canRead()) {
-                FileInputStream(this).use { fis ->
                 "[$simpleName] Attempting to read properties from: `$absoluteFile`. [exists: ${exists()}, isFile: $isFile, canRead: ${canRead()}]")
+            if (canRead() && isFile) {
+                FileInputStream(this).reader().use { reader ->
                     Properties().apply {
-                        load(fis)
+                        load(reader)
                         version.major = getProperty(config.majorKey, Version.DEFAULT_MAJOR)
                         version.minor = getProperty(config.minorKey, Version.DEFAULT_MINOR)
                         version.patch = getProperty(config.patchKey, Version.DEFAULT_PATCH)