diff --git a/core_backup.c b/core_backup.c
index 7c678cee85..10d8628bb6 100644
--- a/core_backup.c
+++ b/core_backup.c
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ bool core_backup_get_backup_crc(char *s, uint32_t *crc)
             /* Open backup file */
             backup_file = intfstream_open_file(
                   s, RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_READ,
-                  RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_HINT_NONE);
+                  RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_HINT_FREQUENT_ACCESS);
 
             if (backup_file)
             {
diff --git a/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c b/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
index 06d3d96eb1..d87044b315 100644
--- a/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
+++ b/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
@@ -285,8 +285,12 @@ uint32_t netplay_content_crc(void)
       }
       else
       {
+         /* The whole content file, hashed once at session start:
+          * FREQUENT_ACCESS so the VFS maps it where it can and the
+          * CRC is folded from the mapping rather than read out. */
          intfstream_t *fd = intfstream_open_file(path,
-               RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_READ, RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_HINT_NONE);
+               RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_READ,
+               RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_HINT_FREQUENT_ACCESS);
          if (fd)
          {
             if (!intfstream_get_crc(fd, &crc))
diff --git a/tasks/task_core_backup.c b/tasks/task_core_backup.c
index fd708479cc..6e31443ed0 100644
--- a/tasks/task_core_backup.c
+++ b/tasks/task_core_backup.c
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ static void task_core_restore_handler(retro_task_t *task)
                if (!(backup_handle->backup_file = intfstream_open_file(
                            backup_handle->backup_path,
                            RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_READ,
-                           RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_HINT_NONE)))
+                           RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_HINT_FREQUENT_ACCESS)))
                {
                   RARCH_ERR("[Core Restore] Failed to determine CRC of core backup file: \"%s\".\n",
                         backup_handle->backup_path);
diff --git a/tasks/task_core_updater.c b/tasks/task_core_updater.c
index 5ea67efd72..9576efb5fd 100644
--- a/tasks/task_core_updater.c
+++ b/tasks/task_core_updater.c
@@ -263,9 +263,11 @@ static bool task_core_updater_crc_step(core_crc_slice_t *slice,
    if (!slice->active)
    {
       slice->accumulator = 0;
+      /* FREQUENT_ACCESS: mapped where the VFS can, and each
+       * crc_step() then folds from the mapping without a read. */
       if (!(slice->file = intfstream_open_file(core_path,
                   RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_READ,
-                  RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_HINT_NONE)))
+                  RETRO_VFS_FILE_ACCESS_HINT_FREQUENT_ACCESS)))
       {
          *crc = 0;
          return true;