diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/cx16diskio.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/cx16diskio.p8
index 3cc1081d2..e2c41d5ed 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/cx16diskio.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/cx16diskio.p8
@@ -20,13 +20,14 @@ cx16diskio {
 
     ; Use kernal LOAD routine to load the given file in memory.
     ; INCLUDING the first 2 bytes in the file: no program header is assumed in the file.
-    ; This is different from Basic's LOAD instruction which always skips the first two bytes.
     ; The load address is mandatory. Returns the number of bytes loaded.
+    ; If you load into regular system ram, use cx16.getrambank() for the bank argument,
+    ; or alternatively make sure to reset the correct ram bank yourself after the load!
     ; Returns the end load address+1 if successful or 0 if a load error occurred.
     ; You can use the load_size() function to calcuate the size of the file that was loaded.
     sub load_raw(ubyte drivenumber, uword filenameptr, ubyte bank, uword address) -> uword {
         cx16.rambank(bank)
-        return diskio.load_raw(drivenumber, filenameptr, address)
+        return diskio.load_headerless_cx16(drivenumber, filenameptr, address, true)
     }
 
     ; For use directly after a load or load_raw call (don't mess with the ram bank yet):
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/diskio.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/diskio.p8
index 56f4017ca..7fa9169b9 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/diskio.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/diskio.p8
@@ -445,11 +445,43 @@ io_error:
     ;       because it doesn't take the number of ram banks into account.
     ;       Consider using cx16diskio.load() instead.
     sub load(ubyte drivenumber, uword filenameptr, uword address_override) -> uword {
+        return load_headerless_cx16(drivenumber, filenameptr, address_override, false)
+    }
+
+    ; Use kernal LOAD routine to load the given file in memory.
+    ; INCLUDING the first 2 bytes in the file: no program header is assumed in the file.
+    ; This is different from Basic's LOAD instruction which always skips the first two bytes.
+    ; The load address is mandatory.
+    ; Returns the end load address+1 if successful or 0 if a load error occurred.
+    ; NOTE: when the load is larger than 64Kb and/or spans multiple RAM banks
+    ;       (which is possible on the Commander X16), the returned size is not correct,
+    ;       because it doesn't take the number of ram banks into account.
+    ;       Consider using cx16diskio.load_raw() instead on the Commander X16.
+    sub load_raw(ubyte drivenumber, uword filenameptr, uword address) -> uword {
+        if sys.target==16   ; are we on commander X16?
+            return load_headerless_cx16(drivenumber, filenameptr, address, true)
+        ; fallback to reading the 2 header bytes separately
+        if not f_open(drivenumber, filenameptr)
+            return 0
+        cx16.r1 = f_read(address, 2)
+        f_close()
+        if cx16.r1!=2
+            return 0
+        address += 2
+        return load(drivenumber, filenameptr, address)
+    }
+
+
+    ; Internal routine, only to be used on Commander X16 platform if headerless=true,
+    ; because this routine uses kernal support for that to load headerless files.
+    sub load_headerless_cx16(ubyte drivenumber, uword filenameptr, uword address_override, ubyte headerless) -> uword {
         c64.SETNAM(string.length(filenameptr), filenameptr)
         ubyte secondary = 1
         cx16.r1 = 0
         if address_override
             secondary = 0
+        if headerless
+            secondary |= %00000010  ; activate cx16 kernal headerless load support
         c64.SETLFS(1, drivenumber, secondary)
         %asm {{
             stx  P8ZP_SCRATCH_REG
@@ -468,26 +500,6 @@ io_error:
         return cx16.r1
     }
 
-    ; Use kernal LOAD routine to load the given file in memory.
-    ; INCLUDING the first 2 bytes in the file: no program header is assumed in the file.
-    ; This is different from Basic's LOAD instruction which always skips the first two bytes.
-    ; The load address is mandatory.
-    ; Returns the end load address+1 if successful or 0 if a load error occurred.
-    ; NOTE: when the load is larger than 64Kb and/or spans multiple RAM banks
-    ;       (which is possible on the Commander X16), the returned size is not correct,
-    ;       because it doesn't take the number of ram banks into account.
-    ;       Consider using cx16diskio.load_raw() instead.
-    sub load_raw(ubyte drivenumber, uword filenameptr, uword address) -> uword {
-        if not f_open(drivenumber, filenameptr)
-            return 0
-        cx16.r1 = f_read(address, 2)
-        f_close()
-        if cx16.r1!=2
-            return 0
-        address += 2
-        return load(drivenumber, filenameptr, address)
-    }
-
     sub delete(ubyte drivenumber, uword filenameptr) {
         ; -- delete a file on the drive
         filename[0] = 's'
diff --git a/docs/source/todo.rst b/docs/source/todo.rst
index 62110c438..829c34c53 100644
--- a/docs/source/todo.rst
+++ b/docs/source/todo.rst
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@ TODO
 
 For next release
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-- x16: optimize diskio load_raw because headerless files are now supported https://github.com/commanderx16/x16-rom/pull/216
-  note: must still work on c64/c128 that don't have this!
-
 - vm codegen: When
 - vm codegen: Pipe expression
 - vm codegen: validate that PtFunctionCall translation works okay with resultregister, and multiple paramsters in correct order