diff --git a/features/step_definitions/jekyll_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/jekyll_steps.rb
index 4e11aad9..169f522e 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/jekyll_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/jekyll_steps.rb
@@ -157,19 +157,19 @@ Then /^the (.*) directory should not exist$/ do |dir|
 end
 
 Then /^I should see "(.*)" in "(.*)"$/ do |text, file|
-  assert Regexp.new(text).match(File.open(file).readlines.join)
+  assert_match Regexp.new(text), file_contents(file)
 end
 
 Then /^I should see exactly "(.*)" in "(.*)"$/ do |text, file|
-  assert_equal text, File.open(file).readlines.join.strip
+  assert_equal text, file_contents(file).strip
 end
 
 Then /^I should not see "(.*)" in "(.*)"$/ do |text, file|
-  assert_no_match Regexp.new(text), File.read(file)
+  assert_no_match Regexp.new(text), file_contents(file)
 end
 
 Then /^I should see escaped "(.*)" in "(.*)"$/ do |text, file|
-  assert Regexp.new(Regexp.escape(text)).match(File.open(file).readlines.join)
+  assert_match Regexp.new(Regexp.escape(text)), file_contents(file)
 end
 
 Then /^the "(.*)" file should +exist$/ do |file|
@@ -181,9 +181,9 @@ Then /^the "(.*)" file should not exist$/ do |file|
 end
 
 Then /^I should see today's time in "(.*)"$/ do |file|
-  assert_match Regexp.new(Regexp.escape(Time.now.to_s)), File.open(file).readlines.join
+  assert_match Regexp.new(Regexp.escape(Time.now.to_s)), file_contents(file)
 end
 
 Then /^I should see today's date in "(.*)"$/ do |file|
-  assert_match Regexp.new(Date.today.to_s), File.open(file).readlines.join
+  assert_match Regexp.new(Date.today.to_s), file_contents(file)
 end
diff --git a/features/support/env.rb b/features/support/env.rb
index 5c7db508..e414ad6f 100644
--- a/features/support/env.rb
+++ b/features/support/env.rb
@@ -40,5 +40,11 @@ def location(folder, direction)
   [before || '.', after || '.']
 end
 
+def file_contents(path)
+  File.open(path) do |file|
+    file.readlines.join # avoid differences with \n and \r\n line endings
+  end
+end
+
 # work around "invalid option: --format" cucumber bug (see #296)
 Test::Unit.run = true if RUBY_VERSION < '1.9'