diff --git a/daemon/main.c b/daemon/main.c
index c5b7009d7..3a064b3af 100644
--- a/daemon/main.c
+++ b/daemon/main.c
@@ -673,6 +673,7 @@ static void options(int *argc, char ***argv, GHashTable *templates) {
 		{ "player-cache",0,0,	G_OPTION_ARG_NONE,	&rtpe_config.player_cache,"Cache media files for playback in memory",NULL},
 		{ "kernel-player",0,0,	G_OPTION_ARG_INT,	&rtpe_config.kernel_player,"Max number of kernel media player streams","INT"},
 		{ "kernel-player-media",0,0,G_OPTION_ARG_INT,	&rtpe_config.kernel_player_media,"Max number of kernel media files","INT"},
+		{ "preload-media-files",0,0,G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME_ARRAY,&rtpe_config.preload_media_files,"Preload media file(s) for playback into memory","FILE"},
 		{ "audio-buffer-length",0,0,	G_OPTION_ARG_INT,&rtpe_config.audio_buffer_length,"Length in milliseconds of audio buffer","INT"},
 		{ "audio-buffer-delay",0,0,	G_OPTION_ARG_INT,&rtpe_config.audio_buffer_delay,"Initial delay in milliseconds for buffered audio","INT"},
 		{ "audio-player",0,0,	G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,	&use_audio_player,	"When to enable the internal audio player","on-demand|play-media|transcoding|always"},
@@ -1479,6 +1480,9 @@ static void create_everything(void) {
 
 	timeval_from_us(&tmp_tv, (long long) rtpe_config.graphite_interval*1000000);
 	set_graphite_interval_tv(&tmp_tv);
+
+	if (!media_player_preload_files(rtpe_config.preload_media_files))
+		die("Failed to preload media files");
 }
 
 
diff --git a/daemon/media_player.c b/daemon/media_player.c
index e93b996b2..cbfaaad89 100644
--- a/daemon/media_player.c
+++ b/daemon/media_player.c
@@ -83,11 +83,23 @@ struct media_player_cache_packet {
 	long long duration; // us
 	long long duration_ts;
 };
+struct media_player_media_file {
+	struct obj obj; // must be first
+	str blob;
+};
 
 static mutex_t media_player_cache_lock = MUTEX_STATIC_INIT;
 static GHashTable *media_player_cache; // keys and values only ever freed at shutdown
 
+TYPED_GHASHTABLE(media_player_media_files_ht, str, struct media_player_media_file, str_hash, str_equal,
+		NULL, __obj_put);
+static mutex_t media_player_media_files_lock = MUTEX_STATIC_INIT;
+static media_player_media_files_ht media_player_media_files;
+
 static bool media_player_read_packet(struct media_player *mp);
+static mp_cached_code __media_player_add_blob_id(struct media_player *mp,
+		media_player_opts_t opts,
+		const rtp_payload_type *dst_pt);
 #endif
 
 static struct timerthread send_timer_thread;
@@ -181,6 +193,7 @@ static void __media_player_free(struct media_player *mp) {
 	mutex_destroy(&mp->lock);
 	obj_put(mp->call);
 	av_packet_free(&mp->coder.pkt);
+	obj_release(mp->media_file);
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -1154,6 +1167,90 @@ static bool media_player_play_start(struct media_player *mp, const rtp_payload_t
 	return true;
 }
 
