diff --git a/docs/changes.txt b/docs/changes.txt
index 45c0dbce8..7cf7a6248 100644
--- a/docs/changes.txt
+++ b/docs/changes.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 - Added hash-mode: AES-192-ECB NOKDF (PT = $salt, key = $pass)
 - Added hash-mode: AES-256-ECB NOKDF (PT = $salt, key = $pass)
 
-
 ##
 ## Bugs
 ##
@@ -42,6 +41,7 @@
 ## Technical
 ##
 
+- File handling: Do not abort on seeing a BOM in input files, just warn and ignore the BOM
 - Brain: Add brain_ctx_t to hashcat_ctx_t to enable runtime check if hashcat was compiled with brain support
 - Autodetect: Limit the number of errors per hash-mode try to 100 to avoid long startup time
 - Folders: Do not escape the variable cpath_real to prevent certain OpenCL runtimes from running into an error which do not support escape characters
diff --git a/include/shared.h b/include/shared.h
index fafc36ee0..496b611fd 100644
--- a/include/shared.h
+++ b/include/shared.h
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ bool hc_path_create (const char *path);
 bool hc_path_has_bom (const char *path);
 
 bool hc_string_is_digit (const char *s);
+int  hc_string_bom_size (const u8 *s);
 
 void hc_string_trim_trailing (char *s);
 void hc_string_trim_leading (char *s);
diff --git a/include/types.h b/include/types.h
index b8565ac0f..302180055 100644
--- a/include/types.h
+++ b/include/types.h
@@ -1067,9 +1067,11 @@ typedef struct hc_fp
 
   bool        is_gzip;
   bool        is_zip;
+  int         bom_size;
 
   char       *mode;
   const char *path;
+
 } HCFILE;
 
 #include "ext_nvrtc.h"
diff --git a/src/filehandling.c b/src/filehandling.c
index 50cc87016..54ba73369 100644
--- a/src/filehandling.c
+++ b/src/filehandling.c
@@ -60,11 +60,12 @@ bool hc_fopen (HCFILE *fp, const char *path, char *mode)
     return false;
   }
 
-  fp->pfp = NULL;
-  fp->is_gzip = false;
-  fp->is_zip = false;
+  fp->pfp       = NULL;
+  fp->is_gzip   = false;
+  fp->is_zip    = false;
+  fp->bom_size  = 0;
 
-  unsigned char check[4] = { 0 };
+  unsigned char check[8] = { 0 };
 
   int fd_tmp = open (path, O_RDONLY);
 
@@ -74,8 +75,15 @@ bool hc_fopen (HCFILE *fp, const char *path, char *mode)
 
     if (read (fd_tmp, check, sizeof (check)) > 0)
     {
-      if (check[0] == 0x1f && check[1] == 0x8b && check[2] == 0x08) fp->is_gzip = true;
-      if (check[0] == 0x50 && check[1] == 0x4b && check[2] == 0x03 && check[3] == 0x04) fp->is_zip = true;
+      if (check[0] == 0x1f && check[1] == 0x8b && check[2] == 0x08)                     fp->is_gzip = true;
+      if (check[0] == 0x50 && check[1] == 0x4b && check[2] == 0x03 && check[3] == 0x04) fp->is_zip  = true;
+
+      // compressed files with BOM will be undetected!
+
+      if ((fp->is_gzip == false) && (fp->is_zip == false))
+      {
+        fp->bom_size = hc_string_bom_size (check);
+      }
     }
 
     close (fd_tmp);
@@ -104,7 +112,16 @@ bool hc_fopen (HCFILE *fp, const char *path, char *mode)
   }
   else
   {
-    if ((fp->pfp = fdopen (fp->fd, mode)) == NULL)  return false;
+    if ((fp->pfp = fdopen (fp->fd, mode)) == NULL) return false;
+
+    if (fp->bom_size)
+    {
+      // atm just skip bom
+
+      const int nread = fread (check, sizeof (char), fp->bom_size, fp->pfp);
+
+      if (nread != fp->bom_size) return false;
+    }
   }
 
   fp->path = path;
@@ -152,9 +169,10 @@ bool hc_fopen_raw (HCFILE *fp, const char *path, char *mode)
     return false;
   }
 
-  fp->pfp = NULL;
-  fp->is_gzip = false;
-  fp->is_zip = false;
+  fp->pfp       = NULL;
+  fp->is_gzip   = false;
+  fp->is_zip    = false;
+  fp->bom_size  = 0;
 
   if (fmode == -1)
   {
diff --git a/src/shared.c b/src/shared.c
index 46046346d..b101cc01f 100644
--- a/src/shared.c
+++ b/src/shared.c
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ bool hc_path_has_bom (const char *path)
 
   HCFILE fp;
 
-  if (hc_fopen (&fp, path, "rb") == false) return false;
+  if (hc_fopen_raw (&fp, path, "rb") == false) return false;
 
   const size_t nread = hc_fread (buf, 1, sizeof (buf), &fp);
 
@@ -396,95 +396,104 @@ bool hc_path_has_bom (const char *path)
 
   if (nread < 1) return false;
 
+  const int bom_size = hc_string_bom_size (buf);
+
+  const bool has_bom = bom_size > 0;
+
+  return has_bom;
+}
+
+int hc_string_bom_size (const u8 *s)
+{
   /* signatures from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byte_order_mark#Byte_order_marks_by_encoding */
 
   // utf-8
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0xef)
-   && (buf[1] == 0xbb)
-   && (buf[2] == 0xbf)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0xef)
+   && (s[1] == 0xbb)
+   && (s[2] == 0xbf)) return 3;
 
