diff --git a/src/filesystem/implementation.js b/src/filesystem/implementation.js
index f80acf3..35dd1c4 100644
--- a/src/filesystem/implementation.js
+++ b/src/filesystem/implementation.js
@@ -573,11 +573,7 @@ function open_file(context, path, flags, callback) {
   var followedCount = 0;
 
   if(ROOT_DIRECTORY_NAME == name) {
-    if(_(flags).contains(O_WRITE)) {
-      callback(new Errors.EISDIR('the named file is a directory and O_WRITE is set'));
-    } else {
-      find_node(context, path, set_file_node);
-    }
+    callback(new Errors.EISDIR('the named file is the root directory'));
   } else {
     find_node(context, parentPath, read_directory_data);
   }
@@ -603,8 +599,8 @@ function open_file(context, path, flags, callback) {
           callback(new Errors.ENOENT('O_CREATE and O_EXCLUSIVE are set, and the named file exists'));
         } else {
           directoryEntry = directoryData[name];
-          if(directoryEntry.type == MODE_DIRECTORY && _(flags).contains(O_WRITE)) {
-            callback(new Errors.EISDIR('the named file is a directory and O_WRITE is set'));
+          if(directoryEntry.type == MODE_DIRECTORY) {
+            callback(new Errors.EISDIR('the named file is a directory'));
           } else {
             context.getObject(directoryEntry.id, check_if_symbolic_link);
           }
diff --git a/tests/bugs/issue254.js b/tests/bugs/issue254.js
index 0d595fb..95f4a5f 100644
--- a/tests/bugs/issue254.js
+++ b/tests/bugs/issue254.js
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ var Filer = require('../..');
 var util = require('../lib/test-utils.js');
 var expect = require('chai').expect;
 
-describe('fs.readFile on a dir path', function() {
+describe('EISDIR when trying to open a dir path - issue 254', function() {
   beforeEach(util.setup);
   afterEach(util.cleanup);
 
-  it('should fail with EISDIR', function(done) {
+  it('should fail with EISDIR for root dir', function(done) {
     var fs = util.fs();
 
     fs.readFile('/', function(err) {
@@ -14,4 +14,34 @@ describe('fs.readFile on a dir path', function() {
       done();
     });
   });
+
+  it('should fail with EISDIR for regular dir', function(done) {
+    var fs = util.fs();
+
+    fs.mkdir('/dir', function(err) {
+      if(err) throw err;
+
+      fs.readFile('/dir', function(err) {
+        expect(err.code).to.equal('EISDIR');
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should fail with EISDIR for symlinked dir', function(done) {
+    var fs = util.fs();
+
+    fs.mkdir('/dir', function(err) {
+      if(err) throw err;
+
+      fs.symlink('/dir', '/link', function(err) {
+        if(err) throw err;
+
+        fs.readFile('/link', function(err) {
+          expect(err.code).to.equal('EISDIR');
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });