diff --git a/archival/bbunzip.c b/archival/bbunzip.c
index 84f58f138..90aac1427 100644
--- a/archival/bbunzip.c
+++ b/archival/bbunzip.c
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ int FAST_FUNC bbunpack(char **argv,
 		if (!(option_mask32 & SEAMLESS_MAGIC)) {
 			init_transformer_state(&xstate);
 			xstate.check_signature = 1;
+			/*xstate.src_fd = STDIN_FILENO; - already is */
+			xstate.dst_fd = STDOUT_FILENO;
 			status = unpacker(&xstate);
 			if (status < 0)
 				exitcode = 1;
@@ -226,18 +228,13 @@ char* FAST_FUNC make_new_name_generic(char *filename, const char *expected_ext)
 //applet:IF_UNCOMPRESS(APPLET(uncompress, BB_DIR_BIN, BB_SUID_DROP))
 //kbuild:lib-$(CONFIG_UNCOMPRESS) += bbunzip.o
 #if ENABLE_UNCOMPRESS
-static
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC unpack_uncompress(transformer_state_t *xstate)
-{
-	return unpack_Z_stream(xstate, STDIN_FILENO, STDOUT_FILENO);
-}
 int uncompress_main(int argc, char **argv) MAIN_EXTERNALLY_VISIBLE;
 int uncompress_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 {
 	getopt32(argv, "cf");
 	argv += optind;
 
-	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_uncompress, make_new_name_generic, "Z");
+	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_Z_stream, make_new_name_generic, "Z");
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -324,11 +321,6 @@ char* FAST_FUNC make_new_name_gunzip(char *filename, const char *expected_ext UN
 	}
 	return filename;
 }
-static
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC unpack_gunzip(transformer_state_t *xstate)
-{
-	return unpack_gz_stream(xstate, STDIN_FILENO, STDOUT_FILENO);
-}
 /*
  * Linux kernel build uses gzip -d -n. We accept and ignore it.
  * Man page says:
@@ -355,7 +347,7 @@ int gunzip_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 	if (applet_name[1] == 'c')
 		option_mask32 |= OPT_STDOUT | SEAMLESS_MAGIC;
 
-	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_gunzip, make_new_name_gunzip, /*unused:*/ NULL);
+	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_gz_stream, make_new_name_gunzip, /*unused:*/ NULL);
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -395,11 +387,6 @@ int gunzip_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 //kbuild:lib-$(CONFIG_BZIP2) += bbunzip.o
 //kbuild:lib-$(CONFIG_BUNZIP2) += bbunzip.o
 #if ENABLE_BUNZIP2
-static
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC unpack_bunzip2(transformer_state_t *xstate)
-{
-	return unpack_bz2_stream(xstate, STDIN_FILENO, STDOUT_FILENO);
-}
 int bunzip2_main(int argc, char **argv) MAIN_EXTERNALLY_VISIBLE;
 int bunzip2_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 {
@@ -408,7 +395,7 @@ int bunzip2_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 	if (applet_name[2] == 'c') /* bzcat */
 		option_mask32 |= OPT_STDOUT;
 
-	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_bunzip2, make_new_name_generic, "bz2");
+	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_bz2_stream, make_new_name_generic, "bz2");
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -494,11 +481,6 @@ int bunzip2_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 //applet:IF_LZMA(APPLET_ODDNAME(lzma, unlzma, BB_DIR_USR_BIN, BB_SUID_DROP, lzma))
 //kbuild:lib-$(CONFIG_UNLZMA) += bbunzip.o
 #if ENABLE_UNLZMA
-static
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC unpack_unlzma(transformer_state_t *xstate)
-{
-	return unpack_lzma_stream(xstate, STDIN_FILENO, STDOUT_FILENO);
-}
 int unlzma_main(int argc, char **argv) MAIN_EXTERNALLY_VISIBLE;
 int unlzma_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 {
@@ -513,7 +495,7 @@ int unlzma_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 		option_mask32 |= OPT_STDOUT;
 
 	argv += optind;
-	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_unlzma, make_new_name_generic, "lzma");
+	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_lzma_stream, make_new_name_generic, "lzma");
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -537,11 +519,6 @@ int unlzma_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 //applet:IF_XZ(APPLET_ODDNAME(xz, unxz, BB_DIR_USR_BIN, BB_SUID_DROP, xz))
 //kbuild:lib-$(CONFIG_UNXZ) += bbunzip.o
 #if ENABLE_UNXZ
-static
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC unpack_unxz(transformer_state_t *xstate)
-{
-	return unpack_xz_stream(xstate, STDIN_FILENO, STDOUT_FILENO);
-}
 int unxz_main(int argc, char **argv) MAIN_EXTERNALLY_VISIBLE;
 int unxz_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 {
@@ -556,6 +533,6 @@ int unxz_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 		option_mask32 |= OPT_STDOUT;
 
 	argv += optind;
-	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_unxz, make_new_name_generic, "xz");
+	return bbunpack(argv, unpack_xz_stream, make_new_name_generic, "xz");
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/decompress_bunzip2.c b/archival/libarchive/decompress_bunzip2.c
index 36237e221..fe5953da2 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/decompress_bunzip2.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/decompress_bunzip2.c
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ void FAST_FUNC dealloc_bunzip(bunzip_data *bd)
 
 /* Decompress src_fd to dst_fd.  Stops at end of bzip data, not end of file. */
 IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC
-unpack_bz2_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
+unpack_bz2_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 {
 	IF_DESKTOP(long long total_written = 0;)
 	bunzip_data *bd;
@@ -739,14 +739,14 @@ unpack_bz2_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 	int i;
 	unsigned len;
 
-	if (check_signature16(xstate, src_fd, BZIP2_MAGIC))
+	if (check_signature16(xstate, BZIP2_MAGIC))
 		return -1;
 
 	outbuf = xmalloc(IOBUF_SIZE);
 	len = 0;
 	while (1) { /* "Process one BZ... stream" loop */
 
-		i = start_bunzip(&bd, src_fd, outbuf + 2, len);
+		i = start_bunzip(&bd, xstate->src_fd, outbuf + 2, len);
 
 		if (i == 0) {
 			while (1) { /* "Produce some output bytes" loop */
@@ -756,8 +756,7 @@ unpack_bz2_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 				i = IOBUF_SIZE - i; /* number of bytes produced */
 				if (i == 0) /* EOF? */
 					break;
-				if (i != full_write(dst_fd, outbuf, i)) {
-					bb_error_msg("short write");
+				if (i != transformer_write(xstate, outbuf, i)) {
 					i = RETVAL_SHORT_WRITE;
 					goto release_mem;
 				}
@@ -790,7 +789,7 @@ unpack_bz2_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 		len = bd->inbufCount - bd->inbufPos;
 		memcpy(outbuf, &bd->inbuf[bd->inbufPos], len);
 		if (len < 2) {
-			if (safe_read(src_fd, outbuf + len, 2 - len) != 2 - len)
+			if (safe_read(xstate->src_fd, outbuf + len, 2 - len) != 2 - len)
 				break;
 			len = 2;
 		}
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/decompress_gunzip.c b/archival/libarchive/decompress_gunzip.c
index 62a3d78b6..1360abef7 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/decompress_gunzip.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/decompress_gunzip.c
@@ -971,7 +971,7 @@ static int inflate_get_next_window(STATE_PARAM_ONLY)
 
 /* Called from unpack_gz_stream() and inflate_unzip() */
 static IF_DESKTOP(long long) int
-inflate_unzip_internal(STATE_PARAM int in, int out)
+inflate_unzip_internal(STATE_PARAM transformer_state_t *xstate)
 {
 	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int n = 0;
 	ssize_t nwrote;
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ inflate_unzip_internal(STATE_PARAM int in, int out)
 	gunzip_window = xmalloc(GUNZIP_WSIZE);
 	gunzip_outbuf_count = 0;
 	gunzip_bytes_out = 0;
-	gunzip_src_fd = in;
+	gunzip_src_fd = xstate->src_fd;
 
 	/* (re) initialize state */
 	method = -1;
@@ -1002,9 +1002,8 @@ inflate_unzip_internal(STATE_PARAM int in, int out)
 
 	while (1) {
 		int r = inflate_get_next_window(PASS_STATE_ONLY);
-		nwrote = full_write(out, gunzip_window, gunzip_outbuf_count);
-		if (nwrote != (ssize_t)gunzip_outbuf_count) {
-			bb_perror_msg("write");
+		nwrote = transformer_write(xstate, gunzip_window, gunzip_outbuf_count);
+		if (nwrote == (ssize_t)-1) {
 			n = -1;
 			goto ret;
 		}
@@ -1034,7 +1033,7 @@ inflate_unzip_internal(STATE_PARAM int in, int out)
 /* For unzip */
 
 IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC
-inflate_unzip(transformer_state_t *xstate, int in, int out)
+inflate_unzip(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 {
 	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int n;
 	DECLARE_STATE;
@@ -1045,7 +1044,7 @@ inflate_unzip(transformer_state_t *xstate, int in, int out)
 //	bytebuffer_max = 0x8000;
 	bytebuffer_offset = 4;
 	bytebuffer = xmalloc(bytebuffer_max);
-	n = inflate_unzip_internal(PASS_STATE in, out);
+	n = inflate_unzip_internal(PASS_STATE xstate);
 	free(bytebuffer);
 
 	xstate->crc32 = gunzip_crc;
@@ -1169,8 +1168,7 @@ static int check_header_gzip(STATE_PARAM transformer_state_t *xstate)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (xstate)
-		xstate->mtime = SWAP_LE32(header.formatted.mtime);
+	xstate->mtime = SWAP_LE32(header.formatted.mtime);
 
 	/* Read the header checksum */
 	if (header.formatted.flags & 0x02) {
@@ -1182,27 +1180,27 @@ static int check_header_gzip(STATE_PARAM transformer_state_t *xstate)
 }
 
 IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC
-unpack_gz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
+unpack_gz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 {
 	uint32_t v32;
 	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int total, n;
 	DECLARE_STATE;
 
 #if !ENABLE_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_Z
-	if (check_signature16(xstate, src_fd, GZIP_MAGIC))
+	if (check_signature16(xstate, GZIP_MAGIC))
 		return -1;
 #else
-	if (xstate && xstate->check_signature) {
+	if (xstate->check_signature) {
 		uint16_t magic2;
 
-		if (full_read(src_fd, &magic2, 2) != 2) {
+		if (full_read(xstate->src_fd, &magic2, 2) != 2) {
  bad_magic:
 			bb_error_msg("invalid magic");
 			return -1;
 		}
 		if (magic2 == COMPRESS_MAGIC) {
 			xstate->check_signature = 0;
-			return unpack_Z_stream(xstate, src_fd, dst_fd);
+			return unpack_Z_stream(xstate);
 		}
 		if (magic2 != GZIP_MAGIC)
 			goto bad_magic;
@@ -1215,7 +1213,7 @@ unpack_gz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 	to_read = -1;
 //	bytebuffer_max = 0x8000;
 	bytebuffer = xmalloc(bytebuffer_max);
-	gunzip_src_fd = src_fd;
+	gunzip_src_fd = xstate->src_fd;
 
  again:
 	if (!check_header_gzip(PASS_STATE xstate)) {
@@ -1224,7 +1222,7 @@ unpack_gz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 		goto ret;
 	}
 
-	n = inflate_unzip_internal(PASS_STATE src_fd, dst_fd);
+	n = inflate_unzip_internal(PASS_STATE xstate);
 	if (n < 0) {
 		total = -1;
 		goto ret;
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/decompress_uncompress.c b/archival/libarchive/decompress_uncompress.c
index cb3d55a88..496d864a7 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/decompress_uncompress.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/decompress_uncompress.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
  */
 
 IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC
-unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
+unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 {
 	IF_DESKTOP(long long total_written = 0;)
 	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int retval = -1;
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 	/* block compress mode -C compatible with 2.0 */
 	int block_mode; /* = BLOCK_MODE; */
 
-	if (check_signature16(xstate, src_fd, COMPRESS_MAGIC))
+	if (check_signature16(xstate, COMPRESS_MAGIC))
 		return -1;
 
 	inbuf = xzalloc(IBUFSIZ + 64);
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 
 	/* xread isn't good here, we have to return - caller may want
 	 * to do some cleanup (e.g. delete incomplete unpacked file etc) */
-	if (full_read(src_fd, inbuf, 1) != 1) {
+	if (full_read(xstate->src_fd, inbuf, 1) != 1) {
 		bb_error_msg("short read");
 		goto err;
 	}
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 		}
 
 		if (insize < (int) (IBUFSIZ + 64) - IBUFSIZ) {
-			rsize = safe_read(src_fd, inbuf + insize, IBUFSIZ);
+			rsize = safe_read(xstate->src_fd, inbuf + insize, IBUFSIZ);
 			if (rsize < 0)
 				bb_error_msg_and_die(bb_msg_read_error);
 			insize += rsize;
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 						}
 
 						if (outpos >= OBUFSIZ) {
-							xwrite(dst_fd, outbuf, outpos);
+							xtransformer_write(xstate, outbuf, outpos);
 							IF_DESKTOP(total_written += outpos;)
 							outpos = 0;
 						}
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 	} while (rsize > 0);
 
 	if (outpos > 0) {
-		xwrite(dst_fd, outbuf, outpos);
+		xtransformer_write(xstate, outbuf, outpos);
 		IF_DESKTOP(total_written += outpos;)
 	}
 
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/decompress_unlzma.c b/archival/libarchive/decompress_unlzma.c
index ccedac49d..c8622f97b 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/decompress_unlzma.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/decompress_unlzma.c
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ enum {
 
 
 IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC
-unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate UNUSED_PARAM, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
+unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 {
 	IF_DESKTOP(long long total_written = 0;)
 	lzma_header_t header;
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate UNUSED_PARAM, int src_fd, int dst
 	int state = 0;
 	uint32_t rep0 = 1, rep1 = 1, rep2 = 1, rep3 = 1;
 
-	if (full_read(src_fd, &header, sizeof(header)) != sizeof(header)
+	if (full_read(xstate->src_fd, &header, sizeof(header)) != sizeof(header)
 	 || header.pos >= (9 * 5 * 5)
 	) {
 		bb_error_msg("bad lzma header");
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate UNUSED_PARAM, int src_fd, int dst
 			p[i] = (1 << RC_MODEL_TOTAL_BITS) >> 1;
 	}
 
-	rc = rc_init(src_fd); /*, RC_BUFFER_SIZE); */
+	rc = rc_init(xstate->src_fd); /*, RC_BUFFER_SIZE); */
 
 	while (global_pos + buffer_pos < header.dst_size) {
 		int pos_state = (buffer_pos + global_pos) & pos_state_mask;
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate UNUSED_PARAM, int src_fd, int dst
 			if (buffer_pos == header.dict_size) {
 				buffer_pos = 0;
 				global_pos += header.dict_size;
-				if (full_write(dst_fd, buffer, header.dict_size) != (ssize_t)header.dict_size)
+				if (transformer_write(xstate, buffer, header.dict_size) != (ssize_t)header.dict_size)
 					goto bad;
 				IF_DESKTOP(total_written += header.dict_size;)
 			}
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate UNUSED_PARAM, int src_fd, int dst
 				if (buffer_pos == header.dict_size) {
 					buffer_pos = 0;
 					global_pos += header.dict_size;
-					if (full_write(dst_fd, buffer, header.dict_size) != (ssize_t)header.dict_size)
+					if (transformer_write(xstate, buffer, header.dict_size) != (ssize_t)header.dict_size)
 						goto bad;
 					IF_DESKTOP(total_written += header.dict_size;)
 				}
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate UNUSED_PARAM, int src_fd, int dst
 	{
 		IF_NOT_DESKTOP(int total_written = 0; /* success */)
 		IF_DESKTOP(total_written += buffer_pos;)
-		if (full_write(dst_fd, buffer, buffer_pos) != (ssize_t)buffer_pos) {
+		if (transformer_write(xstate, buffer, buffer_pos) != (ssize_t)buffer_pos) {
  bad:
 			total_written = -1; /* failure */
 		}
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/decompress_unxz.c b/archival/libarchive/decompress_unxz.c
index 6df54e131..1f408abfd 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/decompress_unxz.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/decompress_unxz.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ static uint32_t xz_crc32(const uint8_t *buf, size_t size, uint32_t crc)
 #include "unxz/xz_dec_stream.c"
 
 IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC
-unpack_xz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
+unpack_xz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 {
 	enum xz_ret xz_result;
 	struct xz_buf iobuf;
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ unpack_xz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 	xz_result = X_OK;
 	while (1) {
 		if (iobuf.in_pos == iobuf.in_size) {
-			int rd = safe_read(src_fd, membuf, BUFSIZ);
+			int rd = safe_read(xstate->src_fd, membuf, BUFSIZ);
 			if (rd < 0) {
 				bb_error_msg(bb_msg_read_error);
 				total = -1;
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ unpack_xz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
 //		bb_error_msg("<in pos:%d size:%d out pos:%d size:%d r:%d",
 //				iobuf.in_pos, iobuf.in_size, iobuf.out_pos, iobuf.out_size, xz_result);
 		if (iobuf.out_pos) {
-			xwrite(dst_fd, iobuf.out, iobuf.out_pos);
+			xtransformer_write(xstate, iobuf.out, iobuf.out_pos);
 			IF_DESKTOP(total += iobuf.out_pos;)
 			iobuf.out_pos = 0;
 		}
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_bz2.c b/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_bz2.c
index 0ee00df53..78f78a858 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_bz2.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_bz2.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ char FAST_FUNC get_header_tar_bz2(archive_handle_t *archive_handle)
 	/* Can't lseek over pipes */
 	archive_handle->seek = seek_by_read;
 
-	open_transformer_with_sig(archive_handle->src_fd, unpack_bz2_stream, "bunzip2");
+	fork_transformer_with_sig(archive_handle->src_fd, unpack_bz2_stream, "bunzip2");
 	archive_handle->offset = 0;
 	while (get_header_tar(archive_handle) == EXIT_SUCCESS)
 		continue;
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_gz.c b/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_gz.c
index 03284342b..b11f503dc 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_gz.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_gz.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ char FAST_FUNC get_header_tar_gz(archive_handle_t *archive_handle)
 	/* Can't lseek over pipes */
 	archive_handle->seek = seek_by_read;
 
-	open_transformer_with_sig(archive_handle->src_fd, unpack_gz_stream, "gunzip");
+	fork_transformer_with_sig(archive_handle->src_fd, unpack_gz_stream, "gunzip");
 	archive_handle->offset = 0;
 	while (get_header_tar(archive_handle) == EXIT_SUCCESS)
 		continue;
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_lzma.c b/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_lzma.c
index d565a217d..d228cbc13 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_lzma.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/get_header_tar_lzma.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ char FAST_FUNC get_header_tar_lzma(archive_handle_t *archive_handle)
 	/* Can't lseek over pipes */
 	archive_handle->seek = seek_by_read;
 
-	open_transformer_with_sig(archive_handle->src_fd, unpack_lzma_stream, "unlzma");
+	fork_transformer_with_sig(archive_handle->src_fd, unpack_lzma_stream, "unlzma");
 	archive_handle->offset = 0;
 	while (get_header_tar(archive_handle) == EXIT_SUCCESS)
 		continue;
diff --git a/archival/libarchive/open_transformer.c b/archival/libarchive/open_transformer.c
index 584b15de4..9d762a859 100644
--- a/archival/libarchive/open_transformer.c
+++ b/archival/libarchive/open_transformer.c
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ void FAST_FUNC init_transformer_state(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 	memset(xstate, 0, sizeof(*xstate));
 }
 
-int FAST_FUNC check_signature16(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, unsigned magic16)
+int FAST_FUNC check_signature16(transformer_state_t *xstate, unsigned magic16)
 {
-	if (xstate && xstate->check_signature) {
+	if (xstate->check_signature) {
 		uint16_t magic2;
-		if (full_read(src_fd, &magic2, 2) != 2 || magic2 != magic16) {
+		if (full_read(xstate->src_fd, &magic2, 2) != 2 || magic2 != magic16) {
 			bb_error_msg("invalid magic");
 #if 0 /* possible future extension */
 			if (xstate->check_signature > 1)
@@ -27,6 +27,46 @@ int FAST_FUNC check_signature16(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, unsigne
 	return 0;
 }
 
+ssize_t FAST_FUNC transformer_write(transformer_state_t *xstate, const void *buf, size_t bufsize)
+{
+	ssize_t nwrote;
+
+	if (xstate->mem_output_size_max != 0) {
+		size_t pos = xstate->mem_output_size;
+		size_t size;
+
+		size = (xstate->mem_output_size += bufsize);
+		if (size > xstate->mem_output_size_max) {
+			free(xstate->mem_output_buf);
+			xstate->mem_output_buf = NULL;
+			bb_perror_msg("buffer %u too small", (unsigned)xstate->mem_output_size_max);
+			nwrote = -1;
+			goto ret;
+		}
+		xstate->mem_output_buf = xrealloc(xstate->mem_output_buf, size);
+		memcpy(xstate->mem_output_buf + pos, buf, bufsize);
+		nwrote = bufsize;
+	} else {
+		nwrote = full_write(xstate->dst_fd, buf, bufsize);
+		if (nwrote != (ssize_t)bufsize) {
+			bb_perror_msg("write");
+			nwrote = -1;
+			goto ret;
+		}
+	}
+ ret:
+	return nwrote;
+}
+
+ssize_t FAST_FUNC xtransformer_write(transformer_state_t *xstate, const void *buf, size_t bufsize)
+{
+	ssize_t nwrote = transformer_write(xstate, buf, bufsize);
+	if (nwrote != (ssize_t)bufsize) {
+		xfunc_die();
+	}
+	return nwrote;
+}
+
 void check_errors_in_children(int signo)
 {
 	int status;
@@ -60,12 +100,12 @@ void check_errors_in_children(int signo)
 
 /* transformer(), more than meets the eye */
 #if BB_MMU
-void FAST_FUNC open_transformer(int fd,
+void FAST_FUNC fork_transformer(int fd,
 	int check_signature,
-	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC (*transformer)(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
+	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC (*transformer)(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 )
 #else
-void FAST_FUNC open_transformer(int fd, const char *transform_prog)
+void FAST_FUNC fork_transformer(int fd, const char *transform_prog)
 #endif
 {
 	struct fd_pair fd_pipe;
@@ -83,7 +123,9 @@ void FAST_FUNC open_transformer(int fd, const char *transform_prog)
 			transformer_state_t xstate;
 			init_transformer_state(&xstate);
 			xstate.check_signature = check_signature;
-			r = transformer(&xstate, fd, fd_pipe.wr);
+			xstate.src_fd = fd;
+			xstate.dst_fd = fd_pipe.wr;
+			r = transformer(&xstate);
 			if (ENABLE_FEATURE_CLEAN_UP) {
 				close(fd_pipe.wr); /* send EOF */
 				close(fd);
@@ -118,16 +160,19 @@ void FAST_FUNC open_transformer(int fd, const char *transform_prog)
 /* Used by e.g. rpm which gives us a fd without filename,
  * thus we can't guess the format from filename's extension.
  */
-int FAST_FUNC setup_unzip_on_fd(int fd, int fail_if_not_compressed)
+static transformer_state_t *setup_transformer_on_fd(int fd, int fail_if_not_compressed)
 {
 	union {
 		uint8_t b[4];
 		uint16_t b16[2];
 		uint32_t b32[1];
 	} magic;
-	int offset = -2;
-	USE_FOR_MMU(IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC (*xformer)(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd);)
-	USE_FOR_NOMMU(const char *xformer_prog;)
+	int offset;
+	transformer_state_t *xstate;
+
+	offset = -2;
+	xstate = xzalloc(sizeof(*xstate));
+	xstate->src_fd = fd;
 
 	/* .gz and .bz2 both have 2-byte signature, and their
 	 * unpack_XXX_stream wants this header skipped. */
@@ -135,15 +180,15 @@ int FAST_FUNC setup_unzip_on_fd(int fd, int fail_if_not_compressed)
 	if (ENABLE_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_GZ
 	 && magic.b16[0] == GZIP_MAGIC
 	) {
-		USE_FOR_MMU(xformer = unpack_gz_stream;)
-		USE_FOR_NOMMU(xformer_prog = "gunzip";)
+		xstate->xformer = unpack_gz_stream;
+		USE_FOR_NOMMU(xstate->xformer_prog = "gunzip";)
 		goto found_magic;
 	}
 	if (ENABLE_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_BZ2
 	 && magic.b16[0] == BZIP2_MAGIC
 	) {
-		USE_FOR_MMU(xformer = unpack_bz2_stream;)
-		USE_FOR_NOMMU(xformer_prog = "bunzip2";)
+		xstate->xformer = unpack_bz2_stream;
+		USE_FOR_NOMMU(xstate->xformer_prog = "bunzip2";)
 		goto found_magic;
 	}
 	if (ENABLE_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_XZ
@@ -152,8 +197,8 @@ int FAST_FUNC setup_unzip_on_fd(int fd, int fail_if_not_compressed)
 		offset = -6;
 		xread(fd, magic.b32, sizeof(magic.b32[0]));
 		if (magic.b32[0] == XZ_MAGIC2) {
-			USE_FOR_MMU(xformer = unpack_xz_stream;)
-			USE_FOR_NOMMU(xformer_prog = "unxz";)
+			xstate->xformer = unpack_xz_stream;
+			USE_FOR_NOMMU(xstate->xformer_prog = "unxz";)
 			goto found_magic;
 		}
 	}
@@ -164,52 +209,130 @@ int FAST_FUNC setup_unzip_on_fd(int fd, int fail_if_not_compressed)
 			IF_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_BZ2("/bzip2")
 			IF_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_XZ("/xz")
 			" magic");
-	xlseek(fd, offset, SEEK_CUR);
-	return 1;
 
- found_magic:
-# if BB_MMU
-	open_transformer_with_no_sig(fd, xformer);
-# else
-	/* NOMMU version of open_transformer execs
+	/* Some callers expect this function to "consume" fd
+	 * even if data is not compressed. In this case,
+	 * we return a state with trivial transformer.
+	 */
+//	USE_FOR_MMU(xstate->xformer = copy_stream;)
+//	USE_FOR_NOMMU(xstate->xformer_prog = "cat";)
+	/* fall through to seeking bck over bytes we read earlier */
+
+ USE_FOR_NOMMU(found_magic:)
+	/* NOMMU version of fork_transformer execs
 	 * an external unzipper that wants
-	 * file position at the start of the file */
+	 * file position at the start of the file.
+	 */
 	xlseek(fd, offset, SEEK_CUR);
-	open_transformer_with_sig(fd, xformer, xformer_prog);
+
+ USE_FOR_MMU(found_magic:)
+	/* In MMU case, if magic was found, seeking back is not necessary */
+
+	return xstate;
+}
+
+/* Used by e.g. rpm which gives us a fd without filename,
+ * thus we can't guess the format from filename's extension.
+ */
+int FAST_FUNC setup_unzip_on_fd(int fd, int fail_if_not_compressed)
+{
+	transformer_state_t *xstate = setup_transformer_on_fd(fd, fail_if_not_compressed);
+
+	if (!xstate || !xstate->xformer) {
+		free(xstate);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+# if BB_MMU
+	fork_transformer_with_no_sig(xstate->src_fd, xstate->xformer);
+# else
+	fork_transformer_with_sig(xstate->src_fd, xstate->xformer, xstate->xformer_prog);
 # endif
+	free(xstate);
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int FAST_FUNC open_zipped(const char *fname, int fail_if_not_compressed)
+static transformer_state_t *open_transformer(const char *fname, int fail_if_not_compressed)
 {
+	transformer_state_t *xstate;
 	int fd;
 
 	fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
 	if (fd < 0)
-		return fd;
+		return NULL;
 
 	if (ENABLE_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_LZMA) {
 		/* .lzma has no header/signature, can only detect it by extension */
 		char *sfx = strrchr(fname, '.');
 		if (sfx && strcmp(sfx+1, "lzma") == 0) {
-			open_transformer_with_sig(fd, unpack_lzma_stream, "unlzma");
-			return fd;
+			xstate = xzalloc(sizeof(*xstate));
+			xstate->src_fd = fd;
+			xstate->xformer = unpack_lzma_stream;
+			USE_FOR_NOMMU(xstate->xformer_prog = "unlzma";)
+			return xstate;
 		}
 	}
-	if ((ENABLE_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_GZ)
-	 || (ENABLE_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_BZ2)
-	 || (ENABLE_FEATURE_SEAMLESS_XZ)
-	) {
-		setup_unzip_on_fd(fd, fail_if_not_compressed);
-	}
 
+	xstate = setup_transformer_on_fd(fd, fail_if_not_compressed);
+
+	return xstate;
+}
+
+int FAST_FUNC open_zipped(const char *fname, int fail_if_not_compressed)
+{
+	int fd;
+	transformer_state_t *xstate;
+
+	xstate = open_transformer(fname, fail_if_not_compressed);
+	if (!xstate)
+		return -1;
+
+	fd = xstate->src_fd;
+	if (xstate->xformer) {
+# if BB_MMU
+		fork_transformer_with_no_sig(xstate->src_fd, xstate->xformer);
+# else
+		fork_transformer_with_sig(xstate->src_fd, xstate->xformer, xstate->xformer_prog);
+# endif
+	}
+	/* else: the file is not compressed */
+
+	free(xstate);
 	return fd;
 }
 
-#endif /* SEAMLESS_COMPRESSION */
-
 void* FAST_FUNC xmalloc_open_zipped_read_close(const char *fname, size_t *maxsz_p)
 {
+# if 1
+	transformer_state_t *xstate;
+	char *image;
+
+	xstate = open_transformer(fname, /*fail_if_not_compressed:*/ 0);
+	if (!xstate) /* file open error */
+		return NULL;
+
+	image = NULL;
+	if (xstate->xformer) {
+		/* In-memory decompression */
+		xstate->mem_output_size_max = maxsz_p ? *maxsz_p : (size_t)(INT_MAX - 4095);
+		xstate->xformer(xstate);
+		if (xstate->mem_output_buf) {
+			image = xstate->mem_output_buf;
+			if (maxsz_p)
+				*maxsz_p = xstate->mem_output_size;
+		}
+	} else {
+		/* File is not compressed */
+		image = xmalloc_read(xstate->src_fd, maxsz_p);
+	}
+
+	if (!image)
+		bb_perror_msg("read error from '%s'", fname);
+	close(xstate->src_fd);
+	free(xstate);
+	return image;
+# else
+	/* This version forks a subprocess - much more expensive */
 	int fd;
 	char *image;
 
@@ -221,6 +344,8 @@ void* FAST_FUNC xmalloc_open_zipped_read_close(const char *fname, size_t *maxsz_
 	if (!image)
 		bb_perror_msg("read error from '%s'", fname);
 	close(fd);
-
 	return image;
+# endif
 }
+
+#endif /* SEAMLESS_COMPRESSION */
diff --git a/archival/tar.c b/archival/tar.c
index 7897a4af6..5bd473aac 100644
--- a/archival/tar.c
+++ b/archival/tar.c
@@ -1171,7 +1171,7 @@ int tar_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	if (opt & OPT_ANY_COMPRESS) {
-		USE_FOR_MMU(IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC (*xformer)(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd);)
+		USE_FOR_MMU(IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC (*xformer)(transformer_state_t *xstate);)
 		USE_FOR_NOMMU(const char *xformer_prog;)
 
 		if (opt & OPT_COMPRESS)
@@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ int tar_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 			USE_FOR_MMU(xformer = unpack_xz_stream;)
 			USE_FOR_NOMMU(xformer_prog = "unxz";)
 
-		open_transformer_with_sig(tar_handle->src_fd, xformer, xformer_prog);
+		fork_transformer_with_sig(tar_handle->src_fd, xformer, xformer_prog);
 		/* Can't lseek over pipes */
 		tar_handle->seek = seek_by_read;
 		/*tar_handle->offset = 0; - already is */
diff --git a/archival/unzip.c b/archival/unzip.c
index c622bde57..38a07e212 100644
--- a/archival/unzip.c
+++ b/archival/unzip.c
@@ -283,7 +283,9 @@ static void unzip_extract(zip_header_t *zip_header, int dst_fd)
 		transformer_state_t xstate;
 		init_transformer_state(&xstate);
 		xstate.bytes_in = zip_header->formatted.cmpsize;
-		if (inflate_unzip(&xstate, zip_fd, dst_fd) < 0)
+		xstate.src_fd = zip_fd;
+		xstate.dst_fd = dst_fd;
+		if (inflate_unzip(&xstate) < 0)
 			bb_error_msg_and_die("inflate error");
 		/* Validate decompression - crc */
 		if (zip_header->formatted.crc32 != (xstate.crc32 ^ 0xffffffffL)) {
diff --git a/include/bb_archive.h b/include/bb_archive.h
index 8a2dd2735..a6b166fe3 100644
--- a/include/bb_archive.h
+++ b/include/bb_archive.h
@@ -205,6 +205,18 @@ void dealloc_bunzip(bunzip_data *bd) FAST_FUNC;
 /* Meaning and direction (input/output) of the fields are transformer-specific */
 typedef struct transformer_state_t {
 	smallint check_signature; /* most often referenced member */
+
+	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC (*xformer)(struct transformer_state_t *xstate);
+	USE_FOR_NOMMU(const char *xformer_prog;)
+
+	/* Source */
+	int      src_fd;
+	/* Output */
+	int      dst_fd;
+	size_t   mem_output_size_max; /* if non-zero, decompress to RAM instead of fd */
+	size_t   mem_output_size;
+	char     *mem_output_buf;
+
 	off_t    bytes_out;
 	off_t    bytes_in;  /* used in unzip code only: needs to know packed size */
 	uint32_t crc32;
@@ -212,14 +224,16 @@ typedef struct transformer_state_t {
 } transformer_state_t;
 