   // utf-16
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0xfe)
-   && (buf[1] == 0xff)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0xfe)
+   && (s[1] == 0xff)) return 2;
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0xff)
-   && (buf[1] == 0xfe)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0xff)
+   && (s[1] == 0xfe)) return 2;
 
   // utf-32
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0x00)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x00)
-   && (buf[2] == 0xfe)
-   && (buf[3] == 0xff)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0x00)
+   && (s[1] == 0x00)
+   && (s[2] == 0xfe)
+   && (s[3] == 0xff)) return 4;
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0xff)
-   && (buf[1] == 0xfe)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x00)
-   && (buf[3] == 0x00)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0xff)
+   && (s[1] == 0xfe)
+   && (s[2] == 0x00)
+   && (s[3] == 0x00)) return 4;
 
   // utf-7
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0x2b)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x2f)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x76)
-   && (buf[3] == 0x38)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0x2b)
+   && (s[1] == 0x2f)
+   && (s[2] == 0x76)
+   && (s[3] == 0x38)) return 4;
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0x2b)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x2f)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x76)
-   && (buf[3] == 0x39)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0x2b)
+   && (s[1] == 0x2f)
+   && (s[2] == 0x76)
+   && (s[3] == 0x39)) return 4;
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0x2b)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x2f)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x76)
-   && (buf[3] == 0x2b)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0x2b)
+   && (s[1] == 0x2f)
+   && (s[2] == 0x76)
+   && (s[3] == 0x2b)) return 4;
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0x2b)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x2f)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x76)
-   && (buf[3] == 0x2f)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0x2b)
+   && (s[1] == 0x2f)
+   && (s[2] == 0x76)
+   && (s[3] == 0x2f)) return 4;
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0x2b)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x2f)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x76)
-   && (buf[3] == 0x38)
-   && (buf[4] == 0x2d)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0x2b)
+   && (s[1] == 0x2f)
+   && (s[2] == 0x76)
+   && (s[3] == 0x38)
+   && (s[4] == 0x2d)) return 5;
 
   // utf-1
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0xf7)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x64)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x4c)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0xf7)
+   && (s[1] == 0x64)
+   && (s[2] == 0x4c)) return 3;
 
   // utf-ebcdic
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0xdd)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x73)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x66)
-   && (buf[3] == 0x73)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0xdd)
+   && (s[1] == 0x73)
+   && (s[2] == 0x66)
+   && (s[3] == 0x73)) return 4;
 
   // scsu
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0x0e)
-   && (buf[1] == 0xfe)
-   && (buf[2] == 0xff)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0x0e)
+   && (s[1] == 0xfe)
+   && (s[2] == 0xff)) return 3;
 
   // bocu-1
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0xfb)
-   && (buf[1] == 0xee)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x28)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0xfb)
+   && (s[1] == 0xee)
+   && (s[2] == 0x28)) return 3;
 
   // gb-18030
 
-  if ((buf[0] == 0x84)
-   && (buf[1] == 0x31)
-   && (buf[2] == 0x95)
-   && (buf[3] == 0x33)) return true;
+  if ((s[0] == 0x84)
+   && (s[1] == 0x31)
+   && (s[2] == 0x95)
+   && (s[3] == 0x33)) return 4;
 
-  return false;
+  return 0;
 }
 
 bool hc_string_is_digit (const char *s)
diff --git a/src/straight.c b/src/straight.c
index d9cc2b3c3..2fe206d0b 100644
--- a/src/straight.c
+++ b/src/straight.c
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ static int straight_ctx_add_wl (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx, const char *dict)
 {
   if (hc_path_has_bom (dict) == true)
   {
-    event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", dict);
+    event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", dict);
 
-    return -1;
+    //return -1;
   }
 
   straight_ctx_t *straight_ctx = hashcat_ctx->straight_ctx;
diff --git a/src/user_options.c b/src/user_options.c
index 43bbe05c4..0adc6b546 100644
--- a/src/user_options.c
+++ b/src/user_options.c
@@ -2297,9 +2297,9 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
       if (hc_path_has_bom (user_options_extra->hc_hash) == true)
       {
-        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", user_options_extra->hc_hash);
+        event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", user_options_extra->hc_hash);
 
-        return -1;
+        //return -1;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -2347,9 +2347,9 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
       if (hc_path_has_bom (rp_file) == true)
       {
-        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", rp_file);
+        event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", rp_file);
 
-        return -1;
+        //return -1;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -2385,9 +2385,9 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
       if (hc_path_has_bom (dictfile1) == true)
       {
-        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", dictfile1);
+        event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", dictfile1);
 
-        return -1;
+        //return -1;
       }
 
       if (hc_path_exist (dictfile2) == false)
@@ -2413,9 +2413,9 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
       if (hc_path_has_bom (dictfile2) == true)
       {
-        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", dictfile2);
+        event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", dictfile2);
 
-        return -1;
+        //return -1;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -2445,9 +2445,9 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
         if (hc_path_has_bom (maskfile) == true)
         {
-          event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", maskfile);
+          event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", maskfile);
 
-          return -1;
+          //return -1;
         }
       }
     }
@@ -2489,9 +2489,9 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
         if (hc_path_has_bom (maskfile) == true)
         {
-          event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", maskfile);
+          event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", maskfile);
 
-          return -1;
+          //return -1;
         }
       }
     }
@@ -2533,9 +2533,9 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
         if (hc_path_has_bom (maskfile) == true)
         {
-          event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", maskfile);
+          event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", maskfile);
 
-          return -1;
+          //return -1;
         }
       }
     }
@@ -2581,9 +2581,9 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
       if (hc_path_has_bom (rp_file) == true)
       {
-        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", rp_file);
+        event_log_warning (hashcat_ctx, "%s: Byte Order Mark (BOM) was detected", rp_file);
 
-        return -1;
+        //return -1;
       }
     }
   }