diff --git a/hw/core/loader.c b/hw/core/loader.c
index 193f0f8400..597b117db3 100644
--- a/hw/core/loader.c
+++ b/hw/core/loader.c
@@ -89,6 +89,27 @@ int load_image(const char *filename, uint8_t *addr)
     return size;
 }
 
+/* return the size or -1 if error */
+ssize_t load_image_size(const char *filename, void *addr, size_t size)
+{
+    int fd;
+    ssize_t actsize;
+
+    fd = open(filename, O_RDONLY | O_BINARY);
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    actsize = read(fd, addr, size);
+    if (actsize < 0) {
+        close(fd);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    close(fd);
+
+    return actsize;
+}
+
 /* read()-like version */
 ssize_t read_targphys(const char *name,
                       int fd, hwaddr dst_addr, size_t nbytes)
diff --git a/include/hw/loader.h b/include/hw/loader.h
index 00c9117ee0..9190387b8e 100644
--- a/include/hw/loader.h
+++ b/include/hw/loader.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
  */
 int get_image_size(const char *filename);
 int load_image(const char *filename, uint8_t *addr); /* deprecated */
+ssize_t load_image_size(const char *filename, void *addr, size_t size);
 int load_image_targphys(const char *filename, hwaddr,
                         uint64_t max_sz);
 int load_image_gzipped(const char *filename, hwaddr addr, uint64_t max_sz);