diff --git a/lib/skin_parser/skin_buffer.c b/lib/skin_parser/skin_buffer.c
index 3c0870e..59c6a02 100644
--- a/lib/skin_parser/skin_buffer.c
+++ b/lib/skin_parser/skin_buffer.c
@@ -62,10 +62,14 @@ static unsigned char *buffer_front = NULL;
 
 #ifdef USE_HOST_MALLOC
 
+#define MALLOC_BLOCK_SIZE (4*1024)
 struct malloc_object {
-    void* object;
+    size_t remaining;
+    char *start;
     struct malloc_object *next;
+    char buf[];
 };
+#define MALLOC_FREE_SPACE (MALLOC_BLOCK_SIZE - sizeof(struct malloc_object) - 32)
 static struct malloc_object *malloced_head = NULL, *malloced_tail = NULL;
 
 static void skin_free_malloced(void)
@@ -76,7 +80,6 @@ static void skin_free_malloced(void)
     {
         this = obj;
         obj = this->next;
-        free(this->object);
         free(this);
     }
     malloced_head = NULL;
@@ -100,25 +103,37 @@ void skin_buffer_init(char* buffer, size_t size)
 void* skin_buffer_alloc(size_t size)
 {
     void *retval = NULL;
+    size = (size + 3) & ~3;
 #ifdef USE_ROCKBOX_ALLOC
     /* 32-bit aligned */
-    size = (size + 3) & ~3;
     if (size > skin_buffer_freespace())
         return NULL;
     retval = buffer_front;
     buffer_front += size;
 #elif defined(USE_HOST_MALLOC)
-    struct malloc_object *obj = malloc(sizeof (struct malloc_object));
-    if (!obj)
-        return NULL;
-    obj->object = malloc(size);
-    obj->next = NULL;
-    if (malloced_tail == NULL)
-        malloced_head = malloced_tail = obj;
+    if (malloced_tail && size <= malloced_tail->remaining)
+    {
+        retval = malloced_tail->start;
+        malloced_tail->start += size;
+        malloced_tail->remaining -= size;
+    }
     else
-        malloced_tail->next = obj;
-    malloced_tail = obj;
-    retval = obj->object;
+    {
+        size_t malloc_size = MALLOC_BLOCK_SIZE;
+        struct malloc_object *obj;
+        if (size > MALLOC_FREE_SPACE)
+            malloc_size = size + sizeof(struct malloc_object);
+        obj = malloc(malloc_size);
+        retval = obj->buf;
+        obj->start = obj->buf + size;
+        obj->remaining = malloc_size - sizeof(struct malloc_object);
+        obj->next = NULL;
+        if (malloced_tail == NULL)
+            malloced_head = malloced_tail = obj;
+        else
+            malloced_tail->next = obj;
+        malloced_tail = obj;
+    }
 #else
     retval = malloc(size);
 #endif