diff --git a/pkger.go b/pkger.go
index 7591728..4b31814 100644
--- a/pkger.go
+++ b/pkger.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"sync"
 
@@ -24,6 +25,15 @@ var packed bool
 
 var packMU = &sync.RWMutex{}
 
+func ReadFile(s string) ([]byte, error) {
+	f, err := Open(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	return ioutil.ReadAll(f)
+}
+
 func dubeg(key, format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	s := fmt.Sprintf(format, args...)
 	debug.Debug("[%s|%s] %s", key, s)
diff --git a/pkger_test.go b/pkger_test.go
index ba597c7..aa6c240 100644
--- a/pkger_test.go
+++ b/pkger_test.go
@@ -3,10 +3,20 @@ package pkger
 import (
 	"io"
 	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 const curPkg = "github.com/markbates/pkger"
 
+func Test_ReadFile(t *testing.T) {
+	r := require.New(t)
+	b, err := ReadFile("/LICENSE")
+	r.NoError(err)
+	r.Contains(string(b), "MIT")
+}
+
 func createFile(p string, body ...string) (*File, error) {
 	if len(body) == 0 {
 		body = append(body, radio)