diff --git a/compiler/semfold.nim b/compiler/semfold.nim
index b134d666d3..020d1e46a7 100644
--- a/compiler/semfold.nim
+++ b/compiler/semfold.nim
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import
   commands, magicsys, modulegraphs, lineinfos, wordrecg
 
 import std/[strutils, math, strtabs]
-from system/memory import nimCStrLen
+#from system/memory import nimCStrLen
 
 when defined(nimPreviewSlimSystem):
   import std/[assertions, formatfloat]
diff --git a/lib/system.nim b/lib/system.nim
index ecc14b2ea7..e51a0965f7 100644
--- a/lib/system.nim
+++ b/lib/system.nim
@@ -1618,7 +1618,7 @@ proc instantiationInfo*(index = -1, fullPaths = false): tuple[
 
 when notJSnotNims:
   import system/ansi_c
-  import system/memory
+  include system/sysmem
 
 when notJSnotNims and defined(nimSeqsV2):
   const nimStrVersion {.core.} = 2
diff --git a/lib/system/memory.nim b/lib/system/memory.nim
index c6c3cb3ab0..72a7b73d2c 100644
--- a/lib/system/memory.nim
+++ b/lib/system/memory.nim
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@
 
 const useLibC = not defined(nimNoLibc)
 
-when useLibC:
-  import ansi_c
+import ansi_c
 
-proc nimCopyMem*(dest, source: pointer, size: Natural) {.nonReloadable, compilerproc, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+proc nimCopyMem*(dest, source: pointer, size: Natural) {.nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
   when useLibC:
     c_memcpy(dest, source, cast[csize_t](size))
   else:
@@ -27,10 +26,10 @@ proc nimSetMem*(a: pointer, v: cint, size: Natural) {.nonReloadable, inline, enf
       a[i] = v
       inc i
 
-proc nimZeroMem*(p: pointer, size: Natural) {.compilerproc, nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+proc nimZeroMem*(p: pointer, size: Natural) {.nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
   nimSetMem(p, 0, size)
 
-proc nimCmpMem*(a, b: pointer, size: Natural): cint {.compilerproc, nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+proc nimCmpMem*(a, b: pointer, size: Natural): cint {.nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
   when useLibC:
     c_memcmp(a, b, cast[csize_t](size))
   else:
@@ -42,7 +41,7 @@ proc nimCmpMem*(a, b: pointer, size: Natural): cint {.compilerproc, nonReloadabl
       if d != 0: return d
       inc i
 
-proc nimCStrLen*(a: cstring): int {.compilerproc, nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+proc nimCStrLen*(a: cstring): int {.nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
   if a.isNil: return 0
   when useLibC:
     cast[int](c_strlen(a))
diff --git a/lib/system/sysmem.nim b/lib/system/sysmem.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c1d1b57138
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/system/sysmem.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+{.push stack_trace: off.}
+
+const useLibC = not defined(nimNoLibc)
+
+proc nimCopyMem(dest, source: pointer, size: Natural) {.nonReloadable, compilerproc, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+  when useLibC:
+    c_memcpy(dest, source, cast[csize_t](size))
+  else:
+    let d = cast[ptr UncheckedArray[byte]](dest)
+    let s = cast[ptr UncheckedArray[byte]](source)
+    var i = 0
+    while i < size:
+      d[i] = s[i]
+      inc i
+
+proc nimSetMem(a: pointer, v: cint, size: Natural) {.nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+  when useLibC:
+    c_memset(a, v, cast[csize_t](size))
+  else:
+    let a = cast[ptr UncheckedArray[byte]](a)
+    var i = 0
+    let v = cast[byte](v)
+    while i < size:
+      a[i] = v
+      inc i
+
+proc nimZeroMem(p: pointer, size: Natural) {.compilerproc, nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+  nimSetMem(p, 0, size)
+
+proc nimCmpMem(a, b: pointer, size: Natural): cint {.compilerproc, nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+  when useLibC:
+    c_memcmp(a, b, cast[csize_t](size))
+  else:
+    let a = cast[ptr UncheckedArray[byte]](a)
+    let b = cast[ptr UncheckedArray[byte]](b)
+    var i = 0
+    while i < size:
+      let d = a[i].cint - b[i].cint
+      if d != 0: return d
+      inc i
+
+proc nimCStrLen*(a: cstring): int {.compilerproc, nonReloadable, inline, enforceNoRaises.} =
+  if a.isNil: return 0
+  when useLibC:
+    cast[int](c_strlen(a))
+  else:
+    var a = cast[ptr byte](a)
+    while a[] != 0:
+      a = cast[ptr byte](cast[uint](a) + 1)
+      inc result
+
+{.pop.}