diff --git a/File.c b/File.c
index e07bc466..ce4f8387 100644
--- a/File.c
+++ b/File.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include <stdint.h>
 #include "general.h"
 #include "THFile.h"
 #include "luaT.h"
@@ -155,6 +156,47 @@ static int torch_File_writeString(lua_State *L)
   return 1;
 }
 
+static int torch_File_readPointer(lua_State *L)
+{
+  THFile *self = luaT_checkudata(L, 1, "torch.File");
+  int narg = lua_gettop(L);
+
+  if(narg == 1)
+  {
+    intptr_t value;
+    size_t size = THFile_readPointerRaw(self, &value);
+    if(size < 1)
+    {
+      luaL_error(L, "can not read pointer");
+      return 0;
+    }
+    lua_pushinteger(L, value);
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  luaL_error(L, "nothing expected");
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int torch_File_writePointer(lua_State *L)
+{
+  THFile *self = luaT_checkudata(L, 1, "torch.File");
+  int narg = lua_gettop(L);
+
+  if(narg == 2)
+  {
+    if(lua_isnumber(L, 2))
+    {
+      intptr_t value = lua_tointeger(L, 2);
+      THFile_writePointerRaw(self, value);
+      return 1;
+    }
+  }
+
+  luaL_error(L, "number expected");
+  return 0;
+}
+
 static const struct luaL_Reg torch_File__ [] = {
   {"isQuiet", torch_File_isQuiet},
   {"isReadable", torch_File_isReadable},
@@ -180,6 +222,7 @@ static const struct luaL_Reg torch_File__ [] = {
   {"readFloat", torch_File_readFloat},
   {"readDouble", torch_File_readDouble},
   {"readString", torch_File_readString},
+  {"readPointer", torch_File_readPointer},
 
   {"writeByte", torch_File_writeByte},
   {"writeChar", torch_File_writeChar},
@@ -189,6 +232,7 @@ static const struct luaL_Reg torch_File__ [] = {
   {"writeFloat", torch_File_writeFloat},
   {"writeDouble", torch_File_writeDouble},
   {"writeString", torch_File_writeString},
+  {"writePointer", torch_File_writePointer},
 
   {"synchronize", torch_File_synchronize},
   {"seek", torch_File_seek},
diff --git a/doc/file.md b/doc/file.md
index c4aa742c..2f9677bb 100644
--- a/doc/file.md
+++ b/doc/file.md
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ If a `Storage` is given, the method will attempt to read a number of elements
 equals to the size of the given storage, and fill up the storage with these elements.
 The number of elements actually read is returned.
 
+A convenient method exists to read one pointer as a integer: `[integer] readPointer()`. It reads
+in `"%p"` format if `File` is of ascii encoding. This method does not support `n` or `Storage`.
+
 In case of read error, these methods will call the `Lua` error function using the default
 [pedantic](#torch.File.pedantic) option, or stay quiet with the [quiet](#torch.File.quiet)
 option. In the latter case, one can check if an error occurred with
@@ -109,6 +112,9 @@ in the storage.
 
 These methods return the number of elements actually written.
 
+A convenient method exists to write one pointer: `writePointer(integer)`. It writes
+in `"%p"` format if `File` is of ascii encoding. This method does not support `Storage`.
+
 In case of write error, these methods will call the `Lua` error function using the default
 [pedantic](#torch.File.pedantic) option, or stay quiet with the [quiet](#torch.File.quiet)
 option. In the latter case, one can check if an error occurred with
@@ -196,14 +202,14 @@ in the file, as only a reference to the original will be written. See
 <a name="torch.File.readString"></a>
 ### [string] readString(format) ###
 
-If `format` starts with ''"*l"` then returns the next line in the `File''. The end-of-line character is skipped.
+If `format` starts with `"*l"` then returns the next line in the `File`. The end-of-line character is skipped.
 
-If `format` starts with ''"*a"` then returns all the remaining contents of the `File''.
+If `format` starts with `"*a"` then returns all the remaining contents of the `File`.
 
 If no data is available, then an error is raised, except if `File` is in [quiet()](#torch.File.quiet) mode where
 it then returns an empty string `''` and after that you'll be able to see that last reading failed due to end of file with your_file:[hasError()](#torch.File.hasError).
 
-Because Torch is more precise on number typing, the `Lua` format ''"*n"'' is not supported:
+Because Torch is more precise on number typing, the `Lua` format `"*n"` is not supported:
 instead use one of the [number read methods](#torch.File.read).
 
