diff --git a/fs/ext4/ext4_common.c b/fs/ext4/ext4_common.c
index 67e2471bd3..29308e3b44 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/ext4_common.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/ext4_common.c
@@ -510,7 +510,8 @@ restart:
 
 restart_read:
 	/* read the block no allocated to a file */
-	first_block_no_of_root = read_allocated_block(g_parent_inode, blk_idx);
+	first_block_no_of_root = read_allocated_block(g_parent_inode, blk_idx,
+						      NULL);
 	if (first_block_no_of_root <= 0)
 		goto fail;
 
@@ -646,7 +647,7 @@ static int search_dir(struct ext2_inode *parent_inode, char *dirname)
 
 	/* get the block no allocated to a file */
 	for (blk_idx = 0; blk_idx < directory_blocks; blk_idx++) {
-		blknr = read_allocated_block(parent_inode, blk_idx);
+		blknr = read_allocated_block(parent_inode, blk_idx, NULL);
 		if (blknr <= 0)
 			goto fail;
 
@@ -943,7 +944,7 @@ int ext4fs_filename_unlink(char *filename)
 
 	/* read the block no allocated to a file */
 	for (blk_idx = 0; blk_idx < directory_blocks; blk_idx++) {
-		blknr = read_allocated_block(g_parent_inode, blk_idx);
+		blknr = read_allocated_block(g_parent_inode, blk_idx, NULL);
 		if (blknr <= 0)
 			break;
 		inodeno = unlink_filename(filename, blknr);
@@ -1522,7 +1523,7 @@ void ext4fs_allocate_blocks(struct ext2_inode *file_inode,
 #endif
 
 static struct ext4_extent_header *ext4fs_get_extent_block
-	(struct ext2_data *data, char *buf,
+	(struct ext2_data *data, struct ext_block_cache *cache,
 		struct ext4_extent_header *ext_block,
 		uint32_t fileblock, int log2_blksz)
 {
@@ -1551,12 +1552,10 @@ static struct ext4_extent_header *ext4fs_get_extent_block
 
 		block = le16_to_cpu(index[i].ei_leaf_hi);
 		block = (block << 32) + le32_to_cpu(index[i].ei_leaf_lo);
-
-		if (ext4fs_devread((lbaint_t)block << log2_blksz, 0, blksz,
-				   buf))
-			ext_block = (struct ext4_extent_header *)buf;
-		else
+		block <<= log2_blksz;
+		if (!ext_cache_read(cache, (lbaint_t)block, blksz))
 			return NULL;
+		ext_block = (struct ext4_extent_header *)cache->buf;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1613,7 +1612,8 @@ int ext4fs_read_inode(struct ext2_data *data, int ino, struct ext2_inode *inode)
 	return 1;
 }
 
-long int read_allocated_block(struct ext2_inode *inode, int fileblock)
+long int read_allocated_block(struct ext2_inode *inode, int fileblock,
+			      struct ext_block_cache *cache)
 {
 	long int blknr;
 	int blksz;
@@ -1630,20 +1630,26 @@ long int read_allocated_block(struct ext2_inode *inode, int fileblock)
 
 	if (le32_to_cpu(inode->flags) & EXT4_EXTENTS_FL) {
 		long int startblock, endblock;
-		char *buf = zalloc(blksz);
-		if (!buf)
-			return -ENOMEM;
+		struct ext_block_cache *c, cd;
 		struct ext4_extent_header *ext_block;
 		struct ext4_extent *extent;
 		int i;
+
+		if (cache) {
+			c = cache;
+		} else {
+			c = &cd;
+			ext_cache_init(c);
+		}
 		ext_block =
-			ext4fs_get_extent_block(ext4fs_root, buf,
+			ext4fs_get_extent_block(ext4fs_root, c,
 						(struct ext4_extent_header *)
 						inode->b.blocks.dir_blocks,
 						fileblock, log2_blksz);
 		if (!ext_block) {
 			printf("invalid extent block\n");
-			free(buf);
+			if (!cache)
+				ext_cache_fini(c);
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 
@@ -1655,19 +1661,22 @@ long int read_allocated_block(struct ext2_inode *inode, int fileblock)
 
 			if (startblock > fileblock) {
 				/* Sparse file */
-				free(buf);
+				if (!cache)
+					ext_cache_fini(c);
 				return 0;
 
 			} else if (fileblock < endblock) {
 				start = le16_to_cpu(extent[i].ee_start_hi);
 				start = (start << 32) +
 					le32_to_cpu(extent[i].ee_start_lo);
-				free(buf);
+				if (!cache)
+					ext_cache_fini(c);
 				return (fileblock - startblock) + start;
 			}
 		}
 
