diff --git a/src/backend/core/Mem.cpp b/src/backend/core/Mem.cpp
index 9ca44788..acd9f9ef 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/Mem.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/core/Mem.cpp
@@ -45,18 +45,16 @@ void Mem::LoadSRAM(SaveType save_type, fs::path path) {
       saveData.unmap();
     }
 
-    FILE *f = fopen(sramPath.c_str(), "rb");
-    if (!f) {
-      Util::panic("Could not open {}", sramPath);
+    auto sramVec = Util::ReadFileBinary(sramPath);
+    if(sramVec.empty()) {
+      Util::WriteFileBinary(std::array<u8, SRAM_SIZE>{}, sramPath);
+      sramVec = Util::ReadFileBinary(sramPath);
     }
 
-    fseek(f, 0, SEEK_END);
-    size_t actualSize = ftell(f);
-    fseek(f, 0, SEEK_SET);
-    if (actualSize != SRAM_SIZE) {
+    if (sramVec.size() != SRAM_SIZE) {
       Util::panic("Corrupt SRAM!");
     }
-    fclose(f);
+
     saveData = mio::make_mmap_sink(
       sramPath, 0, mio::map_entire_file, error);
     if (error) { Util::panic("Could not mmap {}", sramPath); }
diff --git a/src/backend/core/mem/Flash.cpp b/src/backend/core/mem/Flash.cpp
index e7a0835b..532555c7 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/mem/Flash.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/core/mem/Flash.cpp
@@ -20,18 +20,17 @@ void Flash::Load(SaveType saveType, const std::string& path) {
       saveData.unmap();
     }
 
-    FILE *f = fopen(flashPath.c_str(), "rb");
-    if (!f) {
-      Util::panic("Could not open {}", flashPath);
+    auto flashVec = Util::ReadFileBinary(flashPath);
+    if(flashVec.empty()) {
+      std::vector<u8> dummy{};
+      dummy.resize(FLASH_SIZE);
+      Util::WriteFileBinary(dummy, flashPath);
+      flashVec = Util::ReadFileBinary(flashPath);
     }
 
-    fseek(f, 0, SEEK_END);
-    size_t actualSize = ftell(f);
-    fseek(f, 0, SEEK_SET);
-    if (actualSize != FLASH_SIZE) {
-      Util::panic("Corrupt flash!");
+    if (flashVec.size() != FLASH_SIZE) {
+      Util::panic("Corrupt SRAM!");
     }
-    fclose(f);
 
     saveData = mio::make_mmap_sink(
       flashPath, 0, mio::map_entire_file, error);
diff --git a/src/backend/core/mmio/PIF.cpp b/src/backend/core/mmio/PIF.cpp
index d21487cf..062f43ec 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/mmio/PIF.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/core/mmio/PIF.cpp
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@ void PIF::MaybeLoadMempak() {
     }
 
     auto mempakVec = Util::ReadFileBinary(mempakPath);
-    if(mempak.empty())
+    if(mempak.empty()) {
       Util::WriteFileBinary(std::array<u8, MEMPAK_SIZE>{}, mempakPath);
+      mempakVec = Util::ReadFileBinary(mempakPath);
+    }
 
     if (mempakVec.size() != MEMPAK_SIZE) {
       Util::panic("Corrupt mempak!");
@@ -87,6 +89,7 @@ void PIF::LoadEeprom(SaveType saveType, const std::string& path) {
       std::vector<u8> dummy{};
       dummy.resize(GetSaveSize(saveType));
       Util::WriteFileBinary(dummy, eepromPath);
+      eepromVec = Util::ReadFileBinary(eepromPath);
     }
 
     if (eepromVec.size() != eepromSize) {