diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index b0167d4..4b5cabf 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ CXXFLAGS += -Wall -Wempty-body -ansi -pedantic -Werror -Wstrict-prototypes -Werr
 CXXFLAGS += -g -lefence
 CXXFLAGS += -fms-extensions -std=gnu11
 
-LDFLAGS += `sdl2-config --libs` -lSDL2_mixer -lSDL2_image -lSDL2_ttf -lm
+LDFLAGS += `sdl2-config --libs` -lSDL2_mixer -lSDL2_image -lSDL2_ttf -lm -lz
 
 SHARED_FILES = CHANGELOG LICENSE README.md data gfx manual music sound icons
 DIST_FILES = $(SHARED_FILES) locale $(PROG)
diff --git a/src/system/io.c b/src/system/io.c
index 0b4ac85..a2001b2 100644
--- a/src/system/io.c
+++ b/src/system/io.c
@@ -74,6 +74,42 @@ char *readFile(const char *filename)
 	return buffer;
 }
 
+char *readCompressedFile(const char *filename)
+{
+	unsigned char *buffer, *cBuffer;
+	unsigned long length, cLength;
+	FILE *file = fopen(getFileLocation(filename), "rb");
+	
+	buffer = 0;
+	cBuffer = 0;
+
+	if (file)
+	{
+		fread(&length, sizeof(unsigned long), 1, file);
+		fread(&cLength, sizeof(unsigned long), 1, file);
+		
+		buffer = malloc(length + 1);
+		memset(buffer, 0, length + 1);
+		
+		cBuffer = malloc(cLength + 1);
+		memset(cBuffer, 0, cLength + 1);
+		
+		fread(cBuffer, 1, cLength, file);
+		
+		uncompress(buffer, &length, cBuffer, cLength);
+
+		fclose(file);
+		
+		buffer[length] = '\0';
+		
+		free(cBuffer);
+		
+		SDL_LogMessage(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, SDL_LOG_PRIORITY_DEBUG, "Decompressed '%s' %ld -> %ld", filename, cLength, length);
+	}
+
+	return (char*) buffer;
+}
+
 int writeFile(const char *filename, const char *data)
 {
 	FILE *file = fopen(filename, "wb");
diff --git a/src/system/io.h b/src/system/io.h
index a1ee589..9091925 100644
--- a/src/system/io.h
+++ b/src/system/io.h
@@ -22,5 +22,6 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 
 #include "sys/stat.h"
 #include "dirent.h"
+#include <zlib.h>
 
 extern App app;
diff --git a/src/world/map.c b/src/world/map.c
index 1a69b43..6ecbeee 100644
--- a/src/world/map.c
+++ b/src/world/map.c
@@ -245,11 +245,11 @@ static void loadMapData(void)
 	char *data, *p;
 	int i, x, y;
 	
-	sprintf(filename, "data/maps/raw/%s.raw", world.id);
+	sprintf(filename, "data/maps/raw/%s.raw.z", world.id);
 	
 	SDL_LogMessage(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, SDL_LOG_PRIORITY_INFO, "Loading %s", filename);
 	
-	data = readFile(filename);
+	data = readCompressedFile(filename);
 	
 	p = data;
 	
diff --git a/src/world/map.h b/src/world/map.h
index ef6579c..831b0f7 100644
--- a/src/world/map.h
+++ b/src/world/map.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 extern float limit(float i, float a, float b);
 extern int rrnd(int low, int high);
 extern char *readFile(const char *filename);
+extern char *readCompressedFile(const char *filename);
 extern Atlas *getImageFromAtlas(char *filename);
 extern Texture *getTexture(const char *filename);
 extern void blitRect(SDL_Texture *texture, int x, int y, SDL_Rect *srcRect, int center);