-		free(buf);
+		if (!cache)
+			ext_cache_fini(c);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
diff --git a/fs/ext4/ext4_journal.c b/fs/ext4/ext4_journal.c
index 148593da7f..6adbab93a6 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/ext4_journal.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/ext4_journal.c
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ void recover_transaction(int prev_desc_logical_no)
 	ext4fs_read_inode(ext4fs_root, EXT2_JOURNAL_INO,
 			  (struct ext2_inode *)&inode_journal);
 	blknr = read_allocated_block((struct ext2_inode *)
-				     &inode_journal, i);
+				     &inode_journal, i, NULL);
 	ext4fs_devread((lbaint_t)blknr * fs->sect_perblk, 0, fs->blksz,
 		       temp_buff);
 	p_jdb = (char *)temp_buff;
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ void recover_transaction(int prev_desc_logical_no)
 				be32_to_cpu(jdb->h_sequence)) == 0)
 				continue;
 		}
-		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, i);
+		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, i, NULL);
 		ext4fs_devread((lbaint_t)blknr * fs->sect_perblk, 0,
 			       fs->blksz, metadata_buff);
 		put_ext4((uint64_t)((uint64_t)be32_to_cpu(tag->block) * (uint64_t)fs->blksz),
@@ -419,7 +419,8 @@ int ext4fs_check_journal_state(int recovery_flag)
 	}
 
 	ext4fs_read_inode(ext4fs_root, EXT2_JOURNAL_INO, &inode_journal);
-	blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK);
+	blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK,
+				     NULL);
 	ext4fs_devread((lbaint_t)blknr * fs->sect_perblk, 0, fs->blksz,
 		       temp_buff);
 	jsb = (struct journal_superblock_t *) temp_buff;
@@ -443,7 +444,7 @@ int ext4fs_check_journal_state(int recovery_flag)
 
 	i = be32_to_cpu(jsb->s_first);
 	while (1) {
-		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, i);
+		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, i, NULL);
 		memset(temp_buff1, '\0', fs->blksz);
 		ext4fs_devread((lbaint_t)blknr * fs->sect_perblk,
 			       0, fs->blksz, temp_buff1);
@@ -537,7 +538,7 @@ end:
 		ext4_read_superblock((char *)fs->sb);
 
 		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal,
-					 EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK);
+					 EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK, NULL);
 		put_ext4((uint64_t) ((uint64_t)blknr * (uint64_t)fs->blksz),
 			 (struct journal_superblock_t *)temp_buff,
 			 (uint32_t) fs->blksz);
@@ -566,7 +567,7 @@ static void update_descriptor_block(long int blknr)
 
 	ext4fs_read_inode(ext4fs_root, EXT2_JOURNAL_INO, &inode_journal);
 	jsb_blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal,
-					 EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK);
+					 EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK, NULL);
 	ext4fs_devread((lbaint_t)jsb_blknr * fs->sect_perblk, 0, fs->blksz,
 		       temp_buff);
 	jsb = (struct journal_superblock_t *) temp_buff;
@@ -618,7 +619,7 @@ static void update_commit_block(long int blknr)
 	ext4fs_read_inode(ext4fs_root, EXT2_JOURNAL_INO,
 			  &inode_journal);
 	jsb_blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal,
-					 EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK);
+					 EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK, NULL);
 	ext4fs_devread((lbaint_t)jsb_blknr * fs->sect_perblk, 0, fs->blksz,
 		       temp_buff);
 	jsb = (struct journal_superblock_t *) temp_buff;
@@ -645,16 +646,17 @@ void ext4fs_update_journal(void)
 	long int blknr;
 	int i;
 	ext4fs_read_inode(ext4fs_root, EXT2_JOURNAL_INO, &inode_journal);
-	blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, jrnl_blk_idx++);
+	blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, jrnl_blk_idx++, NULL);
 	update_descriptor_block(blknr);
 	for (i = 0; i < MAX_JOURNAL_ENTRIES; i++) {
 		if (journal_ptr[i]->blknr == -1)
 			break;
-		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, jrnl_blk_idx++);
+		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, jrnl_blk_idx++,
+					     NULL);
 		put_ext4((uint64_t) ((uint64_t)blknr * (uint64_t)fs->blksz),
 			 journal_ptr[i]->buf, fs->blksz);
 	}
-	blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, jrnl_blk_idx++);
+	blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal, jrnl_blk_idx++, NULL);
 	update_commit_block(blknr);
 	printf("update journal finished\n");
 }
diff --git a/fs/ext4/ext4_write.c b/fs/ext4/ext4_write.c
index 4eb77c327e..95ffa3dfad 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/ext4_write.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/ext4_write.c
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ static int ext4fs_delete_file(int inodeno)
 
 	/* release data blocks */
 	for (i = 0; i < no_blocks; i++) {
-		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode, i);
+		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode, i, NULL);
 		if (blknr == 0)
 			continue;
 		if (blknr < 0)
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ void ext4fs_deinit(void)
 		ext4fs_read_inode(ext4fs_root, EXT2_JOURNAL_INO,
 				  &inode_journal);
 		blknr = read_allocated_block(&inode_journal,
-					EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK);
+					EXT2_JOURNAL_SUPERBLOCK, NULL);
 		ext4fs_devread((lbaint_t)blknr * fs->sect_perblk, 0, fs->blksz,
 			       temp_buff);
 		jsb = (struct journal_superblock_t *)temp_buff;
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ static int ext4fs_write_file(struct ext2_inode *file_inode,
 		long int blknr;
 		int blockend = fs->blksz;
 		int skipfirst = 0;
-		blknr = read_allocated_block(file_inode, i);
+		blknr = read_allocated_block(file_inode, i, NULL);
 		if (blknr <= 0)
 			return -1;
 
