diff --git a/features/filesystem/Dir.cpp b/features/filesystem/Dir.cpp
index 4714e9d07e..867105b96a 100644
--- a/features/filesystem/Dir.cpp
+++ b/features/filesystem/Dir.cpp
@@ -58,16 +58,11 @@ int Dir::close()
     return err;
 }
 
-ssize_t Dir::read(char *path, size_t len)
+ssize_t Dir::read(struct dirent *ent)
 {
     MBED_ASSERT(_fs);
-    return _fs->dir_read(_dir, path, len);
-}
-
-ssize_t Dir::read(char *path, size_t len, uint8_t *type)
-{
-    MBED_ASSERT(_fs);
-    return _fs->dir_read(_dir, path, len, type);
+    memset(ent, 0, sizeof(struct dirent));
+    return _fs->dir_read(_dir, ent);
 }
 
 void Dir::seek(off_t offset)
diff --git a/features/filesystem/Dir.h b/features/filesystem/Dir.h
index 4d7a465d75..b4dc4133d1 100644
--- a/features/filesystem/Dir.h
+++ b/features/filesystem/Dir.h
@@ -64,20 +64,10 @@ public:
     /** Read the next directory entry
      *
      *  @param path     The buffer to read the null terminated path name in to
-     *  @param size     The maximum number of bytes in the buffer, this is at most FS_NAME_MAX
+     *  @param ent      The directory entry to fill out
      *  @return         1 on reading a filename, 0 at end of directory, negative error on failure
      */
-    virtual ssize_t read(char *path, size_t len);
-
-    /** Read the next directory entry
-     *
-     *  @param dir      Dir handle
-     *  @param path     The buffer to read the null terminated path name in to
-     *  @param size     The maximum number of bytes in the buffer, this is at most FS_NAME_MAX
-     *  @param type     The type of the file, one of DT_DIR, DT_REG, etc...
-     *  @return         1 on reading a filename, 0 at end of directory, negative error on failure
-     */
-    virtual ssize_t read(char *path, size_t len, uint8_t *type);
+    virtual ssize_t read(struct dirent *ent);
 
     /** Set the current position of the directory
      *
diff --git a/features/filesystem/FileSystem.cpp b/features/filesystem/FileSystem.cpp
index 47747a7545..0a3d2bc615 100644
--- a/features/filesystem/FileSystem.cpp
+++ b/features/filesystem/FileSystem.cpp
@@ -68,17 +68,11 @@ int FileSystem::dir_close(fs_dir_t dir)
     return -ENOSYS;
 }
 
-ssize_t FileSystem::dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len)
+ssize_t FileSystem::dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, struct dirent *ent)
 {
     return -ENOSYS;
 }
 
-ssize_t FileSystem::dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len, uint8_t *type)
-{
-    *type = DT_UNKNOWN;
-    return dir_read(dir, path, len);
-}
-
 void FileSystem::dir_seek(fs_dir_t dir, off_t offset)
 {
 }
@@ -98,10 +92,11 @@ size_t FileSystem::dir_size(fs_dir_t dir)
 {
     off_t off = dir_tell(dir);
     size_t size = 0;
+    struct dirent *ent = new struct dirent;
 
     dir_rewind(dir);
     while (true) {
-        int res = dir_read(dir, NULL, 0);
+        int res = dir_read(dir, ent);
         if (res <= 0) {
             break;
         }
@@ -110,6 +105,7 @@ size_t FileSystem::dir_size(fs_dir_t dir)
     }
     dir_seek(dir, off);
 
+    delete ent;
     return size;
 }
 
diff --git a/features/filesystem/FileSystem.h b/features/filesystem/FileSystem.h
index e783e2b4ac..cfc84225d1 100644
--- a/features/filesystem/FileSystem.h
+++ b/features/filesystem/FileSystem.h
@@ -195,21 +195,10 @@ protected:
     /** Read the next directory entry
      *
      *  @param dir      Dir handle
-     *  @param path     The buffer to read the null terminated path name in to
-     *  @param size     The maximum number of bytes in the buffer, this is at most FS_NAME_MAX
+     *  @param ent      The directory entry to fill out
      *  @return         1 on reading a filename, 0 at end of directory, negative error on failure
      */
-    virtual ssize_t dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len);
-
-    /** Read the next directory entry
-     *
-     *  @param dir      Dir handle
-     *  @param path     The buffer to read the null terminated path name in to
-     *  @param size     The maximum number of bytes in the buffer, this is at most FS_NAME_MAX
-     *  @param type     The type of the file, one of DT_DIR, DT_REG, etc...
-     *  @return         1 on reading a filename, 0 at end of directory, negative error on failure
-     */
-    virtual ssize_t dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len, uint8_t *type);
+    virtual ssize_t dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, struct dirent *ent);
 
