diff --git a/src/bufr_util.c b/src/bufr_util.c
index 45e95805a..99b86b29e 100644
--- a/src/bufr_util.c
+++ b/src/bufr_util.c
@@ -537,6 +537,35 @@ static int bufr_decode_header(grib_context* c, const void* message, off_t offset
     return err;
 }
 
+static int count_bufr_messages(grib_context* c, FILE* f, int* n)
+{
+    int err=0;
+    void* mesg=NULL;
+    size_t size=0;
+    off_t offset=0;
+    int done = 0;
+
+    *n = 0;
+    if (!c) c=grib_context_get_default();
+
+    while(!done) {
+        mesg = wmo_read_bufr_from_file_malloc(f, 0, &size, &offset, &err);
+        /*printf("Count so far=%ld, mesg=%x, err=%d (%s)\n", *count, mesg, err, grib_get_error_message(err));*/
+        if (!mesg) {
+            if (err == GRIB_END_OF_FILE || err == GRIB_PREMATURE_END_OF_FILE) {
+                done = 1; /* reached the end */
+            }
+        }
+        if (mesg && !err) {
+            grib_context_free(c,mesg);
+            (*n)++;
+        }
+    }
+    rewind(f);
+    if (err==GRIB_END_OF_FILE) err=GRIB_SUCCESS;
+    return err;
+}
+
 int codes_bufr_extract_headers_malloc(grib_context* c, const char* filename, codes_bufr_header** result, int* num_messages)
 {
     int err = 0, i = 0;
@@ -552,13 +581,18 @@ int codes_bufr_extract_headers_malloc(grib_context* c, const char* filename, cod
         perror(filename);
         return GRIB_IO_PROBLEM;
     }
-    err = grib_count_in_file(c, fp, num_messages);
+    err = count_bufr_messages(c, fp, num_messages);
     if (err) {
+        grib_context_log(c, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "codes_bufr_extract_headers_malloc: Unable to count BUFR messages in file \"%s\"", filename);
         fclose(fp);
         return err;
     }
 
     size = *num_messages;
+    if (size == 0) {
+        grib_context_log(c, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "codes_bufr_extract_headers_malloc: No BUFR messages in file \"%s\"", filename);
+        return GRIB_INVALID_MESSAGE;
+    }
     *result = (codes_bufr_header*)calloc(size, sizeof(codes_bufr_header));
     if (!*result) {
         fclose(fp);
@@ -575,6 +609,12 @@ int codes_bufr_extract_headers_malloc(grib_context* c, const char* filename, cod
             }
             grib_context_free(c, mesg);
         }
+        if (!mesg) {
+            if (err != GRIB_END_OF_FILE && err != GRIB_PREMATURE_END_OF_FILE) {
+                /* An error occurred */
+                grib_context_log(c, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "codes_bufr_extract_headers_malloc: Unable to read BUFR message");
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     fclose(fp);
diff --git a/tests/bufr_extract_headers.c b/tests/bufr_extract_headers.c
index 46b1bf299..31f71e8f7 100644
--- a/tests/bufr_extract_headers.c
+++ b/tests/bufr_extract_headers.c
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     filename = argv[2];
 
     err = codes_bufr_extract_headers_malloc(c, filename, &header_array, &num_messages);
-    if (err) return 1;
+    if (err) {
+        printf("ERROR: %s\n",grib_get_error_message(err));
+        return 1;
+    }
 
     for (i=0; i < num_messages; ++i) {
         codes_bufr_header bh = header_array[i];