diff --git a/libisofs/ecma119.c b/libisofs/ecma119.c
index 98724ba..4444224 100644
--- a/libisofs/ecma119.c
+++ b/libisofs/ecma119.c
@@ -1103,7 +1103,9 @@ int ecma119_image_new(IsoImage *src, IsoWriteOpts *opts, Ecma119Image **img)
 {
     int ret, i, voldesc_size, nwriters, image_checksums_mad = 0, tag_pos;
     Ecma119Image *target;
-    int el_torito_writer_index = -1, file_src_writer_index= -1;
+    int el_torito_writer_index = -1, file_src_writer_index = -1;
+    int system_area_options = 0;
+    char *system_area = NULL;
 
     /* 1. Allocate target and copy opts there */
     target = calloc(1, sizeof(Ecma119Image));
@@ -1165,16 +1167,23 @@ int ecma119_image_new(IsoImage *src, IsoWriteOpts *opts, Ecma119Image **img)
     target->eltorito = (src->bootcat == NULL ? 0 : 1);
     target->catalog = src->bootcat;
 
+    if (opts->system_area_data != NULL) {
+        system_area = opts->system_area_data;
+        system_area_options = opts->system_area_options;
+    } else if (src->system_area_data != NULL) {
+        system_area = src->system_area_data;
+        system_area_options = src->system_area_options;
+    }
     target->system_area_data = NULL;
-    if(opts->system_area_data != NULL) {
+    if (system_area != NULL) {
         target->system_area_data = calloc(32768, 1);
         if (target->system_area_data == NULL) {
             ret = ISO_OUT_OF_MEM;
             goto target_cleanup;
         }
-        memcpy(target->system_area_data, opts->system_area_data, 32768);
+        memcpy(target->system_area_data, system_area, 32768);
     }
-    target->system_area_options = opts->system_area_options;
+    target->system_area_options = system_area_options;
 
     target->vol_creation_time = opts->vol_creation_time;
     target->vol_modification_time = opts->vol_modification_time;
@@ -2163,7 +2172,7 @@ int iso_write_opts_set_system_area(IsoWriteOpts *opts, char data[32768],
         if (opts->system_area_data != NULL)
             free(opts->system_area_data);
         opts->system_area_data = NULL;
-    } else {
+    } else if (!(flag & 2)) {
         if (opts->system_area_data == NULL) {
             opts->system_area_data = calloc(32768, 1);
             if (opts->system_area_data == NULL)
@@ -2171,7 +2180,8 @@ int iso_write_opts_set_system_area(IsoWriteOpts *opts, char data[32768],
         }
         memcpy(opts->system_area_data, data, 32768);
     }
-    opts->system_area_options = options & 3;
+    if (!(flag & 4))
+        opts->system_area_options = options & 3;
     return ISO_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/libisofs/fs_image.c b/libisofs/fs_image.c
index 612bae1..e0af930 100644
--- a/libisofs/fs_image.c
+++ b/libisofs/fs_image.c
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ struct iso_read_opts
      */
     int auto_input_charset;
 
+
+    /** 
+     * Enable or disable loading of the first 32768 bytes of the session and
+     * submission by iso_write_opts_set_system_area(data, 0).
+     */
+    int load_system_area;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -2951,7 +2957,7 @@ int iso_image_import(IsoImage *image, IsoDataSource *src,
                      struct iso_read_opts *opts,
                      IsoReadImageFeatures **features)
 {
-    int ret, hflag;
+    int ret, hflag, i;
     IsoImageFilesystem *fs;
     IsoFilesystem *fsback;
     IsoNodeBuilder *blback;
@@ -2959,9 +2965,9 @@ int iso_image_import(IsoImage *image, IsoDataSource *src,
     IsoFileSource *newroot;
     _ImageFsData *data;
     struct el_torito_boot_catalog *oldbootcat;
+    uint8_t *rpt;
 
 #ifdef Libisofs_with_checksumS
-    int i;
     uint32_t old_checksum_start_lba;
     uint32_t old_checksum_end_lba;
     uint32_t old_checksum_idx_count;
@@ -2969,7 +2975,6 @@ int iso_image_import(IsoImage *image, IsoDataSource *src,
     char checksum_type[81];
     uint32_t checksum_size;
     size_t size;
-    uint8_t *rpt;
     void *ctx = NULL;
     char md5[16];
 #endif
@@ -2978,12 +2983,30 @@ int iso_image_import(IsoImage *image, IsoDataSource *src,
         return ISO_NULL_POINTER;
     }
 
+
     ret = iso_image_filesystem_new(src, opts, image->id, &fs);
     if (ret < 0) {
         return ret;
     }
     data = fs->data;
 
+
+    if (opts->load_system_area) {
+        if (image->system_area_data != NULL)
+            free(image->system_area_data);
+        image->system_area_data = calloc(32768, 1);
+        if (image->system_area_data == NULL)
+            return ISO_OUT_OF_MEM;
+        image->system_area_options = 0;
+        /* Read 32768 bytes */
+        for (i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
+            rpt = (uint8_t *) (image->system_area_data + i * 2048);
+            ret = src->read_block(src, opts->block + i, rpt);
+            if (ret < 0)
+                return ret;
+        }
+    }
+
     /* get root from filesystem */
     ret = fs->get_root(fs, &newroot);
     if (ret < 0) {
@@ -3332,8 +3355,9 @@ int iso_read_opts_new(IsoReadOpts **opts, int profile)
 
     ropts->file_mode = 0444;
     ropts->dir_mode = 0555;
-    ropts->noaaip= 1;
-    ropts->nomd5= 1;
+    ropts->noaaip = 1;
+    ropts->nomd5 = 1;
+    ropts->load_system_area = 0;
 
