diff --git a/backend/local/local.go b/backend/local/local.go
index 487397353..ffcfe68d6 100644
--- a/backend/local/local.go
+++ b/backend/local/local.go
@@ -223,9 +223,11 @@ func (b *Local) GetReader(t backend.Type, name string, offset, length uint) (io.
 	b.open[filename(b.p, t, name)] = append(open, f)
 	b.mu.Unlock()
 
-	_, err = f.Seek(int64(offset), 0)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if offset > 0 {
+		_, err = f.Seek(int64(offset), 0)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	if length == 0 {
diff --git a/backend/sftp/sftp.go b/backend/sftp/sftp.go
index 13bd54340..c904bf4bc 100644
--- a/backend/sftp/sftp.go
+++ b/backend/sftp/sftp.go
@@ -336,9 +336,11 @@ func (r *SFTP) GetReader(t backend.Type, name string, offset, length uint) (io.R
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	_, err = f.Seek(int64(offset), 0)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if offset > 0 {
+		_, err = f.Seek(int64(offset), 0)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	if length == 0 {