diff --git a/include/core/SkMatrix.h b/include/core/SkMatrix.h
index 0f148a7..05fd132 100644
--- a/include/core/SkMatrix.h
+++ b/include/core/SkMatrix.h
@@ -507,13 +507,13 @@
     }
 
     enum {
-        // flatten/unflatten will never return a value larger than this
+        // writeTo/readFromMemory will never return a value larger than this
         kMaxFlattenSize = 9 * sizeof(SkScalar) + sizeof(uint32_t)
     };
     // return the number of bytes written, whether or not buffer is null
-    uint32_t flatten(void* buffer) const;
+    uint32_t writeToMemory(void* buffer) const;
     // return the number of bytes read
-    uint32_t unflatten(const void* buffer);
+    uint32_t readFromMemory(const void* buffer);
     
     void dump() const;
     void toDumpString(SkString*) const;
diff --git a/include/core/SkOrderedReadBuffer.h b/include/core/SkOrderedReadBuffer.h
index c1dbc7e..12b74d1 100644
--- a/include/core/SkOrderedReadBuffer.h
+++ b/include/core/SkOrderedReadBuffer.h
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@
     virtual const void* skip(size_t size) { return fReader.skip(size); }
 
     virtual void readMatrix(SkMatrix* m) { fReader.readMatrix(m); }
-    virtual void readPath(SkPath* p) { p->unflatten(fReader); }
+    virtual void readPath(SkPath* p) { fReader.readPath(p); }
+
     virtual void readPoint(SkPoint* p) {
         p->fX = fReader.readScalar();
         p->fY = fReader.readScalar();
diff --git a/include/core/SkOrderedWriteBuffer.h b/include/core/SkOrderedWriteBuffer.h
index 947877b..6468719 100644
--- a/include/core/SkOrderedWriteBuffer.h
+++ b/include/core/SkOrderedWriteBuffer.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
     virtual size_t readFromStream(SkStream* s, size_t length) { return fWriter.readFromStream(s, length); }
 
     virtual void writeMatrix(const SkMatrix& matrix) { fWriter.writeMatrix(matrix); }
-    virtual void writePath(const SkPath& path) { path.flatten(fWriter); };
+    virtual void writePath(const SkPath& path) { fWriter.writePath(path); };
     virtual void writePoint(const SkPoint& point) {
         fWriter.writeScalar(point.fX);
         fWriter.writeScalar(point.fY);
diff --git a/include/core/SkPath.h b/include/core/SkPath.h
index e6989f2..8440df3 100644
--- a/include/core/SkPath.h
+++ b/include/core/SkPath.h
@@ -784,8 +784,16 @@
     void dump(bool forceClose, const char title[] = NULL) const;
     void dump() const;
 
-    void flatten(SkWriter32&) const;
-    void unflatten(SkReader32&);
+    /**
+     *  Write the region to the buffer, and return the number of bytes written.
+     *  If buffer is NULL, it still returns the number of bytes.
+     */
+    uint32_t writeToMemory(void* buffer) const;
+    /**
+     *  Initialized the region from the buffer, returning the number
+     *  of bytes actually read.
+     */
+    uint32_t readFromMemory(const void* buffer);
 
 #ifdef SK_BUILD_FOR_ANDROID
     uint32_t getGenerationID() const;
diff --git a/include/core/SkReader32.h b/include/core/SkReader32.h
index 98385e4..9e25e84 100644
--- a/include/core/SkReader32.h
+++ b/include/core/SkReader32.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #define SkReader32_DEFINED
 
 #include "SkMatrix.h"
+#include "SkPath.h"
 #include "SkRegion.h"
 #include "SkScalar.h"
 
@@ -92,14 +93,20 @@
     int32_t readS32() { return this->readInt(); }
     uint32_t readU32() { return this->readInt(); }
 
