diff --git a/src/apps/bin/keymap/Keymap.cpp b/src/apps/bin/keymap/Keymap.cpp
index 917c681fa9..dbf2dedc7d 100644
--- a/src/apps/bin/keymap/Keymap.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/bin/keymap/Keymap.cpp
@@ -265,6 +265,9 @@ Keymap::Load(entry_ref &ref)
 	
 	for (uint32 i=0; i<sizeof(fKeys)/4; i++)
 		((uint32*)&fKeys)[i] = B_BENDIAN_TO_HOST_INT32(((uint32*)&fKeys)[i]);
+
+	if (fKeys.version != 3)
+		return B_ERROR;
 	
 	if (file.Read(&fCharsSize, sizeof(uint32)) < (ssize_t)sizeof(uint32)) {
 		return B_BAD_VALUE;
@@ -276,7 +279,7 @@ Keymap::Load(entry_ref &ref)
 	fChars = new char[fCharsSize];
 	if ((unsigned)file.Read(fChars, fCharsSize) != fCharsSize)
 		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-	
+
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/apps/bin/keymap/key_map.cpp b/src/apps/bin/keymap/key_map.cpp
index ee37605a39..a3100b4c40 100644
--- a/src/apps/bin/keymap/key_map.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/bin/keymap/key_map.cpp
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ static const char *sProgramName = __progname;
 static void
 usage(void)
 {
-	printf("usage: %s {-o output_file} -[d|l|r|c]\n"
+	printf("usage: %s {-o output_file} -[d|l|r|c|b input_file]\n"
 		"  -d  dump key map to standard output\n"
 		"  -l  load key map from standard input\n"
+		"  -b  load binary key map from file\n"
 		"  -r  restore system default key map\n"
 		"  -c  compile source keymap to binary\n"
 		"  -h  compile source keymap to header\n"
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				keymap.SaveAsCurrent();
 				printf("Key map loaded.\n");
 				return 0;
-			}
+			} 
 		} else {
 			if (operation == 'o') {
 				get_ref_for_path(argv[i], &outputRef);
@@ -91,6 +92,17 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				keymap.Dump();
 		       	 	keymap.SaveAsHeader(outputRef);
 		        	return 0;
+			} else if (operation == 'b') {
+				entry_ref ref;
+				get_ref_for_path(argv[i], &ref);
+				Keymap keymap;
+				if (keymap.Load(ref)!=B_OK) {
+					printf("error when loading the keymap\n");
+					return 1;
+				}
+				keymap.SaveAsCurrent();
+				printf("Key map loaded.\n");
+				return 0;
             		} else 
 				break;
 		}