diff --git a/cpp/src/KIM_SharedLibrary.cpp b/cpp/src/KIM_SharedLibrary.cpp
index 42943f9e..ac36696d 100644
--- a/cpp/src/KIM_SharedLibrary.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/KIM_SharedLibrary.cpp
@@ -104,10 +104,45 @@ KIM::FILESYSTEM::Path PrivateGetORIGIN()
 namespace KIM
 {
 SharedLibrary::SharedLibrary::EmbeddedFile::EmbeddedFile() :
-    fileName(NULL), fileLength(0), filePointer(NULL)
+    fileName(NULL), fileLength(0), filePointer(NULL), decodedFileContent("")
 {
 }
 
+void SharedLibrary::SharedLibrary::EmbeddedFile::decodeFileInMemory() const
+{
+  // empty files are not added to the library, so use empty() as flag
+  if (!decodedFileContent.empty()) { return; }
+
+  if (fileLength > 0 && filePointer != NULL)
+  {
+    base64::decoder decoder = base64::decoder();
+    std::istringstream encodedString(
+        std::string(reinterpret_cast<const char *>(filePointer), fileLength),
+        std::ios::in | std::ios::binary);
+    std::ostringstream decodedString(std::ios::out | std::ios::binary);
+    decoder.decode(encodedString, decodedString);
+
+    decodedFileContent = decodedString.str();
+  }
+  // else {LOG}
+}
+
+unsigned char const *
+SharedLibrary::SharedLibrary::EmbeddedFile::getDecodedFileDataPointer() const
+{
+  decodeFileInMemory();
+  return decodedFileContent.empty() ? NULL
+                                    : reinterpret_cast<unsigned char const *>(
+                                          decodedFileContent.data());
+}
+
+unsigned int
+SharedLibrary::SharedLibrary::EmbeddedFile::getDecodedFileDataLength() const
+{
+  decodeFileInMemory();
+  return static_cast<unsigned int>(decodedFileContent.length());
+}
+
 SharedLibrary::SharedLibrary(Log * const log) :
     sharedLibraryHandle_(NULL),
     sharedLibrarySchemaVersion_(NULL),
@@ -388,7 +423,10 @@ int SharedLibrary::Close()
     LOG_DEBUG("Exit 1=" + callString);
     return true;
   }
-  else { sharedLibraryHandle_ = NULL; }
+  else
+  {
+    sharedLibraryHandle_ = NULL;
+  }
 
   LOG_DEBUG("Exit 0=" + callString);
   return false;
@@ -560,9 +598,9 @@ int SharedLibrary::GetMetadataFile(
   if (metadataFileName != NULL)
     *metadataFileName = (metadataFiles_[index]).fileName;
   if (metadataFileLength != NULL)
-    *metadataFileLength = (metadataFiles_[index]).fileLength;
+    *metadataFileLength = (metadataFiles_[index]).getDecodedFileDataLength();
   if (metadataFileData != NULL)
-    *metadataFileData = (metadataFiles_[index]).filePointer;
+    *metadataFileData = (metadataFiles_[index]).getDecodedFileDataPointer();
 
   LOG_DEBUG("Exit 0=" + callString);
   return false;
diff --git a/cpp/src/KIM_SharedLibrary.hpp b/cpp/src/KIM_SharedLibrary.hpp
index 7b56d025..ba8ea055 100644
--- a/cpp/src/KIM_SharedLibrary.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/KIM_SharedLibrary.hpp
@@ -117,6 +117,14 @@ class SharedLibrary
     unsigned char const * filePointer;
 
     EmbeddedFile();
+
+    unsigned char const * getDecodedFileDataPointer() const;
+    unsigned int getDecodedFileDataLength() const;
+
+   private:
+    mutable std::string decodedFileContent;
+
+    void decodeFileInMemory() const;
   };  // struct EmbeddedFile
 
   static FILESYSTEM::Path const ORIGIN;