diff --git a/base/mf_readfile.sas b/base/mf_readfile.sas
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa7fd97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/mf_readfile.sas
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/**
+  @file
+  @brief Reads the first line of a file using pure macro
+  @details Reads the first line of a file and returns it.  Future versions may
+  read each line into a macro variable array.
+
+  Generally, reading data into macro variables is not great as certain
+  nonprintable characters (such as CR, LF) may be dropped in the conversion.
+
+    Usage:
+
+        %mf_writefile(&sasjswork/myfile.txt,l1=some content,l2=more content)
+
+        %put %mf_readfile(&sasjswork/myfile.txt);
+
+
+  @param [in] fpath Full path to file to be read
+
+  <h4> Related Macros </h4>
+  @li mf_deletefile.sas
+  @li mf_writefile.sas
+  @li mf_readfile.test.sas
+
+  @version 9.2
+  @author Allan Bowe
+**/
+/** @cond */
+
+%macro mf_readfile(fpath
+)/*/STORE SOURCE*/;
+%local fref rc fid fcontent;
+
+/* check file exists */
+%if %sysfunc(filename(fref,&fpath)) ne 0 %then %do;
+  %put &=fref &=fpath;
+  %put %str(ERR)OR: %sysfunc(sysmsg());
+  %return;
+%end;
+
+%let fid=%sysfunc(fopen(&fref,I));
+
+%if &fid=0 %then %do;
+  %put %str(ERR)OR: %sysfunc(sysmsg());
+  %return;
+%end;
+
+%if %sysfunc(fread(&fid)) = 0 %then %do;
+  %let rc=%sysfunc(fget(&fid,fcontent,65534));
+  &fcontent
+%end;
+
+/*
+%do %while(%sysfunc(fread(&fid)) = 0);
+  %let rc=%sysfunc(fget(&fid,fcontent,65534));
+  &fcontent
+%end;
+*/
+
+%let rc=%sysfunc(fclose(&fid));
+%let rc=%sysfunc(filename(&fref));
+
+%mend mf_readfile;
+/** @endcond */
diff --git a/tests/base/mf_readfile.test.sas b/tests/base/mf_readfile.test.sas
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92bc354
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/base/mf_readfile.test.sas
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/**
+  @file
+  @brief Testing mf_readfile.sas macro
+
+  <h4> SAS Macros </h4>
+  @li mf_readfile.sas
+  @li mp_assert.sas
+
+**/
+
+%let f=&sasjswork/myfile.txt;
+
+%mf_writefile(&f,l1=some content,l2=more content)
+data _null_;
+  infile "&f";
+  input;
+  putlog _infile_;
+run;
+
+%mp_assert(
+  iftrue=(&syscc=0),
+  desc=Check code ran without errors,
+  outds=work.test_results
+)
+%mp_assert(
+  iftrue=(&f=some content),
+  desc=Checking first line was ingested successfully,
+  outds=work.test_results
+)