diff --git a/src/dir.h b/src/dir.h
index 03456cf..956ae4c 100644
--- a/src/dir.h
+++ b/src/dir.h
@@ -60,15 +60,16 @@ struct dir_output {
    * scanned directory.
    *
    * The *item struct has the following fields set when item() is called:
-   *   size, asize, ino, dev, flags (only DIR,FILE,ERR,OTHFS,EXL,HLNKC) and name.
+   *   size, asize, ino, dev, flags (only DIR,FILE,ERR,OTHFS,EXL,HLNKC).
    * All other fields/flags should be initialzed to NULL or 0.
-   * *item may be overwritten or freed in subsequent calls, so this function
-   * should make a copy if necessary.
+   * The name and dir_ext fields are given separately.
+   * All pointers may be overwritten or freed in subsequent calls, so this
+   * function should make a copy if necessary.
    *
    * The function should return non-zero on error, at which point errno is
    * assumed to be set to something sensible.
    */
-  int (*item)(struct dir *);
+  int (*item)(struct dir *, const char *, struct dir_ext *);
 
   /* Finalizes the output to go to the next program state or exit ncdu. Called
    * after item(NULL) has been called for the root item or before any item()
@@ -129,11 +130,6 @@ void dir_setlasterr(const char *);
 extern char *dir_fatalerr;
 void dir_seterr(const char *, ...);
 
-/* Return an empty struct dir with the given name, for use with
- * dir_output.item(). Returned memory may be freed/overwritten on a subsequent
- * call. */
-struct dir *dir_createstruct(const char *);
-
 extern int dir_ui;
 int dir_key(int);
 void dir_draw();
diff --git a/src/dir_common.c b/src/dir_common.c
index 95f26ad..031433e 100644
--- a/src/dir_common.c
+++ b/src/dir_common.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ char *dir_curpath;   /* Full path of the last seen item. */
 struct dir_output dir_output;
 char *dir_fatalerr; /* Error message on a fatal error. (NULL if there was no fatal error) */
 int dir_ui;         /* User interface to use */
-int confirm_quit_while_scanning_stage_1_passed; /* Additional check before quitting */
+static int confirm_quit_while_scanning_stage_1_passed; /* Additional check before quitting */
 static char *lasterr; /* Path where the last error occured. */
 static int curpathl; /* Allocated length of dir_curpath */
 static int lasterrl; /* ^ of lasterr */
@@ -106,20 +106,6 @@ void dir_seterr(const char *fmt, ...) {
 }
 
 
-struct dir *dir_createstruct(const char *name) {
-  static struct dir *d = NULL;
-  static size_t len = 0;
-  size_t req = SDIRSIZE+strlen(name);
-  if(len < req) {
-    len = req < SDIRSIZE+256 ? SDIRSIZE+256 : req < len*2 ? len*2 : req;
-    d = realloc(d, len);
-  }
-  memset(d, 0, SDIRSIZE);
-  strcpy(d->name, name);
-  return d;
-}
-
-
 static void draw_progress() {
   static const char scantext[] = "Scanning...";
   static const char loadtext[] = "Loading...";
diff --git a/src/dir_export.c b/src/dir_export.c
index 10cf028..c739197 100644
--- a/src/dir_export.c
+++ b/src/dir_export.c
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ static void output_int(uint64_t n) {
 }
 
 
-static void output_info(struct dir *d) {
+static void output_info(struct dir *d, const char *name, struct dir_ext *e) {
   fputs("{\"name\":\"", stream);
-  output_string(d->name);
+  output_string(name);
   fputc('"', stream);
 
   /* No need for asize/dsize if they're 0 (which happens with excluded or failed-to-stat files) */
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ static void output_info(struct dir *d) {
   else if(d->flags & FF_OTHFS)
     fputs(",\"excluded\":\"othfs\"", stream);
 
+  /* TODO: Output extended info if -e is given */
+
   fputc('}', stream);
 }
 
@@ -118,7 +120,7 @@ static void output_info(struct dir *d) {
  * item() call do we check for ferror(). This greatly simplifies the code, but
  * assumes that calls to fwrite()/fput./etc don't do any weird stuff when
  * called with a stream that's in an error state. */
-static int item(struct dir *item) {
+static int item(struct dir *item, const char *name, struct dir_ext *ext) {
   if(!item) {
     nstack_pop(&stack);
     if(!stack.top) { /* closing of the root item */
@@ -143,7 +145,7 @@ static int item(struct dir *item) {
   if(item->flags & FF_DIR)
     fputc('[', stream);
 