     /** Set the current position of the directory
      *
diff --git a/features/filesystem/fat/FATFileSystem.cpp b/features/filesystem/fat/FATFileSystem.cpp
index 1b3f0aa6de..ebecdaad34 100644
--- a/features/filesystem/fat/FATFileSystem.cpp
+++ b/features/filesystem/fat/FATFileSystem.cpp
@@ -545,17 +545,13 @@ int FATFileSystem::dir_close(fs_dir_t dir) {
     return fat_error_remap(res);
 }
 
-ssize_t FATFileSystem::dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len) {
-    return dir_read(dir, path, len, NULL);
-}
-
-ssize_t FATFileSystem::dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len, uint8_t *type) {
+ssize_t FATFileSystem::dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, struct dirent *ent) {
     FATFS_DIR *dh = static_cast<FATFS_DIR*>(dir);
     FILINFO finfo;
 
 #if _USE_LFN
-    finfo.lfname = path;
-    finfo.lfsize = len;
+    finfo.lfname = ent->d_name;
+    finfo.lfsize = NAME_MAX;
 #endif // _USE_LFN
 
     lock();
@@ -565,23 +561,21 @@ ssize_t FATFileSystem::dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len, uint8_t *t
     if (res != FR_OK) {
         return fat_error_remap(res);
     } else if (finfo.fname[0] == 0) {
-        return -EINVAL;
+        return 0;
     }
 
-    if (type) {
-        *type = (finfo.fattrib & AM_DIR) ? DT_DIR : DT_REG;
-    }
+    ent->d_type = (finfo.fattrib & AM_DIR) ? DT_DIR : DT_REG;
 
 #if _USE_LFN
-    if (path[0] == 0) {
+    if (ent->d_name[0] == 0) {
         // No long filename so use short filename.
-        strncpy(path, finfo.fname, len);
+        strncpy(ent->d_name, finfo.fname, NAME_MAX);
     }
 #else
-    strncpy(path, finfo.fname, len);
+    strncpy(end->d_name, finfo.fname, len);
 #endif
 
-    return 0;
+    return 1;
 }
 
 void FATFileSystem::dir_seek(fs_dir_t dir, off_t offset) {
diff --git a/features/filesystem/fat/FATFileSystem.h b/features/filesystem/fat/FATFileSystem.h
index 6fcc6300bf..1b39a795ce 100644
--- a/features/filesystem/fat/FATFileSystem.h
+++ b/features/filesystem/fat/FATFileSystem.h
@@ -199,21 +199,10 @@ protected:
     /** Read the next directory entry
      *
      *  @param dir      Dir handle
-     *  @param path     The buffer to read the null terminated path name in to
-     *  @param size     The maximum number of bytes in the buffer, this is at most FS_NAME_MAX
+     *  @param ent      The directory entry to fill out
      *  @return         1 on reading a filename, 0 at end of directory, negative error on failure
      */
-    virtual ssize_t dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len);
-
-    /** Read the next directory entry
-     *
-     *  @param dir      Dir handle
-     *  @param path     The buffer to read the null terminated path name in to
-     *  @param size     The maximum number of bytes in the buffer, this is at most FS_NAME_MAX
-     *  @param type     The type of the file, one of DT_DIR, DT_REG, etc...
-     *  @return         1 on reading a filename, 0 at end of directory, negative error on failure
-     */
-    virtual ssize_t dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, char *path, size_t len, uint8_t *type);
+    virtual ssize_t dir_read(fs_dir_t dir, struct dirent *ent);
 
     /** Set the current position of the directory
      *
diff --git a/platform/mbed_retarget.cpp b/platform/mbed_retarget.cpp
index cabb40867e..a38544147b 100644
--- a/platform/mbed_retarget.cpp
+++ b/platform/mbed_retarget.cpp
@@ -554,9 +554,11 @@ extern "C" DIR *opendir(const char *path) {
 extern "C" struct dirent *readdir(DIR *dir) {
 #if MBED_CONF_FILESYSTEM_PRESENT
     static struct dirent ent;
-    int err = dir->read(ent.d_name, NAME_MAX, &ent.d_type);
-    if (err < 0) {
-        errno = -err;
+    int err = dir->read(&ent);
+    if (err < 1) {
+        if (err < 0) {
+            errno = -err;
+        }
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -570,6 +572,7 @@ extern "C" struct dirent *readdir(DIR *dir) {
 extern "C" int closedir(DIR *dir) {
 #if MBED_CONF_FILESYSTEM_PRESENT
     int err = dir->close();
+    delete dir;
     if (err < 0) {
         errno = -err;
         return -1;