 <a name="torch.File.writeString"></a>
diff --git a/lib/TH/THDiskFile.c b/lib/TH/THDiskFile.c
index 01b19513..a3742c00 100644
--- a/lib/TH/THDiskFile.c
+++ b/lib/TH/THDiskFile.c
@@ -360,6 +360,10 @@ READ_WRITE_METHODS(double, Double,
                    int ret = fscanf(dfself->handle, "%lg", &data[i]); if(ret <= 0) break; else nread++,
                    int ret = fprintf(dfself->handle, "%.17g", data[i]); if(ret <= 0) break; else nwrite++)
 
+READ_WRITE_METHODS(intptr_t, Pointer,
+                   int ret = fscanf(dfself->handle, "%p", (void **)&data[i]); if(ret <= 0) break; else nread++,
+                   int ret = fprintf(dfself->handle, "%p", (void *)data[i]); if(ret <= 0) break; else nwrite++)
+
 
 /* For Long we need to rewrite everything, because of the special management of longSize */
 static size_t THDiskFile_readLong(THFile *self, long *data, size_t n)
@@ -620,6 +624,7 @@ THFile *THDiskFile_new(const char *name, const char *mode, int isQuiet)
     THDiskFile_readDouble,
     THDiskFile_readHalf,
     THDiskFile_readString,
+    THDiskFile_readPointer,
 
     THDiskFile_writeByte,
     THDiskFile_writeChar,
@@ -630,6 +635,7 @@ THFile *THDiskFile_new(const char *name, const char *mode, int isQuiet)
     THDiskFile_writeDouble,
     THDiskFile_writeHalf,
     THDiskFile_writeString,
+    THDiskFile_writePointer,
 
     THDiskFile_synchronize,
     THDiskFile_seek,
@@ -734,6 +740,7 @@ THFile *THPipeFile_new(const char *name, const char *mode, int isQuiet)
     THDiskFile_readDouble,
     THDiskFile_readHalf,
     THDiskFile_readString,
+    THDiskFile_readPointer,
 
     THDiskFile_writeByte,
     THDiskFile_writeChar,
@@ -744,6 +751,7 @@ THFile *THPipeFile_new(const char *name, const char *mode, int isQuiet)
     THDiskFile_writeDouble,
     THDiskFile_writeHalf,
     THDiskFile_writeString,
+    THDiskFile_writePointer,
 
     THDiskFile_synchronize,
     THDiskFile_seek,
diff --git a/lib/TH/THFile.c b/lib/TH/THFile.c
index 3717b7b5..df880647 100644
--- a/lib/TH/THFile.c
+++ b/lib/TH/THFile.c
@@ -31,6 +31,16 @@ size_t THFile_writeStringRaw(THFile *self, const char *str, size_t size)
   return self->vtable->writeString(self, str, size);
 }
 
+size_t THFile_readPointerRaw(THFile *self, intptr_t *data)
+{
+  return self->vtable->readPointer(self, data, 1);
+}
+
+size_t THFile_writePointerRaw(THFile *self, intptr_t data)
+{
+  return self->vtable->writePointer(self, &data, 1);
+}
+
 void THFile_synchronize(THFile *self)
 {
   self->vtable->synchronize(self);
diff --git a/lib/TH/THFile.h b/lib/TH/THFile.h
index e097bdf3..1f45a768 100644
--- a/lib/TH/THFile.h
+++ b/lib/TH/THFile.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef TH_FILE_INC
 #define TH_FILE_INC
 
+#include <stdint.h>
 #include "THStorage.h"
 
 typedef struct THFile__ THFile;
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ TH_API size_t THFile_readLongRaw(THFile *self, long *data, size_t n);
 TH_API size_t THFile_readFloatRaw(THFile *self, float *data, size_t n);
 TH_API size_t THFile_readDoubleRaw(THFile *self, double *data, size_t n);
 TH_API size_t THFile_readStringRaw(THFile *self, const char *format, char **str_); /* you must deallocate str_ */
+TH_API size_t THFile_readPointerRaw(THFile *self, intptr_t *data);
 
 TH_API size_t THFile_writeByteRaw(THFile *self, unsigned char *data, size_t n);
 TH_API size_t THFile_writeCharRaw(THFile *self, char *data, size_t n);
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ TH_API size_t THFile_writeLongRaw(THFile *self, long *data, size_t n);
 TH_API size_t THFile_writeFloatRaw(THFile *self, float *data, size_t n);
 TH_API size_t THFile_writeDoubleRaw(THFile *self, double *data, size_t n);
 TH_API size_t THFile_writeStringRaw(THFile *self, const char *str, size_t size);
+TH_API size_t THFile_writePointerRaw(THFile *self, intptr_t data);
 
