diff --git a/bin/cdist b/bin/cdist
index 5ce947ef..1f44ba2d 100755
--- a/bin/cdist
+++ b/bin/cdist
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ def emulator():
                sys.exit(1)
             else:
                param_fd = open(file, "r")
-               param_old = param_fd.realines()
+               param_old = param_fd.readlines()
                param_fd.close()
                
                if(param_old != param):