diff --git a/lisp/mail/mail-utils.el b/lisp/mail/mail-utils.el
index 736e3f5254f..3d5d7c96054 100644
--- a/lisp/mail/mail-utils.el
+++ b/lisp/mail/mail-utils.el
@@ -50,9 +50,10 @@ also the To field, unless this would leave an empty To field."
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun mail-file-babyl-p (file)
   "Return non-nil if FILE is a Babyl file."
-  (with-temp-buffer
-    (insert-file-contents file nil 0 100)
-    (looking-at "BABYL OPTIONS:")))
+  (let ((epa-inhibit t))
+    (with-temp-buffer
+      (insert-file-contents file nil 0 100)
+      (looking-at "BABYL OPTIONS:"))))
 
 (defun mail-string-delete (string start end)
   "Returns a string containing all of STRING except the part