diff --git a/lime/utils/ByteArray.hx b/lime/utils/ByteArray.hx
index fd13fd40c..c64da9d1d 100644
--- a/lime/utils/ByteArray.hx
+++ b/lime/utils/ByteArray.hx
@@ -328,11 +328,11 @@ class ByteArray #if !js extends Bytes implements ArrayAccess<Int> implements IDa
 	
 	public static function readFile (path:String):ByteArray {
 		
-		#if html5
-		return null;
-		#else
-		return ByteArray.fromBytes (File.getBytes (path));
+		#if !html5
+		var data = lime_bytes_read_file (path);
+		if (data != null) return ByteArray.fromBytes (@:privateAccess new Bytes (data.length, data.b));
 		#end
+		return null;
 		
 	}
 	
@@ -1093,6 +1093,7 @@ class ByteArray #if !js extends Bytes implements ArrayAccess<Int> implements IDa
 	
 	
 	private static var lime_bytes_get_data_pointer = System.load ("lime", "lime_bytes_get_data_pointer", 1);
+	private static var lime_bytes_read_file = System.load ("lime", "lime_bytes_read_file", 1);
 	
 }
 
diff --git a/project/src/ExternalInterface.cpp b/project/src/ExternalInterface.cpp
index d1e3de508..8835cc269 100644
--- a/project/src/ExternalInterface.cpp
+++ b/project/src/ExternalInterface.cpp
@@ -135,6 +135,14 @@ namespace lime {
 	}
 	
 	
+	value lime_bytes_read_file (value path) {
+		
+		Bytes data = Bytes (val_os_string (path));
+		return data.Value ();
+		
+	}
+	
+	
 	void lime_font_destroy (value handle) {
 		
 		Font *font = (Font*)(intptr_t)val_float (handle);
@@ -1104,6 +1112,7 @@ namespace lime {
 	DEFINE_PRIM (lime_application_update, 1);
 	DEFINE_PRIM (lime_audio_load, 1);
 	DEFINE_PRIM (lime_bytes_get_data_pointer, 1);
+	DEFINE_PRIM (lime_bytes_read_file, 1);
 	DEFINE_PRIM (lime_font_get_ascender, 1);
 	DEFINE_PRIM (lime_font_get_descender, 1);
 	DEFINE_PRIM (lime_font_get_family_name, 1);