diff --git a/GUI/GarExtract.cs b/GUI/GarExtract.cs
index a216ddb7..c6c406bd 100644
--- a/GUI/GarExtract.cs
+++ b/GUI/GarExtract.cs
@@ -306,31 +306,35 @@ namespace GARbro.GUI
 
         void ExtractImage (ArcFile arc, Entry entry, ImageFormat target_format)
         {
-            using (var file = arc.OpenBinaryEntry (entry))
+            try
             {
-                var src_format = ImageFormat.FindFormat (file);
-                if (null == src_format)
-                    throw new InvalidFormatException (string.Format ("{1}: {0}", guiStrings.MsgUnableInterpretImage, entry.Name));
-                file.Position = 0;
-                string target_ext = target_format.Extensions.FirstOrDefault() ?? "";
-                string outname = FindUniqueFileName (entry.Name, target_ext);
-                if (src_format.Item1 == target_format)
+                using (var decoder = arc.OpenImage (entry))
                 {
-                    // source format is the same as a target, copy file as is
-                    using (var output = ArchiveFormat.CreateFile (outname))
-                        file.AsStream.CopyTo (output);
-                    return;
-                }
-                ImageData image = src_format.Item1.Read (file, src_format.Item2);
-                if (m_adjust_image_offset)
-                {
-                    image = AdjustImageOffset (image);
-                }
-                using (var outfile = ArchiveFormat.CreateFile (outname))
-                {
-                    target_format.Write (outfile, image);
+                    var src_format = decoder.Format; // could be null
+                    string target_ext = target_format.Extensions.FirstOrDefault() ?? "";
+                    string outname = FindUniqueFileName (entry.Name, target_ext);
+                    if (src_format == target_format)
+                    {
+                        // source format is the same as a target, copy file as is
+                        using (var output = ArchiveFormat.CreateFile (outname))
+                            decoder.Input.CopyTo (output);
+                        return;
+                    }
+                    ImageData image = decoder.Image;
+                    if (m_adjust_image_offset)
+                    {
+                        image = AdjustImageOffset (image);
+                    }
+                    using (var outfile = ArchiveFormat.CreateFile (outname))
+                    {
+                        target_format.Write (outfile, image);
+                    }
                 }
             }
+            catch
+            {
+                throw new InvalidFormatException (string.Format ("{1}: {0}", guiStrings.MsgUnableInterpretImage, entry.Name));
+            }
         }
 
         static ImageData AdjustImageOffset (ImageData image)
diff --git a/GUI/ImagePreview.cs b/GUI/ImagePreview.cs
index f1caab06..75c8bb1a 100644
--- a/GUI/ImagePreview.cs
+++ b/GUI/ImagePreview.cs
@@ -225,13 +225,9 @@ namespace GARbro.GUI
         {
             try
             {
-                using (var file = VFS.OpenBinaryStream (preview.Entry))
+                using (var data = VFS.OpenImage (preview.Entry))
                 {
-                    var data = ImageFormat.Read (file);
-                    if (null != data)
-                        SetPreviewImage (preview, data.Bitmap);
-                    else
-                        Trace.WriteLine ("Cannot parse image format", preview.Name);
+                    SetPreviewImage (preview, data.Image.Bitmap);
                 }
             }
             catch (Exception X)
diff --git a/GameRes/ArcFile.cs b/GameRes/ArcFile.cs
index d0d060ec..7afc2d31 100644
--- a/GameRes/ArcFile.cs
+++ b/GameRes/ArcFile.cs
@@ -217,6 +217,11 @@ namespace GameRes
             return BinaryStream.FromStream (input, entry.Name);
         }
 
+        public IImageDecoder OpenImage (Entry entry)
+        {
+            return m_interface.OpenImage (this, entry);
+        }
+
         public ArchiveFileSystem CreateFileSystem ()
         {
             if (m_interface.IsHierarchic)
diff --git a/GameRes/FileSystem.cs b/GameRes/FileSystem.cs
index 96ad69a5..879f00c2 100644
--- a/GameRes/FileSystem.cs
+++ b/GameRes/FileSystem.cs
@@ -722,6 +722,17 @@ namespace GameRes
             return m_vfs.Top.OpenView (entry);
         }
 
+        public static IImageDecoder OpenImage (Entry entry)
+        {
+            var fs = m_vfs.Top;
+            var arc_fs = fs as ArchiveFileSystem;
+            if (arc_fs != null)
+                return arc_fs.Source.OpenImage (entry);
+
+            var input = fs.OpenBinaryStream (entry);
+            return new ImageStreamDecoder (input);
+        }
+
         public static Stream OpenStream (string filename)
         {
             return m_vfs.Top.OpenStream (m_vfs.Top.FindFile (filename));
diff --git a/GameRes/GameRes.cs b/GameRes/GameRes.cs
index c8da1a68..9de0bf48 100644
--- a/GameRes/GameRes.cs
+++ b/GameRes/GameRes.cs
@@ -197,6 +197,15 @@ namespace GameRes
             return arc.File.CreateStream (entry.Offset, entry.Size, entry.Name);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Open <paramref name="entry"> as image. Throws InvalidFormatException if entry is not an image.
+        /// </summary>
+        public virtual IImageDecoder OpenImage (ArcFile arc, Entry entry)
+        {
+            var input = arc.OpenBinaryEntry (entry);
+            return new ImageStreamDecoder (input);
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Create file corresponding to <paramref name="entry"/> in current directory and open it
         /// for writing. Overwrites existing file, if any.
diff --git a/GameRes/Image.cs b/GameRes/Image.cs
index 6a9e5d73..06d5d9b3 100644
--- a/GameRes/Image.cs
+++ b/GameRes/Image.cs
@@ -186,4 +186,70 @@ namespace GameRes
         public static ImageFormat  Bmp { get { return s_BmpFormat.Value; } }
         public static ImageFormat  Tga { get { return s_TgaFormat.Value; } }
     }
+
+    public interface IImageDecoder : IDisposable
+    {
+        Stream       Input { get; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Underlying image format or null if image is not represented by any format.
+        /// </summary>
+        ImageFormat Format { get; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Image parameters.
+        /// </summary>
+        ImageMetaData Info { get; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Decoded image data.
+        /// </summary>
+        ImageData    Image { get; }
+    }
+
+    public sealed class ImageStreamDecoder : IImageDecoder
+    {
+        IBinaryStream       m_file;
+        ImageFormat         m_format;
+        ImageMetaData       m_info;
+        ImageData           m_image;
+
+        public Stream Input { get { m_file.Position = 0; return m_file.AsStream; } }
+
+        public ImageFormat Format { get { return m_format; } }
+        public ImageMetaData Info { get { return m_info; } }
+
+        public ImageData Image
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                if (null == m_image)
+                {
+                    m_file.Position = 0;
+                    m_image = m_format.Read (m_file, m_info);
+                }
+                return m_image;
+            }
+        }
+
+        public ImageStreamDecoder (IBinaryStream file)
+        {
+            m_file = file;
+            var format = ImageFormat.FindFormat (file);
+            if (null == format)
+                throw new InvalidFormatException();
+            m_format = format.Item1;
+            m_info = format.Item2;
+        }
+
+        bool m_disposed = false;
+        public void Dispose ()
+        {
+            if (!m_disposed)
+            {
+                m_file.Dispose();
+                m_disposed = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }