diff --git a/physfs.c b/physfs.c
index a6eaf19..c12818b 100644
--- a/physfs.c
+++ b/physfs.c
@@ -2029,14 +2029,40 @@ int PHYSFS_setAllocator(const PHYSFS_Allocator *a)
 } /* PHYSFS_setAllocator */
 
 
+static void *mallocAllocatorMalloc(PHYSFS_uint64 s)
+{
+    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
+    #undef malloc
+    return(malloc((size_t) s));
+} /* mallocAllocatorMalloc */
+
+
+static void *mallocAllocatorRealloc(void *ptr, PHYSFS_uint64 s)
+{
+    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
+    #undef realloc
+    return(realloc(ptr, (size_t) s));
+} /* mallocAllocatorRealloc */
+
+
+static void mallocAllocatorFree(void *ptr)
+{
+    #undef free
+    free(ptr);
+} /* mallocAllocatorFree */
+
+
 static void setDefaultAllocator(void)
 {
     assert(!externalAllocator);
-    allocator.Init = __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit;
-    allocator.Deinit = __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorDeinit;
-    allocator.Malloc = __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorMalloc;
-    allocator.Realloc = __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorRealloc;
-    allocator.Free = __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree;
+    if (!__PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator(&allocator))
+    {
+        allocator.Init = NULL;
+        allocator.Deinit = NULL;
+        allocator.Malloc = mallocAllocatorMalloc;
+        allocator.Realloc = mallocAllocatorRealloc;
+        allocator.Free = mallocAllocatorFree;
+    } /* if */
 } /* setDefaultAllocator */
 
 /* end of physfs.c ... */
diff --git a/physfs_internal.h b/physfs_internal.h
index 7a0933d..ce76458 100644
--- a/physfs_internal.h
+++ b/physfs_internal.h
@@ -1719,39 +1719,18 @@ int __PHYSFS_platformGrabMutex(void *mutex);
 void __PHYSFS_platformReleaseMutex(void *mutex);
 
 /*
- * Called during PHYSFS_init() to initialize the allocator, if the user
+ * Called at the start of PHYSFS_init() to prepare the allocator, if the user
  *  hasn't selected their own allocator via PHYSFS_setAllocator().
- *  Return zero on initialization error (which will make PHYSFS_init() fail,
- *  too), non-zero on success.
+ *  If the platform has a custom allocator, it should fill in the fields of
+ *  (a) with the proper function pointers and return non-zero.
+ * If the platform just wants to use malloc()/free()/etc, return zero
+ *  immediately and the higher level will handle it. The Init and Deinit
+ *  fields of (a) are optional...set them to NULL if you don't need them.
+ *  Everything else must be implemented. All rules follow those for
+ *  PHYSFS_setAllocator(). If Init isn't NULL, it will be called shortly
+ *  after this function returns non-zero.
  */
-int __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit(void);
-
-/*
- * Called during PHYSFS_deinit() to deinitialize the allocator, if the user
- *  hasn't selected their own allocator via PHYSFS_setAllocator().
- */
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorDeinit(void);
-
-/*
- * Implement malloc. It's safe to just pass through from the C runtime.
- *  This is used for allocation if the user hasn't selected their own
- *  allocator via PHYSFS_setAllocator().
- */
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorMalloc(PHYSFS_uint64 s);
-
-/*
- * Implement realloc. It's safe to just pass through from the C runtime.
- *  This is used for allocation if the user hasn't selected their own
- *  allocator via PHYSFS_setAllocator().
- */
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorRealloc(void *ptr, PHYSFS_uint64 s);
-
-/*
- * Implement free. It's safe to just pass through from the C runtime.
- *  This is used for deallocation if the user hasn't selected their own
- *  allocator via PHYSFS_setAllocator().
- */
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree(void *ptr);
+int __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator(PHYSFS_Allocator *a);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/platform/beos.cpp b/platform/beos.cpp
index fa23052..cd1cc8e 100644
--- a/platform/beos.cpp
+++ b/platform/beos.cpp
@@ -240,6 +240,12 @@ void __PHYSFS_platformReleaseMutex(void *mutex)
     release_sem(*((sem_id *) mutex));
 } /* __PHYSFS_platformReleaseMutex */
 
+
+int __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator(PHYSFS_Allocator *a)
+{
+    return(0);  /* just use malloc() and friends. */
+} /* __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator */
+
 #endif  /* PHYSFS_PLATFORM_BEOS */
 
 /* end of beos.cpp ... */
diff --git a/platform/os2.c b/platform/os2.c
index bc3f352..0fe2308 100644
--- a/platform/os2.c
+++ b/platform/os2.c
@@ -690,39 +690,11 @@ void __PHYSFS_platformReleaseMutex(void *mutex)
 } /* __PHYSFS_platformReleaseMutex */
 
