diff --git a/source/lib/file/archive/archive_zip.cpp b/source/lib/file/archive/archive_zip.cpp
index a6e011a51a..d68f4cc9bb 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/archive/archive_zip.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/file/archive/archive_zip.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2025 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2026 Wildfire Games.
  *
  * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
  * a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ public:
 		return m_file->Pathname();
 	}
 
-	Status Load(const OsPath& /*name*/, const std::shared_ptr<u8>& buf, size_t size) const override
+	Status Load(const OsPath& /*name*/, const std::span<u8> buffer) const override
 	{
 		AdjustOffset();
 
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ public:
 		}
 
 		Stream stream(codec);
-		stream.SetOutputBuffer(buf.get(), size);
+		stream.SetOutputBuffer(buffer.data(), buffer.size());
 		io::Operation op(*m_file.get(), 0, m_csize, m_ofs);
 		StreamFeeder streamFeeder(stream);
 		RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(io::Run(op, io::Parameters(), streamFeeder));
diff --git a/source/lib/file/common/file_loader.h b/source/lib/file/common/file_loader.h
index 54126a990a..57983769f0 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/common/file_loader.h
+++ b/source/lib/file/common/file_loader.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2025 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2026 Wildfire Games.
  *
  * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
  * a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <memory>
+#include <span>
 
 struct IFileLoader
 {
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ struct IFileLoader
 	virtual wchar_t LocationCode() const = 0;
 	virtual const OsPath& Path() const = 0;
 
-	virtual Status Load(const OsPath& name, const std::shared_ptr<u8>& buf, size_t size) const = 0;
+	virtual Status Load(const OsPath& name, const std::span<u8> buffer) const = 0;
 };
 
 typedef std::shared_ptr<IFileLoader> PIFileLoader;
diff --git a/source/lib/file/common/real_directory.cpp b/source/lib/file/common/real_directory.cpp
index 82015b9f64..ecd362534f 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/common/real_directory.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/file/common/real_directory.cpp
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ RealDirectory::RealDirectory(const OsPath& path, size_t priority, size_t flags)
 }
 
 
-/*virtual*/ Status RealDirectory::Load(const OsPath& name, const std::shared_ptr<u8>& buf, size_t size) const
+/*virtual*/ Status RealDirectory::Load(const OsPath& name, const std::span<u8> buffer) const
 {
-	return io::Load(m_path / name, buf.get(), size);
+	return io::Load(m_path / name, buffer.data(), buffer.size());
 }
 
 
diff --git a/source/lib/file/common/real_directory.h b/source/lib/file/common/real_directory.h
index 70cf69fb27..4be7b9b963 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/common/real_directory.h
+++ b/source/lib/file/common/real_directory.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		return m_path;
 	}
-	Status Load(const OsPath& name, const std::shared_ptr<u8>& buf, size_t size) const override;
+	Status Load(const OsPath& name, const std::span<u8> buffer) const override;
 
 	Status Store(const OsPath& name, std::span<const u8> fileContents);
 
diff --git a/source/lib/file/vfs/tests/test_vfs_tree.h b/source/lib/file/vfs/tests/test_vfs_tree.h
index 62a58b6a18..0a2c6cea13 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/vfs/tests/test_vfs_tree.h
+++ b/source/lib/file/vfs/tests/test_vfs_tree.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2025 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2026 Wildfire Games.
  *
  * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
  * a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public:
 	size_t Precedence() const override { return m_Precedence; }
 	wchar_t LocationCode() const override { return L'\0'; }
 	const OsPath& Path() const override { return m_Path; }
-	Status Load(const OsPath& /*name*/, const std::shared_ptr<u8>& /*buf*/, size_t /*size*/) const override
+	Status Load(const OsPath& /*name*/, const std::span<u8>) const override
 	{
 		return INFO::OK;
 	}
diff --git a/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs.cpp b/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs.cpp
index 5ded64449c..23acd75f17 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs.cpp
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ public:
 		size = file->Size();
 
 		RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(AllocateAligned(fileContents, size, maxSectorSize));
-		RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(file->Loader()->Load(file->Name(), fileContents, file->Size()));
+		RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(file->Loader()->Load(file->Name(), {fileContents.get(), file->Size()}));
 
 		stats_io_user_request(size);
 		m_trace->NotifyLoad(pathname, size);
diff --git a/source/ps/SavedGame.cpp b/source/ps/SavedGame.cpp
index 2beb46a742..ee8d3c6151 100644
--- a/source/ps/SavedGame.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/SavedGame.cpp
@@ -208,13 +208,13 @@ public:
 		{
 			std::string buffer;
 			buffer.resize(fileInfo.Size());
-			WARN_IF_ERR(archiveFile->Load("", DummySharedPtr((u8*)buffer.data()), buffer.size()));
+			WARN_IF_ERR(archiveFile->Load("", {reinterpret_cast<u8*>(buffer.data()), buffer.size()}));
 			Script::ParseJSON(Script::Request(m_ScriptInterface), buffer, &m_Metadata);
 		}
 		else if (pathname == L"simulation.dat" && m_SavedState)
 		{
 			m_SavedState->resize(fileInfo.Size());
-			WARN_IF_ERR(archiveFile->Load("", DummySharedPtr((u8*)m_SavedState->data()), m_SavedState->size()));
+			WARN_IF_ERR(archiveFile->Load("", {reinterpret_cast<u8*>(m_SavedState->data()), m_SavedState->size()}));
 		}
 	}