-  output_info(item);
+  output_info(item, name, ext);
 
   if(item->flags & FF_DIR)
     nstack_push(&stack, item->dev);
diff --git a/src/dir_import.c b/src/dir_import.c
index f5c307b..53b31f6 100644
--- a/src/dir_import.c
+++ b/src/dir_import.c
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ struct ctx {
   char *buf; /* points into readbuf, always zero-terminated. */
   char *lastfill; /* points into readbuf, location of the zero terminator. */
 
+  /* scratch space */
+  struct dir    *buf_dir;
+  struct dir_ext buf_ext[1];
+
+  char buf_name[MAX_VAL];
   char val[MAX_VAL];
   char readbuf[READ_BUF_SIZE];
 } *ctx;
@@ -415,18 +420,11 @@ static int itemdir(uint64_t dev) {
 }
 
 
-static int iteminfo(struct dir **item, uint64_t dev, int isdir) {
-  static struct dir *dirbuf;
-  struct dir *tmp, *d;
+/* Reads a JSON object representing a struct dir/dir_ext item. Writes to
+ * ctx->buf_dir, ctx->buf_ext and ctx->buf_name. */
+static int iteminfo() {
   uint64_t iv;
 
-  if(!dirbuf)
-    dirbuf = malloc(sizeof(struct dir));
-  d = dirbuf;
-  memset(d, 0, sizeof(struct dir));
-  d->flags |= isdir ? FF_DIR : FF_FILE;
-  d->dev = dev;
-
   E(*ctx->buf != '{', "Expected JSON object");
   con(1);
 
@@ -437,47 +435,46 @@ static int iteminfo(struct dir **item, uint64_t dev, int isdir) {
       ctx->val[MAX_VAL-1] = 1;
       C(rstring(ctx->val, MAX_VAL));
       E(ctx->val[MAX_VAL-1] != 1, "Too large string value");
-      tmp = dir_createstruct(ctx->val);
-      memcpy(tmp, d, SDIRSIZE-1);
-      d = tmp;
+      strcpy(ctx->buf_name, ctx->val);
     } else if(strcmp(ctx->val, "asize") == 0) {      /* asize */
       C(rint64(&iv, INT64_MAX));
-      d->asize = iv;
+      ctx->buf_dir->asize = iv;
     } else if(strcmp(ctx->val, "dsize") == 0) {      /* dsize */
       C(rint64(&iv, INT64_MAX));
-      d->size = iv;
+      ctx->buf_dir->size = iv;
     } else if(strcmp(ctx->val, "dev") == 0) {        /* dev */
       C(rint64(&iv, UINT64_MAX));
-      d->dev = iv;
+      ctx->buf_dir->dev = iv;
     } else if(strcmp(ctx->val, "ino") == 0) {        /* ino */
       C(rint64(&iv, UINT64_MAX));
-      d->ino = iv;
+      ctx->buf_dir->ino = iv;
     } else if(strcmp(ctx->val, "hlnkc") == 0) {      /* hlnkc */
       if(*ctx->buf == 't') {
         C(rlit("true", 4));
-        d->flags |= FF_HLNKC;
+        ctx->buf_dir->flags |= FF_HLNKC;
       } else
         C(rlit("false", 5));
     } else if(strcmp(ctx->val, "read_error") == 0) { /* read_error */
       if(*ctx->buf == 't') {
         C(rlit("true", 4));
-        d->flags |= FF_ERR;
+        ctx->buf_dir->flags |= FF_ERR;
       } else
         C(rlit("false", 5));
     } else if(strcmp(ctx->val, "excluded") == 0) {   /* excluded */
       C(rstring(ctx->val, 8));
       if(strcmp(ctx->val, "otherfs") == 0)
-        d->flags |= FF_OTHFS;
+        ctx->buf_dir->flags |= FF_OTHFS;
       else
-        d->flags |= FF_EXL;
+        ctx->buf_dir->flags |= FF_EXL;
     } else if(strcmp(ctx->val, "notreg") == 0) {     /* notreg */
       if(*ctx->buf == 't') {
         C(rlit("true", 4));
-        d->flags &= ~FF_FILE;
+        ctx->buf_dir->flags &= ~FF_FILE;
       } else
         C(rlit("false", 5));
     } else
       C(rval());
+    /* TODO: Extended attributes */
 