+    void readPath(SkPath* path) {
+        size_t size = path->readFromMemory(this->peek());
+        SkASSERT(SkAlign4(size) == size);
+        (void)this->skip(size);
+    }
+
     void readMatrix(SkMatrix* matrix) {
-        size_t size = matrix->unflatten(this->peek());
+        size_t size = matrix->readFromMemory(this->peek());
         SkASSERT(SkAlign4(size) == size);
         (void)this->skip(size);
     }
 
     void readRegion(SkRegion* rgn) {
-        size_t size = rgn->unflatten(this->peek());
+        size_t size = rgn->readFromMemory(this->peek());
         SkASSERT(SkAlign4(size) == size);
         (void)this->skip(size);
     }
diff --git a/include/core/SkRegion.h b/include/core/SkRegion.h
index e83e197..2aab423 100644
--- a/include/core/SkRegion.h
+++ b/include/core/SkRegion.h
@@ -351,13 +351,13 @@
      *  Write the region to the buffer, and return the number of bytes written.
      *  If buffer is NULL, it still returns the number of bytes.
      */
-    uint32_t flatten(void* buffer) const;
+    uint32_t writeToMemory(void* buffer) const;
 
     /**
      *  Initialized the region from the buffer, returning the number
      *  of bytes actually read.
      */
-    uint32_t unflatten(const void* buffer);
+    uint32_t readFromMemory(const void* buffer);
 
     /**
      *  Returns a reference to a global empty region. Just a convenience for
diff --git a/include/core/SkWriter32.h b/include/core/SkWriter32.h
index c140850..9abaa46 100644
--- a/include/core/SkWriter32.h
+++ b/include/core/SkWriter32.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "SkTypes.h"
 
 #include "SkScalar.h"
+#include "SkPath.h"
 #include "SkPoint.h"
 #include "SkRect.h"
 #include "SkMatrix.h"
@@ -88,16 +89,22 @@
         *(SkRect*)this->reserve(sizeof(rect)) = rect;
     }
 
-    void writeMatrix(const SkMatrix& matrix) {
-        size_t size = matrix.flatten(NULL);
+    void writePath(const SkPath& path) {
+        size_t size = path.writeToMemory(NULL);
         SkASSERT(SkAlign4(size) == size);
-        matrix.flatten(this->reserve(size));
+        path.writeToMemory(this->reserve(size));
+    }
+
+    void writeMatrix(const SkMatrix& matrix) {
+        size_t size = matrix.writeToMemory(NULL);
+        SkASSERT(SkAlign4(size) == size);
+        matrix.writeToMemory(this->reserve(size));
     }
     
     void writeRegion(const SkRegion& rgn) {
-        size_t size = rgn.flatten(NULL);
+        size_t size = rgn.writeToMemory(NULL);
         SkASSERT(SkAlign4(size) == size);
-        rgn.flatten(this->reserve(size));
+        rgn.writeToMemory(this->reserve(size));
     }
 
     // write count bytes (must be a multiple of 4)
diff --git a/samplecode/SampleRegion.cpp b/samplecode/SampleRegion.cpp
index 5eed81e..0525f46 100644
--- a/samplecode/SampleRegion.cpp
+++ b/samplecode/SampleRegion.cpp
@@ -274,13 +274,13 @@
             
             {
                 char    buffer[1000];
-                size_t  size = tmp.flatten(NULL);
+                size_t  size = tmp.writeToMemory(NULL);
                 SkASSERT(size <= sizeof(buffer));
-                size_t  size2 = tmp.flatten(buffer);
+                size_t  size2 = tmp.writeToMemory(buffer);
                 SkASSERT(size == size2);
                 
                 SkRegion    tmp3;
-                size2 = tmp3.unflatten(buffer);
+                size2 = tmp3.readFromMemory(buffer);
                 SkASSERT(size == size2);
                 
                 SkASSERT(tmp3 == tmp);
diff --git a/src/core/SkMatrix.cpp b/src/core/SkMatrix.cpp
index 9a0147d..7133658 100644
--- a/src/core/SkMatrix.cpp
+++ b/src/core/SkMatrix.cpp
@@ -1737,7 +1737,7 @@
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-uint32_t SkMatrix::flatten(void* buffer) const {
+uint32_t SkMatrix::writeToMemory(void* buffer) const {
     // TODO write less for simple matrices
     if (buffer) {
         memcpy(buffer, fMat, 9 * sizeof(SkScalar));
@@ -1745,7 +1745,7 @@
     return 9 * sizeof(SkScalar);
 }
 
