diff --git a/scripts/whois-ip.nse b/scripts/whois-ip.nse
index c53790277..b89438453 100644
--- a/scripts/whois-ip.nse
+++ b/scripts/whois-ip.nse
@@ -1910,12 +1910,12 @@ function file_stat( path )
 
   local f, err = io.open(path, 'r')
   if f then
-    f.close()
+    f:close()
     exists = true
     readable = true
     f, err = io.open(path, 'a')
     if f then
-      f.close()
+      f:close()
       writable = true
     elseif err:match('Permission denied') then
       writable = false
@@ -1924,11 +1924,11 @@ function file_stat( path )
     exists = false
     f, err = io.open(path, 'w')
     if f then
-      f.close()
+      f:close()
       writable = true
       f, err = io.open(path, 'r')
       if f then
-        f.close()
+        f:close()
         readable = true
       elseif err:match('Permission denied') then
         readable = false