while (true)
     {
-      if (*p == '\0')
-       {
-         *pp = p;
-         return this->make_eof_token(p);
-       }
-
       // Skip whitespace quickly.
       while (*p == ' ' || *p == '\t' || *p == '\r')
        ++p;
          continue;
        }
 
+      char c0 = *p;
+
+      if (c0 == '\0')
+       {
+         *pp = p;
+         return this->make_eof_token(p);
+       }
+
+      char c1 = p[1];
+
       // Skip C style comments.
-      if (p[0] == '/' && p[1] == '*')
+      if (c0 == '/' && c1 == '*')
        {
          int lineno = this->lineno_;
          int charpos = p - this->linestart_ + 1;
        }
 
       // Skip line comments.
-      if (*p == '#')
+      if (c0 == '#')
        {
          *pp = p + 1;
          if (!this->skip_line_comment(pp))
        }
 
       // Check for a name.
-      if (this->can_start_name(p[0], p[1]))
+      if (this->can_start_name(c0, c1))
        return this->gather_token(Token::TOKEN_STRING,
                                  &Lex::can_continue_name,
                                  p, p + 1, pp);
          return this->gather_quoted_string(pp);
        }
 
+      // Be careful not to lookahead past the end of the buffer.
+      char c2 = (c1 == '\0' ? '\0' : p[2]);
+
       // Check for a number.
 
-      if (this->can_start_hex(p[0], p[1], p[2]))
+      if (this->can_start_hex(c0, c1, c2))
        return this->gather_token(Token::TOKEN_INTEGER,
                                  &Lex::can_continue_hex,
                                  p, p + 3, pp);
 
-      if (Lex::can_start_number(p[0]))
+      if (Lex::can_start_number(c0))
        return this->gather_token(Token::TOKEN_INTEGER,
                                  &Lex::can_continue_number,
                                  p, p + 1, pp);
 
       // Check for operators.
 
-      int opcode = Lex::three_char_operator(p[0], p[1], p[2]);
+      int opcode = Lex::three_char_operator(c0, c1, c2);
       if (opcode != 0)
        {
          *pp = p + 3;
          return this->make_token(opcode, p);
        }
 
-      opcode = Lex::two_char_operator(p[0], p[1]);
+      opcode = Lex::two_char_operator(c0, c1);
       if (opcode != 0)
        {
          *pp = p + 2;
          return this->make_token(opcode, p);
        }
 
-      opcode = Lex::one_char_operator(p[0]);
+      opcode = Lex::one_char_operator(c0);
       if (opcode != 0)
        {
          *pp = p + 1;