-uint32_t SkMatrix::unflatten(const void* buffer) {
+uint32_t SkMatrix::readFromMemory(const void* buffer) {
     if (buffer) {
         memcpy(fMat, buffer, 9 * sizeof(SkScalar));
         this->setTypeMask(kUnknown_Mask);
diff --git a/src/core/SkPath.cpp b/src/core/SkPath.cpp
index 4dab604..034a515 100644
--- a/src/core/SkPath.cpp
+++ b/src/core/SkPath.cpp
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
 
 
 #include "SkPath.h"
-#include "SkReader32.h"
-#include "SkWriter32.h"
+#include "SkBuffer.h"
 #include "SkMath.h"
 
 // This value is just made-up for now. When count is 4, calling memset was much
@@ -1685,20 +1684,31 @@
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 /*
-    Format in flattened buffer: [ptCount, verbCount, pts[], verbs[]]
+    Format in compressed buffer: [ptCount, verbCount, pts[], verbs[]]
 */
 
-void SkPath::flatten(SkWriter32& buffer) const {
+uint32_t SkPath::writeToMemory(void* storage) const {
     SkDEBUGCODE(this->validate();)
 
+    if (NULL == storage) {
+        const int byteCount = 3 * sizeof(int32_t)
+                      + sizeof(SkPoint) * fPts.count()
+                      + sizeof(uint8_t) * fVerbs.count();
+        return SkAlign4(byteCount);
+    }
+
+    SkWBuffer   buffer(storage);
     buffer.write32(fPts.count());
     buffer.write32(fVerbs.count());
     buffer.write32((fFillType << 8) | fSegmentMask);
-    buffer.writeMul4(fPts.begin(), sizeof(SkPoint) * fPts.count());
-    buffer.writePad(fVerbs.begin(), fVerbs.count());
+    buffer.write(fPts.begin(), sizeof(SkPoint) * fPts.count());
+    buffer.write(fVerbs.begin(), fVerbs.count());
+    buffer.padToAlign4();
+    return buffer.pos();
 }
 
-void SkPath::unflatten(SkReader32& buffer) {
+uint32_t SkPath::readFromMemory(const void* storage) {
+    SkRBuffer   buffer(storage);
     fPts.setCount(buffer.readS32());
     fVerbs.setCount(buffer.readS32());
     uint32_t packed = buffer.readS32();
@@ -1706,11 +1716,13 @@
     fSegmentMask = packed & 0xFF;
     buffer.read(fPts.begin(), sizeof(SkPoint) * fPts.count());
     buffer.read(fVerbs.begin(), fVerbs.count());
+    buffer.skipToAlign4();
 
     GEN_ID_INC;
     DIRTY_AFTER_EDIT;
 
     SkDEBUGCODE(this->validate();)
+    return buffer.pos();
 }
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/core/SkRegion.cpp b/src/core/SkRegion.cpp
index e403b19..ce5ed8a 100644
--- a/src/core/SkRegion.cpp
+++ b/src/core/SkRegion.cpp
@@ -1076,7 +1076,7 @@
 
 #include "SkBuffer.h"
 
-uint32_t SkRegion::flatten(void* storage) const {
+uint32_t SkRegion::writeToMemory(void* storage) const {
     if (NULL == storage) {
         uint32_t size = sizeof(int32_t); // -1 (empty), 0 (rect), runCount
         if (!this->isEmpty()) {
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@
     return buffer.pos();
 }
 