 void init_transformer_state(transformer_state_t *xstate) FAST_FUNC;
-int FAST_FUNC check_signature16(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, unsigned magic16) FAST_FUNC;
+ssize_t transformer_write(transformer_state_t *xstate, const void *buf, size_t bufsize) FAST_FUNC;
+ssize_t xtransformer_write(transformer_state_t *xstate, const void *buf, size_t bufsize) FAST_FUNC;
+int check_signature16(transformer_state_t *xstate, unsigned magic16) FAST_FUNC;
 
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int inflate_unzip(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd) FAST_FUNC;
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd) FAST_FUNC;
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_gz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd) FAST_FUNC;
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_bz2_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd) FAST_FUNC;
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd) FAST_FUNC;
-IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_xz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd) FAST_FUNC;
+IF_DESKTOP(long long) int inflate_unzip(transformer_state_t *xstate) FAST_FUNC;
+IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_Z_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate) FAST_FUNC;
+IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_gz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate) FAST_FUNC;
+IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_bz2_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate) FAST_FUNC;
+IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_lzma_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate) FAST_FUNC;
+IF_DESKTOP(long long) int unpack_xz_stream(transformer_state_t *xstate) FAST_FUNC;
 
 char* append_ext(char *filename, const char *expected_ext) FAST_FUNC;
 int bbunpack(char **argv,
@@ -230,16 +244,16 @@ int bbunpack(char **argv,
 
 void check_errors_in_children(int signo);
 #if BB_MMU
-void open_transformer(int fd,
+void fork_transformer(int fd,
 	int check_signature,
-	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC (*transformer)(transformer_state_t *xstate, int src_fd, int dst_fd)
+	IF_DESKTOP(long long) int FAST_FUNC (*transformer)(transformer_state_t *xstate)
 ) FAST_FUNC;
-#define open_transformer_with_sig(fd, transformer, transform_prog) open_transformer((fd), 1, (transformer))
-#define open_transformer_with_no_sig(fd, transformer)              open_transformer((fd), 0, (transformer))
+#define fork_transformer_with_sig(fd, transformer, transform_prog) fork_transformer((fd), 1, (transformer))
+#define fork_transformer_with_no_sig(fd, transformer)              fork_transformer((fd), 0, (transformer))
 #else
-void open_transformer(int fd, const char *transform_prog) FAST_FUNC;
-#define open_transformer_with_sig(fd, transformer, transform_prog) open_transformer((fd), (transform_prog))
-/* open_transformer_with_no_sig() does not exist on NOMMU */
+void fork_transformer(int fd, const char *transform_prog) FAST_FUNC;
+#define fork_transformer_with_sig(fd, transformer, transform_prog) fork_transformer((fd), (transform_prog))
+/* fork_transformer_with_no_sig() does not exist on NOMMU */
 #endif
 
 
diff --git a/include/libbb.h b/include/libbb.h
index 17a0089d8..8e8b9ca0e 100644
--- a/include/libbb.h
+++ b/include/libbb.h
@@ -755,11 +755,12 @@ unsigned bb_clk_tck(void) FAST_FUNC;
 extern int setup_unzip_on_fd(int fd, int fail_if_not_compressed) FAST_FUNC;
 /* Autodetects .gz etc */
 extern int open_zipped(const char *fname, int fail_if_not_compressed) FAST_FUNC;
+extern void *xmalloc_open_zipped_read_close(const char *fname, size_t *maxsz_p) FAST_FUNC RETURNS_MALLOC;
 #else
 # define setup_unzip_on_fd(...) (0)
 # define open_zipped(fname, fail_if_not_compressed)  open((fname), O_RDONLY);
+# define xmalloc_open_zipped_read_close(fname, maxsz_p) xmalloc_open_read_close((fname), (maxsz_p))
 #endif
-extern void *xmalloc_open_zipped_read_close(const char *fname, size_t *maxsz_p) FAST_FUNC RETURNS_MALLOC;
 
 extern ssize_t safe_write(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count) FAST_FUNC;
 // NB: will return short write on error, not -1,