diff --git a/src/lib/util/corefile.c b/src/lib/util/corefile.c
index 565886a54a9..f28edbbff78 100644
--- a/src/lib/util/corefile.c
+++ b/src/lib/util/corefile.c
@@ -133,11 +133,12 @@ file_error core_fopen(const char *filename, UINT32 openflags, core_file **file)
 
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------
-    core_fopen_ram - open a RAM-based buffer for
-    file-like access and return an error code
+    core_fopen_ram_internal - open a RAM-based buffer
+    for file-like access, possibly copying the data,
+	and return an error code
 -------------------------------------------------*/
 
-file_error core_fopen_ram(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags, core_file **file)
+static file_error core_fopen_ram_internal(const void *data, size_t length, int copy_buffer, UINT32 openflags, core_file **file)
 {
 	/* can only do this for read access */
 	if ((openflags & OPEN_FLAG_WRITE) != 0)
@@ -146,11 +147,19 @@ file_error core_fopen_ram(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags, cor
 		return FILERR_INVALID_ACCESS;
 
 	/* allocate the file itself */
-	*file = malloc(sizeof(**file));
+	*file = malloc(sizeof(**file) + (copy_buffer ? length : 0));
 	if (*file == NULL)
 		return FILERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
 	memset(*file, 0, sizeof(**file));
 
+	/* copy the buffer, if we're asked to */
+	if (copy_buffer)
+	{
+		void *dest = ((UINT8 *) *file) + sizeof(**file);
+		memcpy(dest, data, length);
+		data = dest;
+	}
+
 	/* claim the buffer */
 	(*file)->data = (UINT8 *)data;
 	(*file)->length = length;
@@ -160,6 +169,28 @@ file_error core_fopen_ram(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags, cor
 }
 
 
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    core_fopen_ram - open a RAM-based buffer for
+    file-like access and return an error code
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+file_error core_fopen_ram(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags, core_file **file)
+{
+	return core_fopen_ram_internal(data, length, FALSE, openflags, file);
+}
+
+
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    core_fopen_ram_copy - open a copy of a RAM-based
+    buffer for file-like access and return an error code
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+file_error core_fopen_ram_copy(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags, core_file **file)
+{
+	return core_fopen_ram_internal(data, length, TRUE, openflags, file);
+}
+
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------
     core_fclose - closes a file
 -------------------------------------------------*/
diff --git a/src/lib/util/corefile.h b/src/lib/util/corefile.h
index c2dda7ec43e..cf9571cb9be 100644
--- a/src/lib/util/corefile.h
+++ b/src/lib/util/corefile.h
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ file_error core_fopen(const char *filename, UINT32 openflags, core_file **file);
 /* open a RAM-based "file" using the given data and length (read-only) */
 file_error core_fopen_ram(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags, core_file **file);
 
+/* open a RAM-based "file" using the given data and length (read-only), copying the data */
+file_error core_fopen_ram_copy(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags, core_file **file);
+
 /* close an open file */
 void core_fclose(core_file *file);