     C(cons());
     if(*ctx->buf == '}')
@@ -487,8 +484,7 @@ static int iteminfo(struct dir **item, uint64_t dev, int isdir) {
   }
   con(1);
 
-  E(!*d->name, "No name field present in item information object");
-  *item = d;
+  E(!*ctx->buf_name, "No name field present in item information object");
   ctx->items++;
   /* Only call input_handle() once for every 32 items. Importing items is so
    * fast that the time spent in input_handle() dominates when called every
@@ -502,7 +498,6 @@ static int iteminfo(struct dir **item, uint64_t dev, int isdir) {
 static int item(uint64_t dev) {
   int isdir = 0;
   int isroot = ctx->items == 0;
-  struct dir *d = NULL;
 
   if(*ctx->buf == '[') {
     isdir = 1;
@@ -510,25 +505,31 @@ static int item(uint64_t dev) {
     C(cons());
   }
 
-  C(iteminfo(&d, dev, isdir));
-  dev = d->dev;
+  memset(ctx->buf_dir, 0, offsetof(struct dir, name));
+  memset(ctx->buf_ext, 0, sizeof(struct dir_ext));
+  *ctx->buf_name = 0;
+  ctx->buf_dir->flags |= isdir ? FF_DIR : FF_FILE;
+  ctx->buf_dir->dev = dev;
+
+  C(iteminfo());
+  dev = ctx->buf_dir->dev;
 
   if(isroot)
-    dir_curpath_set(d->name);
+    dir_curpath_set(ctx->buf_name);
   else
-    dir_curpath_enter(d->name);
+    dir_curpath_enter(ctx->buf_name);
 
   if(isdir) {
-    if(dir_output.item(d)) {
+    if(dir_output.item(ctx->buf_dir, ctx->buf_name, ctx->buf_ext)) {
       dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
       return 1;
     }
     C(itemdir(dev));
-    if(dir_output.item(NULL)) {
+    if(dir_output.item(NULL, 0, NULL)) {
       dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
       return 1;
     }
-  } else if(dir_output.item(d)) {
+  } else if(dir_output.item(ctx->buf_dir, ctx->buf_name, ctx->buf_ext)) {
     dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
     return 1;
   }
@@ -563,6 +564,7 @@ static int process() {
 
   if(fclose(ctx->stream) && !dir_fatalerr && !fail)
     dir_seterr("Error closing file: %s", strerror(errno));
+  free(ctx->buf_dir);
   free(ctx);
 
   while(dir_fatalerr && !input_handle(0))
@@ -583,6 +585,7 @@ int dir_import_init(const char *fn) {
   ctx->line = 1;
   ctx->byte = ctx->eof = ctx->items = 0;
   ctx->buf = ctx->lastfill = ctx->readbuf;
+  ctx->buf_dir = malloc(dir_memsize(""));
   ctx->readbuf[0] = 0;
 
   dir_curpath_set(fn);
diff --git a/src/dir_mem.c b/src/dir_mem.c
index ad91628..03ef933 100644
--- a/src/dir_mem.c
+++ b/src/dir_mem.c
@@ -92,24 +92,6 @@ static void hlink_check(struct dir *d) {
 }
 
 
-/* Make a copy of *item so that we'll keep it in memory. In the special case
- * of !root && orig, we need to copy over the name of *orig instead of *item.
- */
-static struct dir *item_copy(struct dir *item) {
-  struct dir *t;
-
-  if(!root && orig) {
-    t = malloc(SDIRSIZE+strlen(orig->name));
-    memcpy(t, item, SDIRSIZE);
-    strcpy(t->name, orig->name);
-  } else {
-    t = malloc(SDIRSIZE+strlen(item->name));
-    memcpy(t, item, SDIRSIZE+strlen(item->name));
-  }
-  return t;
-}
-
-
 /* Add item to the correct place in the memory structure */
 static void item_add(struct dir *item) {
   if(!root) {
@@ -129,16 +111,25 @@ static void item_add(struct dir *item) {
 }
 
 
-static int item(struct dir *item) {
-  struct dir *t;
+static int item(struct dir *dir, const char *name, struct dir_ext *ext) {
+  struct dir *t, *item;
 
   /* Go back to parent dir */
-  if(!item) {
+  if(!dir) {
     curdir = curdir->parent;
     return 0;
   }
 