     *opts = ropts;
     return ISO_SUCCESS;
@@ -3469,6 +3493,15 @@ int iso_read_opts_auto_input_charset(IsoReadOpts *opts, int mode)
     return ISO_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+int iso_read_opts_load_system_area(IsoReadOpts *opts, int mode)
+{
+    if (opts == NULL) {
+        return ISO_NULL_POINTER;
+    }
+    opts->load_system_area = mode & 1;
+    return ISO_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 /**
  * Destroy an IsoReadImageFeatures object obtained with iso_image_import.
  */
diff --git a/libisofs/image.c b/libisofs/image.c
index e9ffce4..7dfaf25 100644
--- a/libisofs/image.c
+++ b/libisofs/image.c
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ int iso_image_new(const char *name, IsoImage **image)
         img->volset_id = strdup(name);
         img->volume_id = strdup(name);
     }
+    img->system_area_data = NULL;
+    img->system_area_options = 0;
     img->builder_ignore_acl = 1;
     img->builder_ignore_ea = 1;
     img->inode_counter = 0;
@@ -331,6 +333,16 @@ int iso_image_get_msg_id(IsoImage *image)
     return image->id;
 }
 
+int iso_image_get_system_area(IsoImage *img, char system_area_data[32768],
+                              int *options, int flag)
+{
+    *options = img->system_area_options;
+    if (img->system_area_data == NULL)
+        return 0;
+    memcpy(system_area_data, img->system_area_data, 32768);
+    return 1;
+}
+
 static
 int dir_update_size(IsoImage *image, IsoDir *dir)
 {
diff --git a/libisofs/image.h b/libisofs/image.h
index 736eb3c..2db315b 100644
--- a/libisofs/image.h
+++ b/libisofs/image.h
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ struct Iso_Image
     /* el-torito boot catalog */
     struct el_torito_boot_catalog *bootcat;
 
+    /* Eventually loaded system area data, or NULL */
+    char *system_area_data;
+    /* Prescribed/detected options, see iso_write_opts_set_system_area() */
+    int system_area_options;
+
     /* image identifier, for message origin identifier */
     int id;
 
diff --git a/libisofs/libisofs.h b/libisofs/libisofs.h
index 3299471..592df2c 100644
--- a/libisofs/libisofs.h
+++ b/libisofs/libisofs.h
@@ -1709,6 +1709,10 @@ int iso_write_opts_set_fifo_size(IsoWriteOpts *opts, size_t fifo_size);
  *              only if not bit0 is set.
  * @param flag
  *        bit0 = invalidate any attached system area data. Same as data == NULL
+ *               (This re-activates eventually loaded image System Area data.
+ *                To erase those, submit 32 kB of zeros without flag bit0.)
+ *        bit1 = keep data unaltered
+ *        bit2 = keep options unaltered
  * @return
  *        ISO_SUCCESS or error
  * @since 0.6.30
@@ -1992,6 +1996,20 @@ int iso_read_opts_set_input_charset(IsoReadOpts *opts, const char *charset);
  */
 int iso_read_opts_auto_input_charset(IsoReadOpts *opts, int mode);
 
+/**
+ * Enable or disable loading of the first 32768 bytes of the session.
+ *
+ * @param mode
+ *       Bitfield for control purposes:
+ *       bit0= Load System Area data and attach them to the image so that they
+ *             get written by the next session, if not overridden by
+ *             iso_write_opts_set_system_area().
+ *       Submit any other bits with value 0.
+ *
+ * @since 0.6.30
+ *
+ */
+int iso_read_opts_load_system_area(IsoReadOpts *opts, int mode);
 
 /**
  * Import a previous session or image, for growing or modify.
@@ -2428,6 +2446,28 @@ void el_torito_patch_isolinux_image(ElToritoBootImage *bootimg);
  */
 int el_torito_set_isolinux_options(ElToritoBootImage *bootimg, int options, int flag);
 
+/**
+ * Obtain a copy of the eventually loaded first 32768 bytes of the imported
+ * session, the System Area.
+ * It will be written to the start of the next session unless it gets
+ * overwritten by iso_write_opts_set_system_area().
+ *
+ * @param img
+ *        The image to be inquired.
+ * @param data
+ *        A byte array of at least 32768 bytesi to take the loaded bytes.
+ * @param options
+ *        The option bits which will be applied if not overridden by
+ *        iso_write_opts_set_system_area(). See there.
+ * @param flag
+ *        Bitfield for control purposes, unused yet, submit 0
+ * @return
+ *        1 on success, 0 if no System Area was loaded, < 0 error.
+ * @since 0.6.30
+ */
+int iso_image_get_system_area(IsoImage *img, char data[32768],
+                              int *options, int flag);
+
 /**
  * Increments the reference counting of the given node.
  *