+static void media_player_media_file_free(struct media_player_media_file *fo) {
+	g_free(fo->blob.s);
+}
+
+static str media_player_read_file(const char *f) {
+	gchar *buf = NULL;
+	gsize len = -1;
+	GError *err = NULL;
+	gboolean ret = g_file_get_contents(f, &buf, &len, &err);
+	if (!ret) {
+		ilog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to read media file '%s' for caching: %s", f, err->message);
+		g_error_free(err);
+		return STR_NULL;
+	}
+	if (len <= 0) {
+		ilog(LOG_ERR, "Media file '%s' appears to be empty", f);
+		g_free(buf);
+		return STR_NULL;
+	}
+	return STR_LEN(buf, len);
+}
+
+static struct media_player_media_file *media_player_media_file_new(str blob) {
+	__auto_type fo = obj_alloc0(struct media_player_media_file,
+			media_player_media_file_free);
+	fo->blob = blob;
+	fo->blob.dup = call_ref; // string is allocated by reference on `fo`
+	return fo;
+}
+
+static struct media_player_media_file *media_player_media_file_read_c(const char *fn) {
+	str blob = media_player_read_file(fn);
+	if (blob.len == 0)
+		return NULL;
+	return media_player_media_file_new(blob);
+}
+
+static struct media_player_media_file *media_player_media_file_read_str(const str *fn) {
+	char file_s[PATH_MAX];
+	snprintf(file_s, sizeof(file_s), STR_FORMAT, STR_FMT(fn));
+	return media_player_media_file_read_c(file_s);
+}
+
+static struct media_player_media_file *media_player_media_files_get(const str *fn) {
+	struct media_player_media_file *fo;
+
+	{
+		LOCK(&media_player_media_files_lock);
+		if (!t_hash_table_is_set(media_player_media_files))
+			return NULL;
+		fo = t_hash_table_lookup(media_player_media_files, fn);
+		if (!fo)
+			return NULL;
+
+		obj_hold(fo);
+	}
+
+	return fo;
+}
+
+// lock must be held, reference will be taken over
+static void media_player_media_files_insert(const str *fn, struct media_player_media_file *fo) {
+	if (!t_hash_table_is_set(media_player_media_files))
+		media_player_media_files = media_player_media_files_ht_new();
+	str *dup = str_dup(fn);
+	t_hash_table_insert(media_player_media_files, dup, fo);
+}
+
+static mp_cached_code media_player_set_media_file(struct media_player *mp,
+		media_player_opts_t opts,
+		const rtp_payload_type *dst_pt,
+		struct media_player_media_file *fo)
+{
+	// release old reference if any and take over this new one
+	if (mp->media_file)
+		obj_put(mp->media_file);
+	mp->media_file = fo;
+
+	// switch to blob playing
+	opts.file = STR_NULL;
+	opts.blob = fo->blob;
+	return __media_player_add_blob_id(mp, opts, dst_pt);
+}
+
 static void __media_player_set_opts(struct media_player *mp, media_player_opts_t opts) {
 	mp->opts = opts;
 
@@ -1177,6 +1274,13 @@ static mp_cached_code __media_player_add_file(struct media_player *mp,
 	if (media_player_cache_get_entry(mp, dst_pt, opts.codec_set))
 		return MPC_CACHED;
 
+	// check if we have it in memory
+	struct media_player_media_file *fo = media_player_media_files_get(&opts.file);
+	if (fo) {
+		ilog(LOG_DEBUG, "Using cached media file for playback");
+		return media_player_set_media_file(mp, opts, dst_pt, fo);
+	}
+
 	char file_s[PATH_MAX];
 	snprintf(file_s, sizeof(file_s), STR_FORMAT, STR_FMT(&opts.file));
 
