diff --git a/base/io.jl b/base/io.jl
index 83a215d6359fc..e4f56d6d87f92 100644
--- a/base/io.jl
+++ b/base/io.jl
@@ -1382,7 +1382,7 @@ readeach(stream::IOT, T::Type) where IOT<:IO = ReadEachIterator{T,IOT}(stream)
 iterate(itr::ReadEachIterator{T}, state=nothing) where T =
     eof(itr.stream) ? nothing : (read(itr.stream, T), nothing)
 
-eltype(::Type{ReadEachIterator{T}}) where T = T
+eltype(::Type{<:ReadEachIterator{T}}) where T = T
 
 IteratorSize(::Type{<:ReadEachIterator}) = SizeUnknown()
 
diff --git a/test/read.jl b/test/read.jl
index 99903d92d270f..fc643821e8974 100644
--- a/test/read.jl
+++ b/test/read.jl
@@ -378,6 +378,8 @@ for (name, f) in l
         verbose && println("$name readeach...")
         @test collect(readeach(io(), Char)) == Vector{Char}(text)
         @test collect(readeach(io(), UInt8)) == Vector{UInt8}(text)
+        @test eltype(readeach(io(), Char)) <: Char
+        @test eltype(readeach(io(), UInt8)) <: UInt8
 
         cleanup()