diff --git a/core_info.c b/core_info.c
index 5dcd179e99..5f6790fded 100644
--- a/core_info.c
+++ b/core_info.c
@@ -225,16 +225,7 @@ static config_file_t *core_info_list_iterate(
    info_path_base = NULL;
 
    if (path_is_valid(info_path))
-   {
-      int64_t length      = 0;
-      uint8_t *ret_buf    = NULL;
-      if (filestream_read_file(info_path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-      {
-         if (length >= 0)
-            conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf);
-         free((void*)ret_buf);
-      }
-   }
+      conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(info_path);
    free(info_path);
 
    return conf;
@@ -923,16 +914,8 @@ bool core_info_list_get_display_name(core_info_list_t *core_info_list,
 
 bool core_info_get_display_name(const char *path, char *s, size_t len)
 {
-   int64_t length      = 0;
    char       *tmp     = NULL;
-   config_file_t *conf = NULL;
-   uint8_t *ret_buf    = NULL;
-   if (filestream_read_file(path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-   {
-      if (length >= 0)
-         conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf);
-      free((void*)ret_buf);
-   }
+   config_file_t *conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path);
 
    if (!conf)
       return false;
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.cpp b/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.cpp
index 19d8380e4b..f90c9f6e73 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.cpp
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include <retro_miscellaneous.h>
 #include <file/file_path.h>
+#include <file/config_file.h>
 #include <streams/file_stream.h>
 #include <lists/string_list.h>
 #include <string/stdstring.h>
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.h b/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.h
index 120a9191a4..24f86f190e 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.h
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/glslang_util.h
@@ -110,4 +110,6 @@ bool glslang_read_shader_file(const char *path, std::vector<std::string> *output
 bool glslang_parse_meta(const std::vector<std::string> &lines, glslang_meta *meta);
 #endif
 
+void *config_file_new_wrapper(const char *path);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_core.cpp b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_core.cpp
index 93e865f58a..71cc6ae3f8 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_core.cpp
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_core.cpp
@@ -2409,7 +2409,7 @@ gl_core_filter_chain_t *gl_core_filter_chain_create_from_preset(
    if (!shader)
       return nullptr;
 
-   unique_ptr<config_file_t, gl_core::ConfigDeleter> conf{ config_file_new(path) };
+   unique_ptr<config_file_t, gl_core::ConfigDeleter> conf{ config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path) };
    if (!conf)
       return nullptr;
 
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_vulkan.cpp b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_vulkan.cpp
index 88d6536559..db4fb79a6c 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_vulkan.cpp
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_vulkan.cpp
@@ -2886,7 +2886,7 @@ vulkan_filter_chain_t *vulkan_filter_chain_create_from_preset(
    if (!shader)
       return nullptr;
 
-   unique_ptr<config_file_t, ConfigDeleter> conf{ config_file_new(path) };
+   unique_ptr<config_file_t, ConfigDeleter> conf{ config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path) };
    if (!conf)
       return nullptr;
 
diff --git a/libretro-common/file/config_file.c b/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
index cb55f363bb..ebeb652eb3 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
@@ -593,6 +593,23 @@ config_file_t *config_file_new_from_string(const char *from_string)
    return conf;
 }
 
+config_file_t *config_file_new_from_path_to_string(const char *path)
+{
+   int64_t length                = 0;
+   uint8_t *ret_buf              = NULL;
+   config_file_t *conf           = NULL;
+
+   if (filestream_read_file(path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
+   {
+      if (length >= 0)
+         if ((conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf)))
+            conf->path = strdup(path);
+      free((void*)ret_buf);
+   }
+
+   return conf;
+}
+
 config_file_t *config_file_new_with_callback(
       const char *path, config_file_cb_t *cb)
 {
diff --git a/libretro-common/include/file/config_file.h b/libretro-common/include/file/config_file.h
index ed3124265a..d441ff5505 100644
--- a/libretro-common/include/file/config_file.h
+++ b/libretro-common/include/file/config_file.h
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ config_file_t *config_file_new_with_callback(const char *path, config_file_cb_t
 /* Load a config file from a string. */
 config_file_t *config_file_new_from_string(const char *from_string);
 
+config_file_t *config_file_new_from_path_to_string(const char *path);
+
 /* Frees config file. */
 void config_file_free(config_file_t *conf);
 
diff --git a/menu/menu_shader.c b/menu/menu_shader.c
index ae4df7e23c..e77f3d2e3d 100644
--- a/menu/menu_shader.c
+++ b/menu/menu_shader.c
@@ -78,19 +78,8 @@ bool menu_shader_manager_init(void)
 
    if (is_preset)
    {
-      int64_t length              = 0;
-      uint8_t *ret_buf            = NULL;
-
       if (path_is_valid(path_shader))
-      {
-         if (filestream_read_file(path_shader, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-         {
-            if (length >= 0)
-               if ((conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf)))
-                  conf->path = strdup(path_shader);
-            free((void*)ret_buf);
-         }
-      }
+         conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path_shader);
 
       new_path = strdup(path_shader);
    }
@@ -118,16 +107,7 @@ bool menu_shader_manager_init(void)
                "menu.glslp", sizeof(preset_path));
 
          if (path_is_valid(preset_path))
-         {
-            int64_t length              = 0;
-            uint8_t *ret_buf            = NULL;
-            if (filestream_read_file(preset_path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-            {
-               if (length >= 0)
-                  conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf);
-               free((void*)ret_buf);
-            }
-         }
+            conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(preset_path);
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_CG
@@ -137,16 +117,7 @@ bool menu_shader_manager_init(void)
                   "menu.cgp", sizeof(preset_path));
 
             if (path_is_valid(preset_path))
-            {
-               int64_t length              = 0;
-               uint8_t *ret_buf            = NULL;
-               if (filestream_read_file(preset_path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-               {
-                  if (length >= 0)
-                     conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf);
-                  free((void*)ret_buf);
-               }
-            }
+               conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(preset_path);
          }
 #endif
 
