diff --git a/tools/perf/util/util.c b/tools/perf/util/util.c
index b1d5376..bae8756 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/util.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/util.c
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #endif
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 
 /*
@@ -433,3 +435,50 @@
 	close(fd);
 	return err;
 }
+
+int filename__read_str(const char *filename, char **buf, size_t *sizep)
+{
+	size_t size = 0, alloc_size = 0;
+	void *bf = NULL, *nbf;
+	int fd, n, err = 0;
+
+	fd = open(filename, O_RDONLY);
+	if (fd < 0)
+		return -errno;
+
+	do {
+		if (size == alloc_size) {
+			alloc_size += BUFSIZ;
+			nbf = realloc(bf, alloc_size);
+			if (!nbf) {
+				err = -ENOMEM;
+				break;
+			}
+
+			bf = nbf;
+		}
+
+		n = read(fd, bf + size, alloc_size - size);
+		if (n < 0) {
+			if (size) {
+				pr_warning("read failed %d: %s\n",
+					   errno, strerror(errno));
+				err = 0;
+			} else
+				err = -errno;
+
+			break;
+		}
+
+		size += n;
+	} while (n > 0);
+
+	if (!err) {
+		*sizep = size;
+		*buf   = bf;
+	} else
+		free(bf);
+
+	close(fd);
+	return err;
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/util.h b/tools/perf/util/util.h
index ce0f73d..adb39f2 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/util.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/util.h
@@ -308,4 +308,5 @@
 void free_srcline(char *srcline);
 
 int filename__read_int(const char *filename, int *value);
+int filename__read_str(const char *filename, char **buf, size_t *sizep);
 #endif /* GIT_COMPAT_UTIL_H */