-uint32_t SkRegion::unflatten(const void* storage) {
+uint32_t SkRegion::readFromMemory(const void* storage) {
     SkRBuffer   buffer(storage);
     SkRegion    tmp;
     int32_t     count;
diff --git a/src/pipe/SkGPipeRead.cpp b/src/pipe/SkGPipeRead.cpp
index ddc0cc4..85f46fd 100644
--- a/src/pipe/SkGPipeRead.cpp
+++ b/src/pipe/SkGPipeRead.cpp
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@
 static void clipPath_rp(SkCanvas* canvas, SkReader32* reader, uint32_t op32,
                         SkGPipeState* state) {
     SkPath path;
-    path.unflatten(*reader);
+    reader->readPath(&path);
     canvas->clipPath(path, (SkRegion::Op)DrawOp_unpackData(op32),
                      reader->readBool());
 }
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@
 static void drawPath_rp(SkCanvas* canvas, SkReader32* reader, uint32_t op32,
                         SkGPipeState* state) {
     SkPath path;
-    path.unflatten(*reader);
+    reader->readPath(&path);
     canvas->drawPath(path, state->paint());
 }
 
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@
     const void* text = reader->skip(SkAlign4(len));
 
     SkPath path;
-    path.unflatten(*reader);
+    reader->readPath(&path);
 
     SkMatrix matrixStorage;
     const SkMatrix* matrix = NULL;
diff --git a/src/pipe/SkGPipeWrite.cpp b/src/pipe/SkGPipeWrite.cpp
index 5d35988..24ca0ea 100644
--- a/src/pipe/SkGPipeWrite.cpp
+++ b/src/pipe/SkGPipeWrite.cpp
@@ -43,22 +43,6 @@
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static size_t estimateFlattenSize(const SkPath& path) {
-    int n = path.countPoints();
-    size_t bytes = 3 * sizeof(int32_t);
-    bytes += n * sizeof(SkPoint);
-    bytes += SkAlign4(n + 2);    // verbs: add 2 for move/close extras
-
-#ifdef SK_DEBUG
-    {
-        SkWriter32 writer(1024);
-        path.flatten(writer);
-        SkASSERT(writer.size() <= bytes);
-    }
-#endif
-    return bytes;
-}
-
 static size_t writeTypeface(SkWriter32* writer, SkTypeface* typeface) {
     SkASSERT(typeface);
     SkDynamicMemoryWStream stream;
@@ -449,7 +433,7 @@
 bool SkGPipeCanvas::concat(const SkMatrix& matrix) {
     if (!matrix.isIdentity()) {
         NOTIFY_SETUP(this);
-        if (this->needOpBytes(matrix.flatten(NULL))) {
+        if (this->needOpBytes(matrix.writeToMemory(NULL))) {
             this->writeOp(kConcat_DrawOp);
             fWriter.writeMatrix(matrix);
         }
@@ -459,7 +443,7 @@
 
 void SkGPipeCanvas::setMatrix(const SkMatrix& matrix) {
     NOTIFY_SETUP(this);
-    if (this->needOpBytes(matrix.flatten(NULL))) {
+    if (this->needOpBytes(matrix.writeToMemory(NULL))) {
         this->writeOp(kSetMatrix_DrawOp);
         fWriter.writeMatrix(matrix);
     }
@@ -480,9 +464,9 @@
 bool SkGPipeCanvas::clipPath(const SkPath& path, SkRegion::Op rgnOp,
                              bool doAntiAlias) {
     NOTIFY_SETUP(this);
-    if (this->needOpBytes(estimateFlattenSize(path)) + sizeof(bool)) {
+    if (this->needOpBytes(path.writeToMemory(NULL)) + sizeof(bool)) {
         this->writeOp(kClipPath_DrawOp, 0, rgnOp);
-        path.flatten(fWriter);
+        fWriter.writePath(path);
         fWriter.writeBool(doAntiAlias);
     }
     // we just pass on the bounds of the path
@@ -491,7 +475,7 @@
 
 bool SkGPipeCanvas::clipRegion(const SkRegion& region, SkRegion::Op rgnOp) {
     NOTIFY_SETUP(this);
-    if (this->needOpBytes(region.flatten(NULL))) {
+    if (this->needOpBytes(region.writeToMemory(NULL))) {
         this->writeOp(kClipRegion_DrawOp, 0, rgnOp);
         fWriter.writeRegion(region);
     }
@@ -547,9 +531,9 @@
 void SkGPipeCanvas::drawPath(const SkPath& path, const SkPaint& paint) {
     NOTIFY_SETUP(this);
     this->writePaint(paint);
-    if (this->needOpBytes(estimateFlattenSize(path))) {
+    if (this->needOpBytes(path.writeToMemory(NULL))) {
         this->writeOp(kDrawPath_DrawOp);
-        path.flatten(fWriter);
+        fWriter.writePath(path);
     }
 }
 
