diff --git a/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/directory_storage.cc b/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/directory_storage.cc
index b02d0fc4a..f87da14d4 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/directory_storage.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/directory_storage.cc
@@ -739,26 +739,29 @@ bool LocalDirectoryStorage::serialiseDirEntry(const EntryIndex& indx,RsTlvBinary
     //
     std::string virtual_dir_name = locked_getVirtualDirName(indx) ;
 
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_DIR_NAME       ,virtual_dir_name                   )) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_RECURS_MODIF_TS,(uint32_t)dir->dir_most_recent_time)) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS       ,(uint32_t)dir->dir_modtime         )) return false ;
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_DIR_NAME       ,virtual_dir_name                   )) { free(section_data); return false ;}
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_RECURS_MODIF_TS,(uint32_t)dir->dir_most_recent_time)) { free(section_data); return false ;}
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS       ,(uint32_t)dir->dir_modtime         )) { free(section_data); return false ;}
 
     // serialise number of subdirs and number of subfiles
 
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_RAW_NUMBER,(uint32_t)allowed_subdirs.size()  )) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_RAW_NUMBER,(uint32_t)allowed_subfiles        )) return false ;
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_RAW_NUMBER,(uint32_t)allowed_subdirs.size()  )) { free(section_data); return false ;}
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_RAW_NUMBER,(uint32_t)allowed_subfiles        )) { free(section_data); return false ;}
 
     // serialise subdirs entry indexes
 
     for(uint32_t i=0;i<allowed_subdirs.size();++i)
-        if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_ENTRY_INDEX ,allowed_subdirs[i]  )) return false ;
+        if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_ENTRY_INDEX ,allowed_subdirs[i]  )) { free(section_data); return false ;}
 
     // serialise directory subfiles, with info for each of them
 
     unsigned char *file_section_data = (unsigned char *)rs_malloc(FL_BASE_TMP_SECTION_SIZE) ;
 
     if(!file_section_data)
+    {
+        free(section_data);
         return false ;
+    }
 
     uint32_t file_section_size = FL_BASE_TMP_SECTION_SIZE ;
 
@@ -774,14 +777,14 @@ bool LocalDirectoryStorage::serialiseDirEntry(const EntryIndex& indx,RsTlvBinary
             continue ;
         }
 
-        if(!FileListIO::writeField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_NAME     ,file->file_name   )) return false ;
-        if(!FileListIO::writeField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SIZE     ,file->file_size   )) return false ;
-        if(!FileListIO::writeField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SHA1_HASH,file->file_hash   )) return false ;
-        if(!FileListIO::writeField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS      ,(uint32_t)file->file_modtime)) return false ;
+        if(!FileListIO::writeField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_NAME     ,file->file_name   )) { free(section_data);free(file_section_data);return false ;}
+        if(!FileListIO::writeField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SIZE     ,file->file_size   )) { free(section_data);free(file_section_data);return false ;}
+        if(!FileListIO::writeField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SHA1_HASH,file->file_hash   )) { free(section_data);free(file_section_data);return false ;}
+        if(!FileListIO::writeField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS      ,(uint32_t)file->file_modtime)) { free(section_data);free(file_section_data);return false ;}
 
         // now write the whole string into a single section in the file
 
-        if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_REMOTE_FILE_ENTRY,file_section_data,file_section_offset)) return false ;
+        if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_REMOTE_FILE_ENTRY,file_section_data,file_section_offset)) { free(section_data); free(file_section_data);return false ;}
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_LOCAL_DIRECTORY_STORAGE
         std::cerr << "  pushing subfile " << file->hash << ", array position=" << i << " indx=" << dir->subfiles[i] << std::endl;
@@ -793,7 +796,7 @@ bool LocalDirectoryStorage::serialiseDirEntry(const EntryIndex& indx,RsTlvBinary
     std::cerr << "Serialised dir entry to send for entry index " << (void*)(intptr_t)indx << ". Data size is " << section_size << " bytes" << std::endl;
 #endif
 
-    bindata.bin_data = section_data ;
+    bindata.bin_data = realloc(section_data,section_offset) ;	// This discards the possibly unused trailing bytes in the end of section_data
     bindata.bin_len = section_offset ;
 
     return true ;
@@ -865,6 +868,9 @@ bool RemoteDirectoryStorage::deserialiseUpdateDirEntry(const EntryIndex& indx,co
     // deserialise directory subfiles, with info for each of them
 
     std::vector<InternalFileHierarchyStorage::FileEntry> subfiles_array ;
+
+    // Pre-allocate file_section_data, so that read_field does not need to do it many times.
+
     unsigned char *file_section_data = (unsigned char *)rs_malloc(FL_BASE_TMP_SECTION_SIZE) ;
 
     if(!file_section_data)
@@ -876,17 +882,17 @@ bool RemoteDirectoryStorage::deserialiseUpdateDirEntry(const EntryIndex& indx,co
     {
         // Read the full data section for the file
 
