diff --git a/ivtest/gold/fread-error-vlog95.gold b/ivtest/gold/fread-error-vlog95.gold
index 9913184d6d..dbf3f27e28 100644
--- a/ivtest/gold/fread-error-vlog95.gold
+++ b/ivtest/gold/fread-error-vlog95.gold
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-ERROR: vlog95.v:17: $fread's first argument must be a reg or memory.
+ERROR: vlog95.v:17: $fread's first argument must be an integral variable or memory.
 ERROR: vlog95.v:18: $fread requires a second (file descriptor) argument.
 ERROR: vlog95.v:19: $fread's second argument must be numeric.
 ERROR: vlog95.v:20: $fread's third argument must be numeric.
diff --git a/ivtest/gold/fread-error.gold b/ivtest/gold/fread-error.gold
index fbbc837151..7b8a8d0f8b 100644
--- a/ivtest/gold/fread-error.gold
+++ b/ivtest/gold/fread-error.gold
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:7: $fread's first argument must be a reg or memory.
-ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:8: $fread requires a second (file descriptor) argument.
-ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:9: $fread's second argument must be numeric.
-ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:10: $fread's third argument must be numeric.
-ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:11: $fread's fourth argument must be numeric.
-ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:12: $fread takes at most four arguments.
+ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:8: $fread's first argument must be an integral variable or memory.
+ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:9: $fread requires a second (file descriptor) argument.
+ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:10: $fread's second argument must be numeric.
+ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:11: $fread's third argument must be numeric.
+ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:12: $fread's fourth argument must be numeric.
+ERROR: ./ivltests/fread-error.v:13: $fread takes at most four arguments.
                                     Found 1 extra argument.
diff --git a/ivtest/ivltests/fread-error.v b/ivtest/ivltests/fread-error.v
index 0aa132b5a7..cff2f0154f 100644
--- a/ivtest/ivltests/fread-error.v
+++ b/ivtest/ivltests/fread-error.v
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 module top;
-  integer res, ival;
+  real rval;
+  integer res;
   reg [7:0] rg;
   reg [7:0] mem [3:0];
 
   initial begin
-    res = $fread(ival, 1); // 1st arg. must be a reg. or memory.
+    res = $fread(rval, 1); // 1st arg. must be a reg. or memory.
     res = $fread(rg); // Too few argument.
     res = $fread(mem, "a"); // Not a valid fd.
     res = $fread(mem, 1, "a"); // Not a valid start.
diff --git a/vpi/sys_fileio.c b/vpi/sys_fileio.c
index 43f6851058..ef28e59d39 100644
--- a/vpi/sys_fileio.c
+++ b/vpi/sys_fileio.c
@@ -472,7 +472,6 @@ static PLI_INT32 sys_fread_compiletf(ICARUS_VPI_CONST PLI_BYTE8*name)
       vpiHandle callh = vpi_handle(vpiSysTfCall, 0);
       vpiHandle argv = vpi_iterate(vpiArgument, callh);
       vpiHandle arg;
-      PLI_INT32 type;
 
 	/* We must have at least two arguments. */
       if (argv == 0) {
@@ -484,12 +483,11 @@ static PLI_INT32 sys_fread_compiletf(ICARUS_VPI_CONST PLI_BYTE8*name)
 	    return 0;
       }
 
-	/* Check that the first required argument is a register or memory. */
-      type = vpi_get(vpiType, vpi_scan(argv));
-      if (type != vpiReg && type != vpiMemory) {
+	/* Check that the first required argument is an integral variable or memory. */
+      if (! is_int_var_or_mem(vpi_scan(argv))) {
 	    vpi_printf("ERROR: %s:%d: ", vpi_get_str(vpiFile, callh),
 	               (int)vpi_get(vpiLineNo, callh));
-	    vpi_printf("%s's first argument must be a reg or memory.\n", name);
+	    vpi_printf("%s's first argument must be an integral variable or memory.\n", name);
 	    vpip_set_return_value(1);
 	    vpi_control(vpiFinish, 1);
       }
@@ -612,7 +610,6 @@ static PLI_INT32 sys_fread_calltf(ICARUS_VPI_CONST PLI_BYTE8*name)
 
 	/* Get the register/memory. */
       mem_reg = vpi_scan(argv);
-
 	/* Get the file descriptor. */
       arg = vpi_scan(argv);
       val.format = vpiIntVal;
@@ -635,8 +632,8 @@ static PLI_INT32 sys_fread_calltf(ICARUS_VPI_CONST PLI_BYTE8*name)
       }
 
 	/* Are we reading into a memory? */
-      if (vpi_get(vpiType, mem_reg) == vpiReg) is_mem = 0;
-      else is_mem = 1;
+      if (vpi_get(vpiType, mem_reg) == vpiMemory) is_mem = 1;
+      else is_mem = 0;
 
 	/* We only need to get these for memories. */
       if (is_mem) {
diff --git a/vpi/sys_priv.c b/vpi/sys_priv.c
index c12a015127..92ba3d6b56 100644
--- a/vpi/sys_priv.c
+++ b/vpi/sys_priv.c
@@ -256,6 +256,30 @@ unsigned is_string_obj(vpiHandle obj)
 
     return rtn;
 }
+/*
+ * This routine returns 1 if the argument is an integral value or is a memory,
+ * otherwise it returns 0.
+ */
+unsigned is_int_var_or_mem(vpiHandle obj)
+{
+    unsigned rtn = 0;
+
+    assert(obj);
+    switch(vpi_get(vpiType, obj)) {
+      case vpiIntegerVar:
+      case vpiBitVar:
+      case vpiByteVar:
+      case vpiShortIntVar:
+      case vpiIntVar:
+      case vpiLongIntVar:
+      case vpiReg:
+      case vpiTimeVar:
+      case vpiMemory:
+	rtn = 1;
+	break;
+    }
+    return rtn;
+}
 
 /*
  * This routine returns 1 if the argument supports a valid string value,
diff --git a/vpi/sys_priv.h b/vpi/sys_priv.h
index a596082c4e..878507b4b3 100644
--- a/vpi/sys_priv.h
+++ b/vpi/sys_priv.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ extern struct timeformat_info_s timeformat_info;
 extern unsigned is_constant_obj(vpiHandle obj);
 extern unsigned is_numeric_obj(vpiHandle obj);
 extern unsigned is_string_obj(vpiHandle obj);
+extern unsigned is_int_var_or_mem(vpiHandle obj);
 extern unsigned is_variable(vpiHandle obj);
 
 extern unsigned is_valid_fd_mcd(PLI_UINT32 fd_mcd);