diff --git a/src/flash/mflash.c b/src/flash/mflash.c
index 26b85b1fb..272127be5 100644
--- a/src/flash/mflash.c
+++ b/src/flash/mflash.c
@@ -726,8 +726,8 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(mg_write_cmd)
 		return ERROR_FAIL;
 	}
 
-	cnt = fileio.size / MG_FILEIO_CHUNK;
-	res = fileio.size % MG_FILEIO_CHUNK;
+	cnt = fileio_size(&fileio) / MG_FILEIO_CHUNK;
+	res = fileio_size(&fileio) % MG_FILEIO_CHUNK;
 
 	struct duration bench;
 	duration_start(&bench);
@@ -752,8 +752,8 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(mg_write_cmd)
 	if (duration_measure(&bench) == ERROR_OK)
 	{
 		command_print(CMD_CTX, "wrote %ld bytes from file %s "
-				"in %fs (%0.3f kB/s)", (long)fileio.size, CMD_ARGV[1],
-				duration_elapsed(&bench), duration_kbps(&bench, fileio.size));
+				"in %fs (%0.3f kB/s)", (long)fileio_size(&fileio), CMD_ARGV[1],
+				duration_elapsed(&bench), duration_kbps(&bench, fileio_size(&fileio)));
 	}
 
 	free(buffer);
diff --git a/src/flash/nand/fileio.c b/src/flash/nand/fileio.c
index 3e397ebd6..0a006fc02 100644
--- a/src/flash/nand/fileio.c
+++ b/src/flash/nand/fileio.c
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ COMMAND_HELPER(nand_fileio_parse_args, struct nand_fileio_state *state,
 		return retval;
 
 	if (!need_size)
-		state->size = state->fileio.size;
+		state->size = fileio_size(&state->fileio);
 
 	*dev = nand;
 
diff --git a/src/flash/nand/tcl.c b/src/flash/nand/tcl.c
index 57bbe00e5..a54f8ea8f 100644
--- a/src/flash/nand/tcl.c
+++ b/src/flash/nand/tcl.c
@@ -389,8 +389,8 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_nand_dump_command)
 	if (nand_fileio_finish(&s) == ERROR_OK)
 	{
 		command_print(CMD_CTX, "dumped %ld bytes in %fs (%0.3f KiB/s)",
-				(long)s.fileio.size, duration_elapsed(&s.bench),
-				duration_kbps(&s.bench, s.fileio.size));
+				(long)fileio_size(&s.fileio), duration_elapsed(&s.bench),
+				duration_kbps(&s.bench, fileio_size(&s.fileio)));
 	}
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
diff --git a/src/flash/nor/tcl.c b/src/flash/nor/tcl.c
index 8604b4b33..f36ab7da5 100644
--- a/src/flash/nor/tcl.c
+++ b/src/flash/nor/tcl.c
@@ -604,9 +604,9 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_flash_write_bank_command)
 		return ERROR_OK;
 	}
 
-	buffer = malloc(fileio.size);
+	buffer = malloc(fileio_size(&fileio));
 	size_t buf_cnt;
-	if (fileio_read(&fileio, fileio.size, buffer, &buf_cnt) != ERROR_OK)
+	if (fileio_read(&fileio, fileio_size(&fileio), buffer, &buf_cnt) != ERROR_OK)
 	{
 		free(buffer);
 		fileio_close(&fileio);
@@ -622,8 +622,8 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_flash_write_bank_command)
 	{
 		command_print(CMD_CTX, "wrote %ld bytes from file %s to flash bank %u"
 				" at offset 0x%8.8" PRIx32 " in %fs (%0.3f KiB/s)",
-				(long)fileio.size, CMD_ARGV[1], p->bank_number, offset,
-				duration_elapsed(&bench), duration_kbps(&bench, fileio.size));
+				(long)fileio_size(&fileio), CMD_ARGV[1], p->bank_number, offset,
+				duration_elapsed(&bench), duration_kbps(&bench, fileio_size(&fileio)));
 	}
 
 	fileio_close(&fileio);
diff --git a/src/helper/fileio.c b/src/helper/fileio.c
index ba62397cc..7c862e471 100644
--- a/src/helper/fileio.c
+++ b/src/helper/fileio.c
@@ -31,7 +31,16 @@
 #include "configuration.h"
 #include "fileio.h"
 
-static inline int fileio_open_local(struct fileio *fileio)
+struct fileio_internal {
+	const char *url;
+	ssize_t size;
+	enum fileio_type type;
+	enum fileio_access access;
+	FILE *file;
+};
+
+static inline int fileio_close_local(struct fileio_internal *fileio);
+static inline int fileio_open_local(struct fileio_internal *fileio)
 {
 	char file_access[4];
 