@@ -157,16 +128,7 @@ bool menu_shader_manager_init(void)
                   "menu.slangp", sizeof(preset_path));
 
             if (path_is_valid(preset_path))
-            {
-               int64_t length              = 0;
-               uint8_t *ret_buf            = NULL;
-               if (filestream_read_file(preset_path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-               {
-                  if (length >= 0)
-                     conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf);
-                  free((void*)ret_buf);
-               }
-            }
+               conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(preset_path);
          }
 #endif
 
@@ -229,17 +191,9 @@ bool menu_shader_manager_set_preset(void *data,
     * Used when a preset is directly loaded.
     * No point in updating when the Preset was
     * created from the menu itself. */
-   if (filestream_read_file(preset_path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-   {
-      if (length >= 0)
-         conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf);
-      free((void*)ret_buf);
-   }
-
-   if (!conf)
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(preset_path)))
       return false;
 
-   conf->path = strdup(preset_path);
    RARCH_LOG("Setting Menu shader: %s.\n", preset_path);
 
    if (video_shader_read_conf_preset(conf, shader))
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 3ba5294b40..c70745489c 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -2072,22 +2072,9 @@ static core_option_manager_t *core_option_manager_new_vars(const char *conf_path
       return NULL;
 
    if (!string_is_empty(conf_path))
-   {
-      int64_t length                = 0;
-      uint8_t *ret_buf              = NULL;
-
-      if (filestream_read_file(conf_path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-      {
-         if (length >= 0)
-            if ((opt->conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf)))
-               opt->conf->path = strdup(conf_path);
-         free((void*)ret_buf);
-      }
-   }
-
-   if (!opt->conf)
-      if (!(opt->conf = config_file_new_alloc()))
-         goto error;
+      if (!(opt->conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(conf_path)))
+         if (!(opt->conf = config_file_new_alloc()))
+            goto error;
 
    strlcpy(opt->conf_path, conf_path, sizeof(opt->conf_path));
 
@@ -2138,22 +2125,9 @@ static core_option_manager_t *core_option_manager_new(const char *conf_path,
       return NULL;
 
    if (!string_is_empty(conf_path))
-   {
-      int64_t length                = 0;
-      uint8_t *ret_buf              = NULL;
-
-      if (filestream_read_file(conf_path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-      {
-         if (length >= 0)
-            if ((opt->conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf)))
-               opt->conf->path = strdup(conf_path);
-         free((void*)ret_buf);
-      }
-   }
-
-   if (!opt->conf)
-      if (!(opt->conf = config_file_new_alloc()))
-         goto error;
+      if (!(opt->conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(conf_path)))
+         if (!(opt->conf = config_file_new_alloc()))
+            goto error;
 
    strlcpy(opt->conf_path, conf_path, sizeof(opt->conf_path));
 
diff --git a/tasks/task_autodetect.c b/tasks/task_autodetect.c
index b7f3ae31fb..a0a745e86b 100644
--- a/tasks/task_autodetect.c
+++ b/tasks/task_autodetect.c
@@ -360,22 +360,8 @@ static bool input_autoconfigure_joypad_from_conf_dir(
    for (i = 0; i < list->size; i++)
    {
       int res;
-      int64_t length      = 0;
-      uint8_t *ret_buf    = NULL;
-      config_file_t *conf = NULL;
+      config_file_t *conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(list->elems[i].data);
       
-      if (!filestream_read_file(list->elems[i].data, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-         continue;
-
-      if (length < 0)
-      {
-         free((void*)ret_buf);
-         continue;
-      }
-
-      conf                = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf);
-      free((void*)ret_buf);
-
       if (!conf)
          continue;
 
diff --git a/tasks/task_overlay.c b/tasks/task_overlay.c
index 251c0c13d5..5b91f955cc 100644
--- a/tasks/task_overlay.c
+++ b/tasks/task_overlay.c
@@ -735,8 +735,6 @@ bool task_push_overlay_load_default(
       void *user_data)
 {
    task_finder_data_t find_data;
-   int64_t length           = 0;
-   uint8_t *ret_buf         = NULL;
    retro_task_t *t          = NULL;
    config_file_t *conf      = NULL;
    overlay_loader_t *loader = NULL;
@@ -756,14 +754,7 @@ bool task_push_overlay_load_default(
    if (!loader)
       return false;
 
-   if (filestream_read_file(overlay_path, (void**)&ret_buf, &length))
-   {
-      if (length >= 0)
-         conf = config_file_new_from_string((const char*)ret_buf);
-      free((void*)ret_buf);
-   }
-
-   if (!conf)
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(overlay_path)))
    {
       free(loader);
       return false;