-  item = item_copy(item);
+  if(!root && orig)
+    name = orig->name;
+
+  /* TODO: Don't allocate ext if -e flag is not given */
+  item = malloc(dir->flags & FF_EXT ? dir_ext_memsize(name) : dir_memsize(name));
+  memcpy(item, dir, offsetof(struct dir, name));
+  strcpy(item->name, name);
+  if(dir->flags & FF_EXT)
+    memcpy(dir_ext_ptr(item), ext, sizeof(struct dir_ext));
+
   item_add(item);
 
   /* Ensure that any next items will go to this directory */
diff --git a/src/dir_scan.c b/src/dir_scan.c
index 677c93d..b0f0b1d 100644
--- a/src/dir_scan.c
+++ b/src/dir_scan.c
@@ -45,28 +45,39 @@ int dir_scan_smfs; /* Stay on the same filesystem */
 
 static uint64_t curdev;   /* current device we're scanning on */
 
+/* scratch space */
+static struct dir    *buf_dir;
+static struct dir_ext buf_ext[1];
 
-/* Populates the struct dir item with information from the stat struct. Sets
- * everything necessary for output_dir.item() except FF_ERR and FF_EXL. */
-static void stat_to_dir(struct dir *d, struct stat *fs) {
-  d->ino = (uint64_t)fs->st_ino;
-  d->dev = (uint64_t)fs->st_dev;
+
+
+/* Populates the buf_dir and buf_ext with information from the stat struct.
+ * Sets everything necessary for output_dir.item() except FF_ERR and FF_EXL. */
+static void stat_to_dir(struct stat *fs) {
+  buf_dir->flags |= FF_EXT; /* We always read extended data because it doesn't have an additional cost */
+  buf_dir->ino = (uint64_t)fs->st_ino;
+  buf_dir->dev = (uint64_t)fs->st_dev;
 
   if(S_ISREG(fs->st_mode))
-    d->flags |= FF_FILE;
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_FILE;
   else if(S_ISDIR(fs->st_mode))
-    d->flags |= FF_DIR;
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_DIR;
 
   if(!S_ISDIR(fs->st_mode) && fs->st_nlink > 1)
-    d->flags |= FF_HLNKC;
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_HLNKC;
 
-  if(dir_scan_smfs && curdev != d->dev)
-    d->flags |= FF_OTHFS;
+  if(dir_scan_smfs && curdev != buf_dir->dev)
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_OTHFS;
 
-  if(!(d->flags & (FF_OTHFS|FF_EXL))) {
-    d->size = fs->st_blocks * S_BLKSIZE;
-    d->asize = fs->st_size;
+  if(!(buf_dir->flags & (FF_OTHFS|FF_EXL))) {
+    buf_dir->size = fs->st_blocks * S_BLKSIZE;
+    buf_dir->asize = fs->st_size;
   }
+
+  buf_ext->mode  = fs->st_mode;
+  buf_ext->mtime = fs->st_mtim;
+  buf_ext->uid   = (int)fs->st_uid;
+  buf_ext->gid   = (int)fs->st_gid;
 }
 
 
@@ -117,15 +128,15 @@ static char *dir_read(int *err) {
 static int dir_walk(char *);
 
 
-/* Tries to recurse into the given directory item */
-static int dir_scan_recurse(struct dir *d) {
+/* Tries to recurse into the current directory item (buf_dir is assumed to be the current dir) */
+static int dir_scan_recurse(const char *name) {
   int fail = 0;
   char *dir;
 
-  if(chdir(d->name)) {
+  if(chdir(name)) {
     dir_setlasterr(dir_curpath);
-    d->flags |= FF_ERR;
-    if(dir_output.item(d) || dir_output.item(NULL)) {
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_ERR;
+    if(dir_output.item(buf_dir, name, buf_ext) || dir_output.item(NULL, 0, NULL)) {
       dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
       return 1;
     }
@@ -134,8 +145,8 @@ static int dir_scan_recurse(struct dir *d) {
 
   if((dir = dir_read(&fail)) == NULL) {
     dir_setlasterr(dir_curpath);
-    d->flags |= FF_ERR;
-    if(dir_output.item(d) || dir_output.item(NULL)) {
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_ERR;
+    if(dir_output.item(buf_dir, name, buf_ext) || dir_output.item(NULL, 0, NULL)) {
       dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
       return 1;
     }
@@ -148,14 +159,14 @@ static int dir_scan_recurse(struct dir *d) {
 
   /* readdir() failed halfway, not fatal. */
   if(fail)
-    d->flags |= FF_ERR;
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_ERR;
 
