diff --git a/boot/bootutil/src/image_validate.c b/boot/bootutil/src/image_validate.c
index a6155f7b0..1be7b3381 100644
--- a/boot/bootutil/src/image_validate.c
+++ b/boot/bootutil/src/image_validate.c
@@ -77,13 +77,15 @@ bootutil_img_hash(struct enc_key_data *enc_state, int image_index,
                   uint8_t *seed, int seed_len)
 {
     bootutil_sha_context sha_ctx;
-    uint32_t blk_sz;
     uint32_t size;
     uint16_t hdr_size;
-    uint32_t off;
-    int rc;
     uint32_t blk_off;
     uint32_t tlv_off;
+#if !defined(MCUBOOT_HASH_STORAGE_DIRECTLY)
+    int rc;
+    uint32_t off;
+    uint32_t blk_sz;
+#endif
 
 #if (BOOT_IMAGE_NUMBER == 1) || !defined(MCUBOOT_ENC_IMAGES) || \
     defined(MCUBOOT_RAM_LOAD)
@@ -126,6 +128,15 @@ bootutil_img_hash(struct enc_key_data *enc_state, int image_index,
     /* If protected TLVs are present they are also hashed. */
     size += hdr->ih_protect_tlv_size;
 
+#ifdef MCUBOOT_HASH_STORAGE_DIRECTLY
+
+    /* No chunk loading, storage is mapped to address space and can
+     * be directly given to hashing function.
+     */
+    bootutil_sha_update(&sha_ctx, (void *)flash_area_get_off(fap), size);
+
+#else /* MCUBOOT_HASH_STORAGE_DIRECTLY */
+
 #ifdef MCUBOOT_RAM_LOAD
     bootutil_sha_update(&sha_ctx,
                         (void*)(IMAGE_RAM_BASE + hdr->ih_load_addr),
@@ -170,6 +181,7 @@ bootutil_img_hash(struct enc_key_data *enc_state, int image_index,
         bootutil_sha_update(&sha_ctx, tmp_buf, blk_sz);
     }
 #endif /* MCUBOOT_RAM_LOAD */
+#endif /* MCUBOOT_HASH_STORAGE_DIRECTLY */
     bootutil_sha_finish(&sha_ctx, hash_result);
     bootutil_sha_drop(&sha_ctx);
 
diff --git a/boot/zephyr/Kconfig b/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
index 859d21454..acee064d0 100644
--- a/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
+++ b/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
@@ -146,6 +146,22 @@ config BOOT_IMG_HASH_ALG_SHA512_ALLOW
 	help
 	  Hidden option set by configurations that allow SHA512
 
+config BOOT_IMG_HASH_DIRECTLY_ON_STORAGE
+	bool "Hash calculation functions access storage through address space"
+	depends on !BOOT_ENCRYPT_IMAGE
+	help
+	  When possible to map storage device, at least for read operations,
+	  to address space or RAM area, enabling this option allows hash
+	  calculation functions to directly access the storage through that address
+	  space or using its own DMA. This reduces flash read overhead done
+	  by the MCUboot.
+	  Notes:
+	    - not supported when encrypted images are in use, because calculating
+	      SHA requires image to be decrypted first, which is done to RAM.
+	    - currently only supported on internal storage of devices; this
+	      option will not work with devices that use external storage for
+	      either of image slots.
+
 choice BOOT_IMG_HASH_ALG
 	prompt "Selected image hash algorithm"
 	default BOOT_IMG_HASH_ALG_SHA256 if BOOT_IMG_HASH_ALG_SHA256_ALLOW
diff --git a/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h b/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
index 9d58436d2..43fea9e46 100644
--- a/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
+++ b/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
@@ -137,8 +137,18 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_BOOT_DECOMPRESSION
+
 #define MCUBOOT_DECOMPRESS_IMAGES
 #endif
+/* Invoke hashing functions directly on storage. This requires for device
+ * to be able to map storage to address space or RAM.
+ */
+#ifdef CONFIG_BOOT_IMG_HASH_DIRECTLY_ON_STORAGE
+#ifdef MCUBOOT_ENC_IMAGES
+#error "Direct hash check is currently not supported when encrypted images are enabled"
+#endif
+#define MCUBOOT_HASH_STORAGE_DIRECTLY
+#endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_BOOT_BOOTSTRAP
 #define MCUBOOT_BOOTSTRAP 1