@@ -1771,6 +1875,9 @@ void media_player_free(void) {
 
 	if (media_player_cache)
 		g_hash_table_destroy(media_player_cache);
+
+	if (t_hash_table_is_set(media_player_media_files))
+		t_hash_table_destroy(media_player_media_files);
 #endif
 	timerthread_free(&send_timer_thread);
 }
@@ -1785,3 +1892,31 @@ void send_timer_launch(void) {
 	//ilog(LOG_DEBUG, "send_timer_loop");
 	timerthread_launch(&send_timer_thread, rtpe_config.scheduling, rtpe_config.priority, "media player");
 }
+
+bool media_player_preload_files(char **files) {
+#ifdef WITH_TRANSCODING
+	if (!files || !files[0])
+		return true;
+
+	for (char **filep = files; *filep; filep++) {
+		char *file = *filep;
+		while (*file == ' ')
+			file++;
+
+		ilog(LOG_DEBUG, "Reading media file '%s' for caching", file);
+
+		str f = STR(file);
+		if (t_hash_table_is_set(media_player_media_files) && t_hash_table_lookup(media_player_media_files, &f)) {
+			ilog(LOG_CRIT, "Duplicate entry for caching media file '%s'", file);
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		__auto_type fo = media_player_media_file_read_c(file);
+		if (!fo)
+			return false;
+		media_player_media_files_insert(&f, fo);
+	}
+#endif
+
+	return true;
+}
diff --git a/docs/rtpengine.md b/docs/rtpengine.md
index 75288fdfb..fd9b534a8 100644
--- a/docs/rtpengine.md
+++ b/docs/rtpengine.md
@@ -1144,6 +1144,21 @@ call to inject-DTMF won't be sent to __\-\-dtmf-log-dest=__ or __\-\-listen-tcp-
     *rtpengine* (using different kernel table IDs) running on a system using
     the same kernel module. Unused slots use minimal resources.
 
+- __\-\-preload-media-files=__*FILE*
+
+    Enables reading of media files at startup and caching them in memory for
+    playback. Multiple files can be specified. On the command line, the option
+    must be given multiple times to do so, while in the config file the option
+    must be given only once, with the list of files separated by semicolons.
+
+    All listed files will be read into memory at startup and cached there for
+    the lifetime of the daemon. When playback of one such media file is
+    requested, playback will be done from the cached contents instead of
+    opening and reading the file. The file name given in the `play media`
+    request must exactly match the file name given in the config option. If the
+    file name differs (or an entirely different file is requested for playback)
+    then playback will happen from file as usual.
+
 - __\-\-audio-buffer-length=__*INT*
 
     Set the buffer length used by the audio player (see below) in milliseconds. The
diff --git a/etc/rtpengine.conf b/etc/rtpengine.conf
index 98c297634..0049f99f5 100644
--- a/etc/rtpengine.conf
+++ b/etc/rtpengine.conf
@@ -165,6 +165,8 @@ recording-method = proc
 # whenever MoH is triggered. If not defined, then not in use.
 # moh-attr-name = rtpengine-hold
 
+# preload-media-files = /var/media/file1.wav ; /var/media/file2.wav ; /var/media/file3.wav
+
 # signalling templates (see key `templates` above)
 [templates]
 WebRTC = transport-protocol=UDP/TLS/RTP/SAVPF ICE=force trickle-ICE rtcp-mux=[offer require] no-rtcp-attribute SDES=off generate-mid
diff --git a/include/main.h b/include/main.h
index 0b9469770..27844a3d8 100644
--- a/include/main.h
+++ b/include/main.h
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ enum endpoint_learning {
 
 #define RTPE_CONFIG_CHARPP_PARAMS \
 	X(http_ifs) \
-	X(https_ifs)
+	X(https_ifs) \
+	X(preload_media_files) \
 
 // these are not automatically included in rtpe_config due to different types
 #define RTPE_CONFIG_ENUM_PARAMS \
diff --git a/include/media_player.h b/include/media_player.h
index 2871cf3aa..2338154bf 100644
--- a/include/media_player.h
+++ b/include/media_player.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ typedef struct {
 #include <libavcodec/avcodec.h>
 
 struct media_player_cache_entry;
+struct media_player_media_file;
 
 struct media_player_content_index {
 	enum { MP_OTHER = 0, MP_FILE = 1, MP_DB, MP_BLOB } type;
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ struct media_player {
 	struct media_player_cache_entry *cache_entry;
 	unsigned int cache_read_idx;
 	unsigned int kernel_idx;
+	struct media_player_media_file *media_file;
 
 	struct ssrc_ctx *ssrc_out;
 	unsigned long seq;
@@ -147,6 +149,7 @@ const char * call_check_moh(struct call_monologue *from_ml, struct call_monologu
 void media_player_init(void);
 void media_player_free(void);
 void media_player_launch(void);
+bool media_player_preload_files(char **);
 
 struct send_timer *send_timer_new(struct packet_stream *);
 void send_timer_push(struct send_timer *, struct codec_packet *);