-  if(dir_output.item(d)) {
+  if(dir_output.item(buf_dir, name, buf_ext)) {
     dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
     return 1;
   }
   fail = dir_walk(dir);
-  if(dir_output.item(NULL)) {
+  if(dir_output.item(NULL, 0, NULL)) {
     dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
     return 1;
   }
@@ -172,45 +183,45 @@ static int dir_scan_recurse(struct dir *d) {
 
 /* Scans and adds a single item. Recurses into dir_walk() again if this is a
  * directory. Assumes we're chdir'ed in the directory in which this item
- * resides, i.e. d->name is a valid relative path to the item. */
-static int dir_scan_item(struct dir *d) {
+ * resides. */
+static int dir_scan_item(const char *name) {
   struct stat st;
   int fail = 0;
 
 #ifdef __CYGWIN__
   /* /proc/registry names may contain slashes */
-  if(strchr(d->name, '/') || strchr(d->name,  '\\')) {
-    d->flags |= FF_ERR;
+  if(strchr(name, '/') || strchr(name,  '\\')) {
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_ERR;
     dir_setlasterr(dir_curpath);
   }
 #endif
 
   if(exclude_match(dir_curpath))
-    d->flags |= FF_EXL;
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_EXL;
 
-  if(!(d->flags & (FF_ERR|FF_EXL)) && lstat(d->name, &st)) {
-    d->flags |= FF_ERR;
+  if(!(buf_dir->flags & (FF_ERR|FF_EXL)) && lstat(name, &st)) {
+    buf_dir->flags |= FF_ERR;
     dir_setlasterr(dir_curpath);
   }
 
-  if(!(d->flags & (FF_ERR|FF_EXL)))
-    stat_to_dir(d, &st);
+  if(!(buf_dir->flags & (FF_ERR|FF_EXL)))
+    stat_to_dir(&st);
 
-  if(cachedir_tags && (d->flags & FF_DIR) && !(d->flags & (FF_ERR|FF_EXL|FF_OTHFS)))
-    if(has_cachedir_tag(d->name)) {
-      d->flags |= FF_EXL;
-      d->size = d->asize = 0;
+  if(cachedir_tags && (buf_dir->flags & FF_DIR) && !(buf_dir->flags & (FF_ERR|FF_EXL|FF_OTHFS)))
+    if(has_cachedir_tag(buf_dir->name)) {
+      buf_dir->flags |= FF_EXL;
+      buf_dir->size = buf_dir->asize = 0;
     }
 
   /* Recurse into the dir or output the item */
-  if(d->flags & FF_DIR && !(d->flags & (FF_ERR|FF_EXL|FF_OTHFS)))
-    fail = dir_scan_recurse(d);
-  else if(d->flags & FF_DIR) {
-    if(dir_output.item(d) || dir_output.item(NULL)) {
+  if(buf_dir->flags & FF_DIR && !(buf_dir->flags & (FF_ERR|FF_EXL|FF_OTHFS)))
+    fail = dir_scan_recurse(name);
+  else if(buf_dir->flags & FF_DIR) {
+    if(dir_output.item(buf_dir, name, buf_ext) || dir_output.item(NULL, 0, NULL)) {
       dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
       fail = 1;
     }
-  } else if(dir_output.item(d)) {
+  } else if(dir_output.item(buf_dir, name, buf_ext)) {
     dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
     fail = 1;
   }
@@ -223,15 +234,15 @@ static int dir_scan_item(struct dir *d) {
  * the filenames as returned by dir_read(), and will be freed automatically by
  * this function. */
 static int dir_walk(char *dir) {
-  struct dir *d;
   int fail = 0;
   char *cur;
 
   fail = 0;
   for(cur=dir; !fail&&cur&&*cur; cur+=strlen(cur)+1) {
     dir_curpath_enter(cur);
-    d = dir_createstruct(cur);
-    fail = dir_scan_item(d);
+    memset(buf_dir, 0, offsetof(struct dir, name));
+    memset(buf_ext, 0, sizeof(struct dir_ext));
+    fail = dir_scan_item(cur);
     dir_curpath_leave();
   }
 