@@ -696,10 +680,10 @@
     if (byteLength) {
         NOTIFY_SETUP(this);
         unsigned flags = 0;
-        size_t size = 4 + SkAlign4(byteLength) + estimateFlattenSize(path);
+        size_t size = 4 + SkAlign4(byteLength) + path.writeToMemory(NULL);
         if (matrix) {
             flags |= kDrawTextOnPath_HasMatrix_DrawOpFlag;
-            size += matrix->flatten(NULL);
+            size += matrix->writeToMemory(NULL);
         }
         this->writePaint(paint);
         if (this->needOpBytes(size)) {
@@ -708,7 +692,7 @@
             fWriter.write32(byteLength);
             fWriter.writePad(text, byteLength);
 
-            path.flatten(fWriter);
+            fWriter.writePath(path);
             if (matrix) {
                 fWriter.writeMatrix(*matrix);
             }
diff --git a/tests/MatrixTest.cpp b/tests/MatrixTest.cpp
index 979f6ce..60f4831 100644
--- a/tests/MatrixTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/MatrixTest.cpp
@@ -84,19 +84,19 @@
 static void test_flatten(skiatest::Reporter* reporter, const SkMatrix& m) {
     // add 100 in case we have a bug, I don't want to kill my stack in the test
     char buffer[SkMatrix::kMaxFlattenSize + 100];
-    uint32_t size1 = m.flatten(NULL);
-    uint32_t size2 = m.flatten(buffer);
+    uint32_t size1 = m.writeToMemory(NULL);
+    uint32_t size2 = m.writeToMemory(buffer);
     REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 == size2);
     REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 <= SkMatrix::kMaxFlattenSize);
     
     SkMatrix m2;
-    uint32_t size3 = m2.unflatten(buffer);
-    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 == size2);
+    uint32_t size3 = m2.readFromMemory(buffer);
+    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 == size3);
     REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, are_equal(reporter, m, m2));
     
     char buffer2[SkMatrix::kMaxFlattenSize + 100];
-    size3 = m2.flatten(buffer2);
-    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 == size2);
+    size3 = m2.writeToMemory(buffer2);
+    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 == size3);
     REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, memcmp(buffer, buffer2, size1) == 0);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/PathTest.cpp b/tests/PathTest.cpp
index 21f78bf..ff12e8e 100644
--- a/tests/PathTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/PathTest.cpp
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@
     p.cubicTo(pts[4], pts[5], pts[6]);
 
     SkWriter32 writer(100);
-    p.flatten(writer);
+    writer.writePath(p);
     size_t size = writer.size();
     SkAutoMalloc storage(size);
     writer.flatten(storage.get());
@@ -708,8 +708,25 @@
 
     SkPath p1;
     REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, p1 != p);
-    p1.unflatten(reader);
+    reader.readPath(&p1);
     REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, p1 == p);
+
+    // create a buffer that should be much larger than the path so we don't
+    // kill our stack if writer goes too far.
+    char buffer[1024];
+    uint32_t size1 = p.writeToMemory(NULL);
+    uint32_t size2 = p.writeToMemory(buffer);
+    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 == size2);
+
+    SkPath p2;
+    uint32_t size3 = p2.readFromMemory(buffer);
+    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 == size3);
+    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, p == p2);
+
+    char buffer2[1024];
+    size3 = p2.writeToMemory(buffer2);
+    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, size1 == size3);
+    REPORTER_ASSERT(reporter, memcmp(buffer, buffer2, size1) == 0);
 }
 
 static void test_transform(skiatest::Reporter* reporter) {