diff --git a/src/common/mm_io.cpp b/src/common/mm_io.cpp
index 52dda1862..2d2971065 100644
--- a/src/common/mm_io.cpp
+++ b/src/common/mm_io.cpp
@@ -161,6 +161,16 @@ mm_file_io_c::prepare_path(const std::string &path) {
     throw mtx::mm_io::create_directory_x(path, strerror(error_code.value()), error_code.value());
 }
 
+memory_cptr
+mm_file_io_c::slurp(std::string const &file_name) {
+  mm_file_io_c in(file_name, MODE_READ);
+  auto content = memory_c::alloc(in.get_size());
+  if (in.get_size() != in.read(content, in.get_size()))
+    throw mtx::mm_io::end_of_file_x{};
+
+  return content;
+}
+
 uint64
 mm_file_io_c::getFilePointer() {
   return m_current_position;
diff --git a/src/common/mm_io.h b/src/common/mm_io.h
index a8552d7ee..d8c34f4fd 100644
--- a/src/common/mm_io.h
+++ b/src/common/mm_io.h
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ public:
   virtual ~mm_file_io_c();
 
   static void prepare_path(const std::string &path);
+  static memory_cptr slurp(std::string const &file_name);
 
   virtual uint64 getFilePointer();
 #if defined(SYS_WINDOWS)
diff --git a/tests/unit/common/mm_io.cpp b/tests/unit/common/mm_io.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd7f53a6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/common/mm_io.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#include "common/common_pch.h"
+
+#include "gtest/gtest.h"
+#include "tests/unit/util.h"
+
+namespace {
+
+TEST(MmIo, Slurp) {
+  memory_cptr m;
+
+  ASSERT_NO_THROW(m = mm_file_io_c::slurp("tests/unit/data/text/chunky_bacon.txt"));
+  EXPECT_EQ(*m, std::string{"Chunky Bacon\n"});
+
+  ASSERT_THROW(mm_file_io_c::slurp("doesnotexist"), mtx::mm_io::exception);
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/tests/unit/data/text/chunky_bacon.txt b/tests/unit/data/text/chunky_bacon.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e8bf5fa25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/data/text/chunky_bacon.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Chunky Bacon
diff --git a/tests/unit/util.h b/tests/unit/util.h
index 5629a65e8..4e6c308f6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/util.h
+++ b/tests/unit/util.h
@@ -51,4 +51,10 @@ public:
 
 }
 
+inline bool
+operator ==(memory_c const &a,
+            std::string const &b) {
+  return (a.get_size() == b.length()) && !memcmp(a.get_buffer(), b.c_str(), b.length());
+}
+
 #endif // MTX_TESTS_UNIT_UTIL_H