diff --git a/flight/pios/common/pios_mem.c b/flight/pios/common/pios_mem.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d4526995
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flight/pios/common/pios_mem.c
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+/**
+ ******************************************************************************
+ *
+ * @file       pios_mem.c
+ * @author     The OpenPilot Team, http://www.openpilot.org Copyright (C) 2014.
+ * @addtogroup PiOS
+ * @{
+ * @addtogroup PiOS
+ * @{
+ * @brief PiOS memory allocation API
+ *****************************************************************************/
+/*
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
+ * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ * for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+ */
+#include <pios.h>
+#include <pios_mem.h>
+
+#ifdef PIOS_TARGET_PROVIDES_FAST_HEAP
+// relies on pios_general_malloc to perform the allocation (i.e. pios_msheap.c)
+extern void *pios_general_malloc(size_t size, bool fastheap);
+
+void *pios_fastheapmalloc(size_t size)
+{
+    return pios_general_malloc(size, true);
+}
+
+
+void *pios_malloc(size_t size)
+{
+    return pios_general_malloc(size, false);
+}
+
+void pios_free(void *p)
+{
+    vPortFree(p);
+}
+
+#else
+// demand to pvPortMalloc implementation
+void *pios_fastheapmalloc(size_t size)
+{
+    return pvPortMalloc(size);
+}
+
+
+void *pios_malloc(size_t size)
+{
+    return pvPortMalloc(size);
+}
+
+void pios_free(void *p)
+{
+    vPortFree(p);
+}
+
+#endif /* ifdef PIOS_TARGET_PROVIDES_FAST_HEAP */