diff --git a/libexec/pyenv-version-file-read b/libexec/pyenv-version-file-read
index b5ec2c81..64d7f76e 100755
--- a/libexec/pyenv-version-file-read
+++ b/libexec/pyenv-version-file-read
@@ -9,14 +9,12 @@ if [ -e "$VERSION_FILE" ]; then
   # Read the first non-whitespace word from the specified version file.
   # Be careful not to load it whole in case there's something crazy in it.
   IFS="${IFS}"$'\r'
-  words=( $(cut -b 1-1024 "$VERSION_FILE") )
+  words=( $(cut -b 1-1024 "$VERSION_FILE" | awk '{ print($1) }') )
   versions=("${words[@]}")
 
   if [ -n "$versions" ]; then
-    OLDIFS="$IFS"
-    IFS=:
+    IFS=":"
     echo "${versions[*]}"
-    IFS="$OLDIFS"
     exit
   fi
 fi
diff --git a/test/version-file-read.bats b/test/version-file-read.bats
index 7b08ece3..d31037c2 100644
--- a/test/version-file-read.bats
+++ b/test/version-file-read.bats
@@ -38,16 +38,16 @@ setup() {
 @test "reads only the first word from file" {
   cat > my-version <<<"3.3.5 2.7.6 hi"
   run pyenv-version-file-read my-version
-  assert_success "3.3.5:2.7.6:hi"
+  assert_success "3.3.5"
 }
 
-@test "loads only the first line in file" {
+@test "loads *not* only the first line in file" {
   cat > my-version <<IN
 2.7.6 one
 3.3.5 two
 IN
   run pyenv-version-file-read my-version
-  assert_success "2.7.6:one:3.3.5:two"
+  assert_success "2.7.6:3.3.5"
 }
 
 @test "ignores leading blank lines" {