@@ -245,7 +256,9 @@ static int process() {
   char *dir;
   int fail = 0;
   struct stat fs;
-  struct dir *d;
+
+  memset(buf_dir, 0, offsetof(struct dir, name));
+  memset(buf_ext, 0, sizeof(struct dir_ext));
 
   if((path = path_real(dir_curpath)) == NULL)
     dir_seterr("Error obtaining full path: %s", strerror(errno));
@@ -268,18 +281,17 @@ static int process() {
 
   if(!dir_fatalerr) {
     curdev = (uint64_t)fs.st_dev;
-    d = dir_createstruct(dir_curpath);
     if(fail)
-      d->flags |= FF_ERR;
-    stat_to_dir(d, &fs);
+      buf_dir->flags |= FF_ERR;
+    stat_to_dir(&fs);
 
-    if(dir_output.item(d)) {
+    if(dir_output.item(buf_dir, dir_curpath, buf_ext)) {
       dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
       fail = 1;
     }
     if(!fail)
       fail = dir_walk(dir);
-    if(!fail && dir_output.item(NULL)) {
+    if(!fail && dir_output.item(NULL, 0, NULL)) {
       dir_seterr("Output error: %s", strerror(errno));
       fail = 1;
     }
@@ -291,13 +303,11 @@ static int process() {
 }
 
 
-extern int confirm_quit_while_scanning_stage_1_passed;
-
 void dir_scan_init(const char *path) {
   dir_curpath_set(path);
   dir_setlasterr(NULL);
   dir_seterr(NULL);
   dir_process = process;
+  buf_dir = malloc(dir_memsize(""));
   pstate = ST_CALC;
-  confirm_quit_while_scanning_stage_1_passed = 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/dirlist.c b/src/dirlist.c
index 893382c..24eabff 100644
--- a/src/dirlist.c
+++ b/src/dirlist.c
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ void dirlist_open(struct dir *d) {
   /* set the reference to the parent dir */
   if(d->parent) {
     if(!parent_alloc)
-      parent_alloc = calloc(1, SDIRSIZE + 3);
+      parent_alloc = calloc(1, dir_memsize(".."));
     dirlist_parent = parent_alloc;
     strcpy(dirlist_parent->name, "..");
     dirlist_parent->next = head;
diff --git a/src/global.h b/src/global.h
index 8c02461..5ded8cc 100644
--- a/src/global.h
+++ b/src/global.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <limits.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
 #define FF_SERR   0x20 /* error in subdirectory */
 #define FF_HLNKC  0x40 /* hard link candidate (file with st_nlink > 1) */
 #define FF_BSEL   0x80 /* selected */
+#define FF_EXT   0x100 /* extended struct available */
 
 /* Program states */
 #define ST_CALC   0
@@ -65,11 +67,9 @@ struct dir {
   uint64_t ino, dev;
   struct dir *parent, *next, *prev, *sub, *hlnk;
   int items;
-  unsigned char flags;
+  unsigned short flags;
   char name[];
 };
-/* sizeof(total dir) = SDIRSIZE + strlen(name) = offsetof(struct dir, name) + strlen(name) + 1 */
-#define SDIRSIZE (offsetof(struct dir, name)+1)
 
 /* A note on the ino and dev fields above: ino is usually represented as ino_t,
  * which POSIX specifies to be an unsigned integer.  dev is usually represented
@@ -81,6 +81,15 @@ struct dir {
  * information is lost in this conversion, and the semantics remain the same.
  */
 
+/* Extended information for a struct dir. This struct is stored in the same
+ * memory region as struct dir, placed after the name field. See util.h for
+ * macros to help manage this. */
+struct dir_ext {
+  struct timespec mtime;
+  int uid, gid;
+  unsigned short mode;
+};
+
 
 /* program state */
 extern int pstate;
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index 525a9c1..dccfaf8 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -74,6 +74,19 @@ extern int subwinr, subwinc;
 extern int si;
 
 
+/* Macros/functions for managing struct dir and struct dir_ext */
+
+#define dir_memsize(n)     (offsetof(struct dir, name)+1+strlen(n))
+#define dir_ext_offset(n)  ((dir_memsize(n) + 7) & ~7)
+#define dir_ext_memsize(n) (dir_ext_offset(n) + sizeof(struct dir_ext))
+
+static inline struct dir_ext *dir_ext_ptr(struct dir *d) {
+  return d->flags & FF_EXT
+    ? (struct dir_ext *) ( ((char *)d) + dir_ext_offset(d->name) )
+    : NULL;
+}
+
+
 /* Instead of using several ncurses windows, we only draw to stdscr.
  * the functions nccreate, ncprint and the macros ncaddstr and ncaddch
  * mimic the behaviour of ncurses windows.