diff --git a/scripts/python/md-split.py b/scripts/python/md-split.py
index f2d2885c7e0f57fd0c31fb9343b40b5c5501a339..2403c6f6db962da394f32e662e8efe5d242392e4 100755
--- a/scripts/python/md-split.py
+++ b/scripts/python/md-split.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def process_code(read_filehandle, text_filehandle, line, linenum, sourcefile, co
     fenced = (line.strip() == '```')
     if fenced:
         try:
-            line = read_filehandle.next()
+            line = read_filehandle.readLine()
             linenum += 1
             text_filehandle.write('\n')
         except StopIteration: