diff --git a/src/ImageSharp/MetaData/Profiles/Exif/ExifReader.cs b/src/ImageSharp/MetaData/Profiles/Exif/ExifReader.cs
index 798cb93ce..72db6305d 100644
--- a/src/ImageSharp/MetaData/Profiles/Exif/ExifReader.cs
+++ b/src/ImageSharp/MetaData/Profiles/Exif/ExifReader.cs
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ namespace SixLabors.ImageSharp.MetaData.Profiles.Exif
         {
             var values = new List<ExifValue>();
 
-            if (this.ReadString(2) == "II")
+            // II == 0x4949
+            if (this.ReadUInt16() == 0x4949)
             {
                 this.endianness = Endianness.LittleEndian;
             }