-        if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_REMOTE_FILE_ENTRY,file_section_data,file_section_size)) return false ;
+        if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_REMOTE_FILE_ENTRY,file_section_data,file_section_size)) { free(file_section_data); return false ; }
 
         uint32_t file_section_offset = 0 ;
 
         InternalFileHierarchyStorage::FileEntry f;
         uint32_t modtime =0;
 
-        if(!FileListIO::readField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_NAME     ,f.file_name   )) return false ;
-        if(!FileListIO::readField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SIZE     ,f.file_size   )) return false ;
-        if(!FileListIO::readField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SHA1_HASH,f.file_hash   )) return false ;
-        if(!FileListIO::readField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS      ,modtime       )) return false ;
+        if(!FileListIO::readField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_NAME     ,f.file_name   )) { free(file_section_data); return false ; }
+        if(!FileListIO::readField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SIZE     ,f.file_size   )) { free(file_section_data); return false ; }
+        if(!FileListIO::readField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SHA1_HASH,f.file_hash   )) { free(file_section_data); return false ; }
+        if(!FileListIO::readField(file_section_data,file_section_size,file_section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS      ,modtime       )) { free(file_section_data); return false ; }
 
         f.file_modtime = modtime ;
 
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/filelist_io.cc b/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/filelist_io.cc
index 7be770c82..618d6c6bb 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/filelist_io.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/filelist_io.cc
@@ -59,16 +59,16 @@ bool FileListIO::writeField(      unsigned char*&buff,uint32_t& buff_size,uint32
 
 bool FileListIO::readField (const unsigned char *buff,uint32_t  buff_size,uint32_t& offset,uint8_t check_section_tag, unsigned char *& val,uint32_t& size)
 {
-    if(!readSectionHeader(buff,buff_size,offset,check_section_tag,size))
+    uint32_t local_size ;
+
+    if(!readSectionHeader(buff,buff_size,offset,check_section_tag,local_size))
         return false;
 
-    val = (unsigned char *)rs_malloc(size) ;
-
-    if(!val)
+    if(!checkSectionSize(val,size,0,local_size))	// allocate val if needed to handle local_size bytes.
         return false;
 
-    memcpy(val,&buff[offset],size);
-    offset += size ;
+    memcpy(val,&buff[offset],local_size);
+    offset += local_size ;
 
     return true ;
 }
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/hash_cache.cc b/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/hash_cache.cc
index 5c5eb8a1a..52cd05bda 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/hash_cache.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/file_sharing/hash_cache.cc
@@ -365,13 +365,16 @@ bool HashStorage::readHashStorageInfo(const unsigned char *data,uint32_t total_s
     // of a section because of some unknown field, etc.
 
     if(!FileListIO::readField(data,total_size,offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_HASH_STORAGE_ENTRY,section_data,section_size))
-       return false;
+	{
+		free(section_data);
+		return false;
+	}
 
-    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_NAME     ,info.filename  )) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SIZE     ,info.size      )) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_UPDATE_TS     ,info.time_stamp)) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS      ,info.modf_stamp)) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SHA1_HASH,info.hash      )) return false ;
+    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_NAME     ,info.filename  )) { free(section_data); return false ; }
+    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SIZE     ,info.size      )) { free(section_data); return false ; }
+    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_UPDATE_TS     ,info.time_stamp)) { free(section_data); return false ; }
+    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS      ,info.modf_stamp)) { free(section_data); return false ; }
+    if(!FileListIO::readField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SHA1_HASH,info.hash      )) { free(section_data); return false ; }
 
     free(section_data);
     return true;
@@ -387,11 +390,11 @@ bool HashStorage::writeHashStorageInfo(unsigned char *& data,uint32_t&  total_si
     uint32_t section_offset = 0 ;
     uint32_t section_size = FL_BASE_TMP_SECTION_SIZE;
 
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_NAME     ,info.filename  )) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SIZE     ,info.size      )) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_UPDATE_TS     ,info.time_stamp)) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS      ,info.modf_stamp)) return false ;
-    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SHA1_HASH,info.hash      )) return false ;
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_NAME     ,info.filename  )) { free(section_data); return false ; }
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SIZE     ,info.size      )) { free(section_data); return false ; }
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_UPDATE_TS     ,info.time_stamp)) { free(section_data); return false ; }
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_MODIF_TS      ,info.modf_stamp)) { free(section_data); return false ; }
+    if(!FileListIO::writeField(section_data,section_size,section_offset,FILE_LIST_IO_TAG_FILE_SHA1_HASH,info.hash      )) { free(section_data); return false ; }
 
     // now write the whole string into a single section in the file