diff --git a/com.oracle.truffle.r.launcher/src/com/oracle/truffle/r/launcher/RscriptCommand.java b/com.oracle.truffle.r.launcher/src/com/oracle/truffle/r/launcher/RscriptCommand.java
index 0469f798539a393238d087829d9bb02843a0f2bf..51fb18b43656c3e5451e6aa1c8c1087960b54521 100644
--- a/com.oracle.truffle.r.launcher/src/com/oracle/truffle/r/launcher/RscriptCommand.java
+++ b/com.oracle.truffle.r.launcher/src/com/oracle/truffle/r/launcher/RscriptCommand.java
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ public class RscriptCommand {
                         errStream).build()) {
             consoleHandler.setContext(context);
             String fileOption = options.getString(RCmdOption.FILE);
-            return RCommand.readEvalPrint(context, consoleHandler, new File(fileOption));
+            return RCommand.readEvalPrint(context, consoleHandler, fileOption != null ? new File(fileOption) : null);
         }
     }
 }