diff --git a/src/h5_core/h5_syscall.c b/src/h5_core/h5_syscall.c
index 9c9c010..3575be5 100644
--- a/src/h5_core/h5_syscall.c
+++ b/src/h5_core/h5_syscall.c
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ void *
 _h5_alloc (
 	h5_file_t * const f,
 	void *ptr,
-	const size_t size ) {
+	const size_t size
+	) {
 	h5_debug ( f, "Allocating %ld bytes.", size ); 
 	ptr = realloc ( ptr, size );
 	if ( ptr == NULL ) {
@@ -21,6 +22,24 @@ _h5_alloc (
 	return ptr;
 }
 
+void *
+_h5_calloc (
+	h5_file_t * const f,
+	const size_t count,
+	const size_t size
+	) {
+	h5_debug ( f, "Allocating %ld * %ld bytes.", count, size ); 
+	void *ptr = calloc ( count, size );
+	if ( ptr == NULL ) {
+		h5_error (
+			f,
+			H5_ERR_NOMEM,
+			"Out of memory." );
+		return (void*)(H5_ERR);
+	}
+	return ptr;
+}
+
 h5_err_t
 _h5_free (
 	h5_file_t * const f,
diff --git a/src/h5_core/h5_syscall_private.h b/src/h5_core/h5_syscall_private.h
index f0178e6..e01ab0f 100644
--- a/src/h5_core/h5_syscall_private.h
+++ b/src/h5_core/h5_syscall_private.h
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ _h5_alloc (
 	const size_t size
 	);
 
+void *
+_h5_calloc (
+	h5_file_t * const f,
+	const size_t count,
+	const size_t size
+	);
+
 h5_err_t
 _h5_free (
 	h5_file_t * const f,