@@ -86,7 +95,7 @@ static inline int fileio_open_local(struct fileio *fileio)
 
 		if ((fileio->size < 0)||(result < 0)||(result2 < 0))
 		{
-			fileio_close(fileio);
+			fileio_close_local(fileio);
 			return ERROR_FILEIO_OPERATION_FAILED;
 		}
 	}
@@ -98,10 +107,13 @@ static inline int fileio_open_local(struct fileio *fileio)
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
-int fileio_open(struct fileio *fileio, const char *url, enum fileio_access access_type,	enum fileio_type type)
+int fileio_open(struct fileio *fileio_p, const char *url, enum fileio_access access_type,	enum fileio_type type)
 {
 	int retval = ERROR_OK;
 
+	struct fileio_internal *fileio = malloc(sizeof(struct fileio_internal));
+	fileio_p->fp = fileio;
+
 	fileio->type = type;
 	fileio->access = access_type;
 	fileio->url = strdup(url);
@@ -111,7 +123,7 @@ int fileio_open(struct fileio *fileio, const char *url, enum fileio_access acces
 	return retval;
 }
 
-static inline int fileio_close_local(struct fileio *fileio)
+static inline int fileio_close_local(struct fileio_internal *fileio)
 {
 	int retval;
 	if ((retval = fclose(fileio->file)) != 0)
@@ -131,21 +143,26 @@ static inline int fileio_close_local(struct fileio *fileio)
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
-int fileio_close(struct fileio *fileio)
+int fileio_close(struct fileio *fileio_p)
 {
 	int retval;
+	struct fileio_internal *fileio = fileio_p->fp;
 
 	retval = fileio_close_local(fileio);
 
 	free((void*)fileio->url);
 	fileio->url = NULL;
 
+	free(fileio);
+	fileio_p->fp = NULL;
+
 	return retval;
 }
 
-int fileio_seek(struct fileio *fileio, size_t position)
+int fileio_seek(struct fileio *fileio_p, size_t position)
 {
 	int retval;
+	struct fileio_internal *fileio = fileio_p->fp;
 	if ((retval = fseek(fileio->file, position, SEEK_SET)) != 0)
 	{
 		LOG_ERROR("couldn't seek file %s: %s", fileio->url, strerror(errno));
@@ -155,7 +172,7 @@ int fileio_seek(struct fileio *fileio, size_t position)
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
-static int fileio_local_read(struct fileio *fileio,
+static int fileio_local_read(struct fileio_internal *fileio,
 		size_t size, void *buffer, size_t *size_read)
 {
 	ssize_t retval = fread(buffer, 1, size, fileio->file);
@@ -163,16 +180,18 @@ static int fileio_local_read(struct fileio *fileio,
 	return (retval < 0) ? retval : ERROR_OK;
 }
 
-int fileio_read(struct fileio *fileio, size_t size, void *buffer,
+int fileio_read(struct fileio *fileio_p, size_t size, void *buffer,
 		size_t *size_read)
 {
+	struct fileio_internal *fileio = fileio_p->fp;
 	return fileio_local_read(fileio, size, buffer, size_read);
 }
 
-int fileio_read_u32(struct fileio *fileio, uint32_t *data)
+int fileio_read_u32(struct fileio *fileio_p, uint32_t *data)
 {
 	uint8_t buf[4];
 	size_t size_read;
+	struct fileio_internal *fileio = fileio_p->fp;
 	int retval = fileio_local_read(fileio, sizeof(uint32_t), buf, &size_read);
 	if (ERROR_OK == retval && sizeof(uint32_t) != size_read)
 		retval = -EIO;
@@ -181,7 +200,7 @@ int fileio_read_u32(struct fileio *fileio, uint32_t *data)
 	return retval;
 }
 
-static int fileio_local_fgets(struct fileio *fileio,
+static int fileio_local_fgets(struct fileio_internal *fileio,
 		size_t size, void *buffer)
 {
 	if (fgets(buffer, size, fileio->file) == NULL)
@@ -190,12 +209,13 @@ static int fileio_local_fgets(struct fileio *fileio,
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
-int fileio_fgets(struct fileio *fileio, size_t size, void *buffer)
+int fileio_fgets(struct fileio *fileio_p, size_t size, void *buffer)
 {
+	struct fileio_internal *fileio = fileio_p->fp;
 	return fileio_local_fgets(fileio, size, buffer);
 }
 
-static int fileio_local_write(struct fileio *fileio,
+static int fileio_local_write(struct fileio_internal *fileio,
 		size_t size, const void *buffer, size_t *size_written)
 {
 	ssize_t retval = fwrite(buffer, 1, size, fileio->file);
@@ -203,24 +223,30 @@ static int fileio_local_write(struct fileio *fileio,
 	return (retval < 0) ? retval : ERROR_OK;
 }
 
-int fileio_write(struct fileio *fileio,
+int fileio_write(struct fileio *fileio_p,
 		size_t size, const void *buffer, size_t *size_written)
 {
+	struct fileio_internal *fileio = fileio_p->fp;
 	int retval = fileio_local_write(fileio, size, buffer, size_written);
 	if (retval == ERROR_OK)
 		fileio->size += *size_written;
 	return retval;
 }
 
-int fileio_write_u32(struct fileio *fileio, uint32_t data)
+int fileio_write_u32(struct fileio *fileio_p, uint32_t data)
 {
 	uint8_t buf[4];
 	h_u32_to_be(buf, data);
-
 	size_t size_written;
-	int retval = fileio_write(fileio, 4, buf, &size_written);
+	int retval = fileio_write(fileio_p, 4, buf, &size_written);
 	if (ERROR_OK == retval && size_written != sizeof(uint32_t))
 		retval = -EIO;
 
 	return retval;
 }
+
+int fileio_size(struct fileio *fileio_p)
+{
+	struct fileio_internal *fileio = fileio_p->fp;
+	return fileio->size;
+}
diff --git a/src/helper/fileio.h b/src/helper/fileio.h
index 597bafc01..40c4ef0e6 100644
--- a/src/helper/fileio.h
+++ b/src/helper/fileio.h
@@ -46,12 +46,10 @@ enum fileio_access
 	FILEIO_APPENDREAD,	/* open for writing, position at end, allow reading */
 };
 
-struct fileio {
-	const char *url;
-	ssize_t size;
-	enum fileio_type type;
-	enum fileio_access access;
-	FILE *file;
+struct fileio
+{
+	/* The structure is opaque */
+	struct fileio_internal *fp;
 };
 
 int fileio_open(struct fileio *fileio,
@@ -68,6 +66,7 @@ int fileio_write(struct fileio *fileio,
 
 int fileio_read_u32(struct fileio *fileio, uint32_t *data);
 int fileio_write_u32(struct fileio *fileio, uint32_t data);
+int fileio_size(struct fileio *fileio);
 
 #define ERROR_FILEIO_LOCATION_UNKNOWN	(-1200)
 #define ERROR_FILEIO_NOT_FOUND			(-1201)
diff --git a/src/target/etm.c b/src/target/etm.c
index 9da695504..c71c5d199 100644
--- a/src/target/etm.c
+++ b/src/target/etm.c
@@ -1897,7 +1897,7 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_etm_load_command)
 		return ERROR_FAIL;
 	}
 
-	if (file.size % 4)
+	if (fileio_size(&file) % 4)
 	{
 		command_print(CMD_CTX, "size isn't a multiple of 4, no valid trace data");
 		fileio_close(&file);
diff --git a/src/target/image.c b/src/target/image.c
index d36fbc34c..e77e19011 100644
--- a/src/target/image.c
+++ b/src/target/image.c
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ static int image_ihex_buffer_complete_inner(struct image *image, char *lpszLine,
 	/* we can't determine the number of sections that we'll have to create ahead of time,
 	 * so we locally hold them until parsing is finished */
 
-	ihex->buffer = malloc(fileio->size >> 1);
+	ihex->buffer = malloc(fileio_size(fileio) >> 1);
 	cooked_bytes = 0x0;
 	image->num_sections = 0;
 	section[image->num_sections].private = &ihex->buffer[cooked_bytes];
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ static int image_mot_buffer_complete_inner(struct image *image, char *lpszLine,
 	/* we can't determine the number of sections that we'll have to create ahead of time,
 	 * so we locally hold them until parsing is finished */
 
-	mot->buffer = malloc(fileio->size >> 1);
+	mot->buffer = malloc(fileio_size(fileio) >> 1);
 	cooked_bytes = 0x0;
 	image->num_sections = 0;
 	section[image->num_sections].private = &mot->buffer[cooked_bytes];
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ int image_open(struct image *image, const char *url, const char *type_string)
 		image->num_sections = 1;
 		image->sections = malloc(sizeof(struct imagesection));
 		image->sections[0].base_address = 0x0;
-		image->sections[0].size = image_binary->fileio.size;
+		image->sections[0].size = fileio_size(&image_binary->fileio);
 		image->sections[0].flags = 0;
 	}
 	else if (image->type == IMAGE_IHEX)
diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index c37432a30..fcdcc3633 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -2649,8 +2649,8 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_dump_image_command)
 	if ((ERROR_OK == retval) && (duration_measure(&bench) == ERROR_OK))
 	{
 		command_print(CMD_CTX,
-				"dumped %ld bytes in %fs (%0.3f KiB/s)", (long)fileio.size,
-				duration_elapsed(&bench), duration_kbps(&bench, fileio.size));
+				"dumped %ld bytes in %fs (%0.3f KiB/s)", (long)fileio_size(&fileio),
+				duration_elapsed(&bench), duration_kbps(&bench, fileio_size(&fileio)));
 	}
 
 	return retval;