diff --git a/lib/rift/Annex.py b/lib/rift/Annex.py
index 3d61b718..fbfc0ab7 100644
--- a/lib/rift/Annex.py
+++ b/lib/rift/Annex.py
@@ -231,12 +231,14 @@ def is_pointer(cls, filepath):
         Return true if content of file at filepath looks like a valid digest
         identifier.
         """
-        meta = os.stat(filepath)
-
-        # MD5 or SHA3 256
-        if meta.st_size in (32, 64):
-            with open(filepath, encoding='utf-8') as fh:
-                identifier = fh.read(meta.st_size)
+        with open(filepath, encoding='utf-8') as fh:
+            identifier = fh.read()
+            # Remove possible trailing whitespace, newline and carriage return
+            # characters.
+            identifier = identifier.rstrip()
+
+        # Check size corresponds to MD5 (32) or SHA3 256 (64).
+        if len(identifier) in (32, 64):
             return all(byte in string.hexdigits for byte in identifier)
 
         return False
diff --git a/tests/Annex.py b/tests/Annex.py
index b997fe2c..da155dcc 100644
--- a/tests/Annex.py
+++ b/tests/Annex.py
@@ -146,6 +146,31 @@ def test_is_pointer_valid_identifier(self):
         temp_file = make_temp_file(correct_identifier)
         self.assertTrue(Annex.is_pointer(temp_file.name))
 
+    def test_is_pointer_valid_identifier_with_line_feed(self):
+        """ Test if is_pointer correctly detect a valid identifier with a line feed """
+
+        correct_identifier = '7CF2DB5EC261A0FA27A502D3196A6F60\n'
+        temp_file = make_temp_file(correct_identifier)
+        self.assertTrue(Annex.is_pointer(temp_file.name))
+
+    def test_is_pointer_valid_identifier_with_carriage_return(self):
+        """
+        Test if is_pointer correctly detect a valid identifier with a carriage return.
+        """
+
+        correct_identifier = '7CF2DB5EC261A0FA27A502D3196A6F60\r\n'
+        temp_file = make_temp_file(correct_identifier)
+        self.assertTrue(Annex.is_pointer(temp_file.name))
+
+    def test_is_pointer_valid_identifier_with_whitespace(self):
+        """
+        Test if is_pointer correctly detect a valid identifier with a whitespace.
+        """
+
+        correct_identifier = '7CF2DB5EC261A0FA27A502D3196A6F60 '
+        temp_file = make_temp_file(correct_identifier)
+        self.assertTrue(Annex.is_pointer(temp_file.name))
+
     def test_is_pointer_invalid_identifier(self):
         """ Test if is_pointer correctly detect a invalid identifier """