 
-int __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit(void)
+/* !!! FIXME: Don't use C runtime for allocators? */
+int __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator(PHYSFS_Allocator *a)
 {
-    return(1);  /* always succeeds. */
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit */
-
-
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorDeinit(void)
-{
-    /* no-op */
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit */
-
-
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorMalloc(PHYSFS_uint64 s)
-{
-    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
-    #undef malloc
-    return(malloc((size_t) s));
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformMalloc */
-
-
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorRealloc(void *ptr, PHYSFS_uint64 s)
-{
-    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
-    #undef realloc
-    return(realloc(ptr, (size_t) s));
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformRealloc */
-
-
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree(void *ptr)
-{
-    #undef free
-    free(ptr);
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree */
+    return(0);  /* just use malloc() and friends. */
+} /* __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator */
 
 #endif  /* PHYSFS_PLATFORM_OS2 */
 
diff --git a/platform/pocketpc.c b/platform/pocketpc.c
index 9ec01f9..7d116e3 100644
--- a/platform/pocketpc.c
+++ b/platform/pocketpc.c
@@ -576,39 +576,10 @@ PHYSFS_sint64 __PHYSFS_platformGetLastModTime(const char *fname)
 
 
 /* !!! FIXME: Don't use C runtime for allocators? */
-int __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit(void)
+int __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator(PHYSFS_Allocator *a)
 {
-    return(1);  /* always succeeds. */
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit */
-
-
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorDeinit(void)
-{
-    /* no-op */
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit */
-
-
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorMalloc(PHYSFS_uint64 s)
-{
-    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
-    #undef malloc
-    return(malloc((size_t) s));
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformMalloc */
-
-
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorRealloc(void *ptr, PHYSFS_uint64 s)
-{
-    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
-    #undef realloc
-    return(realloc(ptr, (size_t) s));
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformRealloc */
-
-
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree(void *ptr)
-{
-    #undef free
-    free(ptr);
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree */
+    return(0);  /* just use malloc() and friends. */
+} /* __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator */
 
 #endif  /* PHYSFS_PLATFORM_POCKETPC */
 
diff --git a/platform/posix.c b/platform/posix.c
index 34a8130..d3d33f8 100644
--- a/platform/posix.c
+++ b/platform/posix.c
@@ -429,41 +429,6 @@ PHYSFS_sint64 __PHYSFS_platformGetLastModTime(const char *fname)
     return statbuf.st_mtime;
 } /* __PHYSFS_platformGetLastModTime */
 
-
-int __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit(void)
-{
-    return(1);  /* always succeeds. */
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit */
-
-
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorDeinit(void)
-{
-    /* no-op */
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit */
-
-
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorMalloc(PHYSFS_uint64 s)
-{
-    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
-    #undef malloc
-    return(malloc((size_t) s));
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformMalloc */
-
-
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorRealloc(void *ptr, PHYSFS_uint64 s)
-{
-    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
-    #undef realloc
-    return(realloc(ptr, (size_t) s));
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformRealloc */
-
-
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree(void *ptr)
-{
-    #undef free
-    free(ptr);
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree */
-
 #endif  /* PHYSFS_PLATFORM_POSIX */
 
 /* end of posix.c ... */
diff --git a/platform/unix.c b/platform/unix.c
index e8c8112..8ab0919 100644
--- a/platform/unix.c
+++ b/platform/unix.c
@@ -471,6 +471,12 @@ char *__PHYSFS_platformRealPath(const char *path)
 } /* __PHYSFS_platformRealPath */
 
 
+int __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator(PHYSFS_Allocator *a)
+{
+    return(0);  /* just use malloc() and friends. */
+} /* __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator */
+
+
 #if (defined PHYSFS_NO_PTHREADS_SUPPORT)
 
 PHYSFS_uint64 __PHYSFS_platformGetThreadID(void) { return(0x0001); }
diff --git a/platform/windows.c b/platform/windows.c
index c0d7a67..b43e129 100644
--- a/platform/windows.c
+++ b/platform/windows.c
@@ -1051,39 +1051,10 @@ PHYSFS_sint64 __PHYSFS_platformGetLastModTime(const char *fname)
 
 
 /* !!! FIXME: Don't use C runtime for allocators? */
-int __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit(void)
+int __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator(PHYSFS_Allocator *a)
 {
-    return(1);  /* always succeeds. */
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit */
-
-
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorDeinit(void)
-{
-    /* no-op */
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorInit */
-
-
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorMalloc(PHYSFS_uint64 s)
-{
-    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
-    #undef malloc
-    return(malloc((size_t) s));
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformMalloc */
-
-
-void *__PHYSFS_platformAllocatorRealloc(void *ptr, PHYSFS_uint64 s)
-{
-    BAIL_IF_MACRO(__PHYSFS_ui64FitsAddressSpace(s), ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
-    #undef realloc
-    return(realloc(ptr, (size_t) s));
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformRealloc */
-
-
-void __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree(void *ptr)
-{
-    #undef free
-    free(ptr);
-} /* __PHYSFS_platformAllocatorFree */
+    return(0);  /* just use malloc() and friends. */
+} /* __PHYSFS_platformSetDefaultAllocator */
 
 #endif  /* PHYSFS_PLATFORM_WINDOWS */