 TH_API THHalf THFile_readHalfScalar(THFile *self);
 TH_API void THFile_writeHalfScalar(THFile *self, THHalf scalar);
diff --git a/lib/TH/THFilePrivate.h b/lib/TH/THFilePrivate.h
index 55169c3b..da66db93 100644
--- a/lib/TH/THFilePrivate.h
+++ b/lib/TH/THFilePrivate.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "THHalf.h"
 
+#include <stdint.h>
 
 struct THFile__
 {
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ struct THFileVTable
     size_t (*readDouble)(THFile *self, double *data, size_t n);
     size_t (*readHalf)(THFile *self, THHalf *data, size_t n);
     size_t (*readString)(THFile *self, const char *format, char **str_);
+    size_t (*readPointer)(THFile *self, intptr_t *data, size_t n);
 
     size_t (*writeByte)(THFile *self, unsigned char *data, size_t n);
     size_t (*writeChar)(THFile *self, char *data, size_t n);
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ struct THFileVTable
     size_t (*writeDouble)(THFile *self, double *data, size_t n);
     size_t (*writeHalf)(THFile *self, THHalf *data, size_t n);
     size_t (*writeString)(THFile *self, const char *str, size_t size);
+    size_t (*writePointer)(THFile *self, intptr_t *data, size_t n);
 
     void (*synchronize)(THFile *self);
     void (*seek)(THFile *self, size_t position);
diff --git a/lib/TH/THMemoryFile.c b/lib/TH/THMemoryFile.c
index ecce6e1b..13bd8e0c 100644
--- a/lib/TH/THMemoryFile.c
+++ b/lib/TH/THMemoryFile.c
@@ -349,6 +349,11 @@ READ_WRITE_METHODS(double, Double,
                    nByteWritten = snprintf(mfself->storage->data+mfself->position, mfself->storage->size-mfself->position, "%.17g", data[i]),
                    1)
 
+READ_WRITE_METHODS(intptr_t, Pointer,
+                   int nByteRead_; int ret = sscanf(mfself->storage->data+mfself->position, "%p%n", (void **)&data[i], &nByteRead_); nByteRead = nByteRead_; if(ret <= 0) break; else nread++,
+                   nByteWritten = snprintf(mfself->storage->data+mfself->position, mfself->storage->size-mfself->position, "%p", (void *)data[i]),
+                   1)
+
 int THDiskFile_isLittleEndianCPU(void);
 
 static size_t THMemoryFile_readLong(THFile *self, long *data, size_t n)
@@ -625,6 +630,7 @@ THFile *THMemoryFile_newWithStorage(THCharStorage *storage, const char *mode)
     THMemoryFile_readDouble,
     THMemoryFile_readHalf,
     THMemoryFile_readString,
+    THMemoryFile_readPointer,
 
     THMemoryFile_writeByte,
     THMemoryFile_writeChar,
@@ -635,6 +641,7 @@ THFile *THMemoryFile_newWithStorage(THCharStorage *storage, const char *mode)
     THMemoryFile_writeDouble,
     THMemoryFile_writeHalf,
     THMemoryFile_writeString,
+    THMemoryFile_writePointer,
 
     THMemoryFile_synchronize,
     THMemoryFile_seek,
diff --git a/test/test_sharedmem.lua b/test/test_sharedmem.lua
index 1230e591..2fa8732e 100644
--- a/test/test_sharedmem.lua
+++ b/test/test_sharedmem.lua
@@ -88,5 +88,26 @@ function tests.testSharing()
   removeShmFile(shmFileName)
 end
 
+function tests.readWritePointer()
+  local tensor = torch.rand(2,3)
+  local addr1 = torch.pointer(tensor)
+  tester:assert(type(addr1)=='number')
+
+  local f = torch.MemoryFile()
+  f:binary()
+  f:writePointer(addr1)
+  f:seek(1)
+  local addr2 = f:readPointer()
+  f:close()
+  tester:assert(addr1 == addr2)
+
+  local f = torch.MemoryFile()
+  f:writePointer(addr1)
+  f:seek(1)
+  local addr2 = f:readPointer()
+  f:close()
+  tester:assert(addr1 == addr2)
+end
+
 tester:add(tests)
 tester:run()