diff --git a/linker_script.cc b/linker_script.cc
index 8a67d694..5d52d6d2 100644
--- a/linker_script.cc
+++ b/linker_script.cc
@@ -60,19 +60,19 @@ static ArrayRef<StringRef> read_output_format(ArrayRef<StringRef> tok) {
   return tok.slice(1);
 }
 
-static std::string resolve_path(StringRef str) {
+static MemoryBufferRef resolve_path(StringRef str) {
   if (str.startswith("/"))
-    return (config.sysroot + str).str();
+    return must_open_input_file(config.sysroot + str);
   if (str.startswith("-l"))
     return find_library(str.substr(2));
   if (std::string path = (script_dir + "/" + str).str(); fs::exists(path))
-    return path;
-  if (fs::exists(str))
-    return str.str();
+    return must_open_input_file(path);
+  if (MemoryBufferRef *mb = open_input_file(str))
+    return *mb;
   for (StringRef dir : config.library_paths) {
     std::string root = dir.startswith("/") ? config.sysroot : "";
-    if (std::string path = (root + dir + "/" + str).str(); fs::exists(path))
-      return path;
+    if (MemoryBufferRef *mb = open_input_file(root + dir + "/" + str))
+      return *mb;
   }
   error("library not found: " + str);
 }
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 3c2859ed..9ef045b1 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -116,12 +116,10 @@ static std::vector<MemoryBufferRef> get_archive_members(MemoryBufferRef mb) {
   return vec;
 }
 
-void read_file(StringRef path) {
-  path = *new std::string(path);
-
+MemoryBufferRef *open_input_file(const Twine &path) {
   int fd = open(path.str().c_str(), O_RDONLY);
   if (fd == -1)
-    error("cannot open " + path);
+    return nullptr;
 
   struct stat st;
   if (fstat(fd, &st) == -1)
@@ -132,12 +130,22 @@ void read_file(StringRef path) {
     error(path + ": mmap failed: " + strerror(errno));
   close(fd);
 
-  auto &mb = *new MemoryBufferRef(StringRef((char *)addr, st.st_size), path);
+  return new MemoryBufferRef(StringRef((char *)addr, st.st_size),
+                             *new std::string(path.str()));
+}
 
+MemoryBufferRef must_open_input_file(const Twine &path) {
+  MemoryBufferRef *mb = open_input_file(path);
+  if (!mb)
+    error("cannot open " + path);
+  return *mb;
+}
+
+void read_file(MemoryBufferRef mb) {
   switch (identify_magic(mb.getBuffer())) {
   case file_magic::archive:
     for (MemoryBufferRef member : get_archive_members(mb))
-      out::files.push_back(new ObjectFile(member, path));
+      out::files.push_back(new ObjectFile(member, mb.getBufferIdentifier()));
     break;
   case file_magic::elf_relocatable:
   case file_magic::elf_shared_object:
@@ -147,7 +155,7 @@ void read_file(StringRef path) {
     parse_linker_script(mb.getBufferIdentifier(), mb.getBuffer());
     break;
   default:
-    error(path + ": unknown file type");
+    error(mb.getBufferIdentifier() + ": unknown file type");
   }
 }
 
@@ -641,15 +649,15 @@ static int parse_filler(opt::InputArgList &args) {
   return (u8)ret;
 }
 
-std::string find_library(StringRef name) {
+MemoryBufferRef find_library(const Twine &name) {
   for (StringRef dir : config.library_paths) {
     std::string root = dir.startswith("/") ? config.sysroot : "";
     std::string stem = (root + dir + "/lib" + name).str();
     if (!config.is_static)
-      if (fs::exists(stem + ".so"))
-        return stem + ".so";
-    if (fs::exists(stem + ".a"))
-      return stem + ".a";
+      if (MemoryBufferRef *mb = open_input_file(stem + ".so"))
+        return *mb;
+    if (MemoryBufferRef *mb = open_input_file(stem + ".a"))
+      return *mb;
   }
   error("library not found: " + name);
 }
@@ -684,7 +692,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     for (auto *arg : args) {
       switch (arg->getOption().getID()) {
       case OPT_INPUT:
-        read_file(arg->getValue());
+        read_file(must_open_input_file(arg->getValue()));
         break;
       case OPT_library:
         read_file(find_library(arg->getValue()));
diff --git a/mold.h b/mold.h
index f60014cd..cc273756 100644
--- a/mold.h
+++ b/mold.h
@@ -849,5 +849,7 @@ void print_map(ArrayRef<ObjectFile *> files, ArrayRef<OutputChunk *> output_sect
 // main.cc
 //
 
-std::string find_library(StringRef name);
-void read_file(StringRef path);
+MemoryBufferRef find_library(const Twine &path);
+MemoryBufferRef *open_input_file(const Twine &path);
+MemoryBufferRef must_open_input_file(const Twine &path);
+void read_file(MemoryBufferRef mb);