diff --git a/include/common/memory.h b/include/common/memory.h
index 2b7121b42..d52fb6265 100644
--- a/include/common/memory.h
+++ b/include/common/memory.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #else
 #define MEM_F_SHARED	0
 #endif
+#define MEM_F_EXACT	0x2
 
 /* reserve an extra void* at the end of a pool for linking */
 #ifdef DEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS
diff --git a/src/memory.c b/src/memory.c
index 036f78607..53ab4890a 100644
--- a/src/memory.c
+++ b/src/memory.c
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ int mem_poison_byte = -1;
 
 /* Try to find an existing shared pool with the same characteristics and
  * returns it, otherwise creates this one. NULL is returned if no memory
- * is available for a new creation.
+ * is available for a new creation. Two flags are supported :
+ *   - MEM_F_SHARED to indicate that the pool may be shared with other users
+ *   - MEM_F_EXACT to indicate that the size must not be rounded up
  */
 struct pool_head *create_pool(char *name, unsigned int size, unsigned int flags)
 {
@@ -41,8 +43,10 @@ struct pool_head *create_pool(char *name, unsigned int size, unsigned int flags)
 	 * so that the visible parts outside are not affected.
 	 */
 
-	align = 16;
-	size  = ((size + POOL_EXTRA + align - 1) & -align) - POOL_EXTRA;
+	if (!(flags & MEM_F_EXACT)) {
+		align = 16;
+		size  = ((size + POOL_EXTRA + align - 1) & -align) - POOL_EXTRA;
+	}
 
 	start = &pools;
 	pool = NULL;