diff --git a/fs/ext4/ext4fs.c b/fs/ext4/ext4fs.c
index 2a28031d14..26db677a1f 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/ext4fs.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/ext4fs.c
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ int ext4fs_read_file(struct ext2fs_node *node, loff_t pos,
 	lbaint_t delayed_next = 0;
 	char *delayed_buf = NULL;
 	short status;
+	struct ext_block_cache cache;
+
+	ext_cache_init(&cache);
 
 	if (blocksize <= 0)
 		return -1;
@@ -77,9 +80,11 @@ int ext4fs_read_file(struct ext2fs_node *node, loff_t pos,
 		int blockoff = pos - (blocksize * i);
 		int blockend = blocksize;
 		int skipfirst = 0;
-		blknr = read_allocated_block(&(node->inode), i);
-		if (blknr < 0)
+		blknr = read_allocated_block(&node->inode, i, &cache);
+		if (blknr < 0) {
+			ext_cache_fini(&cache);
 			return -1;
+		}
 
 		blknr = blknr << log2_fs_blocksize;
 
@@ -109,8 +114,10 @@ int ext4fs_read_file(struct ext2fs_node *node, loff_t pos,
 							delayed_skipfirst,
 							delayed_extent,
 							delayed_buf);
-					if (status == 0)
+					if (status == 0) {
+						ext_cache_fini(&cache);
 						return -1;
+					}
 					previous_block_number = blknr;
 					delayed_start = blknr;
 					delayed_extent = blockend;
@@ -136,8 +143,10 @@ int ext4fs_read_file(struct ext2fs_node *node, loff_t pos,
 							delayed_skipfirst,
 							delayed_extent,
 							delayed_buf);
-				if (status == 0)
+				if (status == 0) {
+					ext_cache_fini(&cache);
 					return -1;
+				}
 				previous_block_number = -1;
 			}
 			/* Zero no more than `len' bytes. */
@@ -153,12 +162,15 @@ int ext4fs_read_file(struct ext2fs_node *node, loff_t pos,
 		status = ext4fs_devread(delayed_start,
 					delayed_skipfirst, delayed_extent,
 					delayed_buf);
-		if (status == 0)
+		if (status == 0) {
+			ext_cache_fini(&cache);
 			return -1;
+		}
 		previous_block_number = -1;
 	}
 
 	*actread  = len;
+	ext_cache_fini(&cache);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -252,3 +264,32 @@ int ext4fs_uuid(char *uuid_str)
 	return -ENOSYS;
 #endif
 }
+
+void ext_cache_init(struct ext_block_cache *cache)
+{
+	memset(cache, 0, sizeof(*cache));
+}
+
+void ext_cache_fini(struct ext_block_cache *cache)
+{
+	free(cache->buf);
+	ext_cache_init(cache);
+}
+
+int ext_cache_read(struct ext_block_cache *cache, lbaint_t block, int size)
+{
+	/* This could be more lenient, but this is simple and enough for now */
+	if (cache->buf && cache->block == block && cache->size == size)
+		return 1;
+	ext_cache_fini(cache);
+	cache->buf = malloc(size);
+	if (!cache->buf)
+		return 0;
+	if (!ext4fs_devread(block, 0, size, cache->buf)) {
+		free(cache->buf);
+		return 0;
+	}
+	cache->block = block;
+	cache->size = size;
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/include/ext4fs.h b/include/ext4fs.h
index 2421011341..4b5de6e7b6 100644
--- a/include/ext4fs.h
+++ b/include/ext4fs.h
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ struct ext_filesystem {
 	struct blk_desc *dev_desc;
 };
 
+struct ext_block_cache {
+	char *buf;
+	lbaint_t block;
+	int size;
+};
+
 extern struct ext2_data *ext4fs_root;
 extern struct ext2fs_node *ext4fs_file;
 
@@ -146,11 +152,15 @@ int ext4fs_size(const char *filename, loff_t *size);
 void ext4fs_free_node(struct ext2fs_node *node, struct ext2fs_node *currroot);
 int ext4fs_devread(lbaint_t sector, int byte_offset, int byte_len, char *buf);
 void ext4fs_set_blk_dev(struct blk_desc *rbdd, disk_partition_t *info);
-long int read_allocated_block(struct ext2_inode *inode, int fileblock);
+long int read_allocated_block(struct ext2_inode *inode, int fileblock,
+			      struct ext_block_cache *cache);
 int ext4fs_probe(struct blk_desc *fs_dev_desc,
 		 disk_partition_t *fs_partition);
 int ext4_read_file(const char *filename, void *buf, loff_t offset, loff_t len,
 		   loff_t *actread);
 int ext4_read_superblock(char *buffer);
 int ext4fs_uuid(char *uuid_str);
+void ext_cache_init(struct ext_block_cache *cache);
+void ext_cache_fini(struct ext_block_cache *cache);
+int ext_cache_read(struct ext_block_cache *cache, lbaint_t block, int size);
 #endif