diff --git a/frame/base/bl2_mem.c b/frame/base/bl2_mem.c
index 8eb05d229..2fff14497 100644
--- a/frame/base/bl2_mem.c
+++ b/frame/base/bl2_mem.c
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ void bl2_mm_acquire_v( num_t  dt,
 
 	bl2_mem_set_buffer( buf, mem );
 
+	bl2_mem_set_dims_alloc( m, 1, mem );
 	bl2_mem_set_dims( m, 1, mem );
 }
 
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ void bl2_mm_acquire_m( num_t  dt,
 
 	bl2_mem_set_buffer( buf, mem );
 
+	bl2_mem_set_dims_alloc( m, n, mem );
 	bl2_mem_set_dims( m, n, mem );
 }
 
@@ -132,6 +134,7 @@ void bl2_mm_release( mem_t* mem )
 	bl2_mem_set_buffer( NULL, mem );
 
 	// Set the dimensions to zero (just because we are polite).
+	bl2_mem_set_dims_alloc( 0, 0, mem );
 	bl2_mem_set_dims( 0, 0, mem );
 }
 
diff --git a/frame/base/bl2_obj.c b/frame/base/bl2_obj.c
index 11fe2e498..557bb26a9 100644
--- a/frame/base/bl2_obj.c
+++ b/frame/base/bl2_obj.c
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ void bl2_obj_print( char* label, obj_t* obj )
 {
 	FILE*  file     = stdout;
 	mem_t* pack_mem = bl2_obj_pack_mem( *obj );
-	mem_t* cast_mem = bl2_obj_cast_mem( *obj );
+	//mem_t* cast_mem = bl2_obj_cast_mem( *obj );
 
 	if ( bl2_error_checking_is_enabled() )
 		bl2_obj_print_check( label, obj );
@@ -486,14 +486,16 @@ void bl2_obj_print( char* label, obj_t* obj )
 	fprintf( file, " elem size       %lu\n", bl2_obj_elem_size( *obj ) );
 	fprintf( file, " rs, cs          %lu, %lu\n", bl2_obj_row_stride( *obj ),
 	                                              bl2_obj_col_stride( *obj ) );
-	fprintf( file, " cast_mem          \n" );
-	fprintf( file, " - buf           %p\n",  bl2_mem_buffer( cast_mem ) );
-	fprintf( file, " - m             %lu\n", bl2_mem_length( cast_mem ) );
-	fprintf( file, " - n             %lu\n", bl2_mem_width( cast_mem ) );
+	//fprintf( file, " cast_mem          \n" );
+	//fprintf( file, " - buf           %p\n",  bl2_mem_buffer( cast_mem ) );
+	//fprintf( file, " - m             %lu\n", bl2_mem_length( cast_mem ) );
+	//fprintf( file, " - n             %lu\n", bl2_mem_width( cast_mem ) );
 	fprintf( file, " pack_mem          \n" );
 	fprintf( file, " - buf           %p\n",  bl2_mem_buffer( pack_mem ) );
-	fprintf( file, " - m             %lu\n", bl2_mem_length( pack_mem ) );
-	fprintf( file, " - n             %lu\n", bl2_mem_width( pack_mem ) );
+	fprintf( file, " - m allocated   %lu\n", bl2_mem_length_alloc( pack_mem ) );
+	fprintf( file, " - n allocated   %lu\n", bl2_mem_width_alloc( pack_mem ) );
+	fprintf( file, " - m used        %lu\n", bl2_mem_length( pack_mem ) );
+	fprintf( file, " - n used        %lu\n", bl2_mem_width( pack_mem ) );
 	fprintf( file, " ps              %lu\n", bl2_obj_panel_stride( *obj ) );
 	fprintf( file, "\n" );
 
diff --git a/frame/include/bl2_mem_macro_defs.h b/frame/include/bl2_mem_macro_defs.h
index 59076c31d..b6a4a1b18 100644
--- a/frame/include/bl2_mem_macro_defs.h
+++ b/frame/include/bl2_mem_macro_defs.h
@@ -50,6 +50,14 @@
 \
 	( (mem_p)->n )
 
+#define bl2_mem_length_alloc( mem_p ) \
+\
+	( (mem_p)->m_alloc )
+
+#define bl2_mem_width_alloc( mem_p ) \
+\
+	( (mem_p)->n_alloc )
+
 #define bl2_mem_is_alloc( mem_p ) \
 \
 	( bl2_mem_buffer( mem_p ) != NULL )
@@ -82,4 +90,20 @@
     bl2_mem_set_width( n0, mem_p ); \
 }
 
+#define bl2_mem_set_length_alloc( m0, mem_p ) \
+{ \
+    mem_p->m_alloc = m0; \
+}
+
+#define bl2_mem_set_width_alloc( n0, mem_p ) \
+{ \
+    mem_p->n_alloc = n0; \
+}
+
+#define bl2_mem_set_dims_alloc( m0, n0, mem_p ) \
+{ \
+    bl2_mem_set_length_alloc( m0, mem_p ); \
+    bl2_mem_set_width_alloc( n0, mem_p ); \
+}
+
 #endif 
diff --git a/frame/include/bl2_obj_macro_defs.h b/frame/include/bl2_obj_macro_defs.h
index 6eca7b553..8bc0f4282 100644
--- a/frame/include/bl2_obj_macro_defs.h
+++ b/frame/include/bl2_obj_macro_defs.h
@@ -860,20 +860,31 @@ bl2_obj_width_stored( obj )
 	m_needed = bl2_align_dim( m, mult_m, elem_size ); \
 	n_needed = bl2_align_dim( n, mult_n, elem_size ); \
 \
-	/* If the pack_mem buffer is NULL, or if it is non-NULL but currently too
-	   small for the matrix represented by obj, we set a flag to allocate a
-	   memory region. (In the latter case, we first release the previous
-	   buffer.) If neither of those conditions is met, then we can assume
-	   the buffer exists and is sufficiently large. */ \
-	if ( bl2_mem_buffer( mem_p ) == NULL ) \
+	if ( bl2_mem_is_unalloc( mem_p ) ) \
 	{ \
+		/* If the mem_t object is currently unallocated (NULL), mark it for
+		   allocation. */ \
 		needs_alloc = TRUE; \
 	} \
 	else \
 	{ \
-		if ( bl2_mem_length( mem_p ) < m_needed || \
-		     bl2_mem_width( mem_p )  < n_needed ) \
+		if ( m_needed <= bl2_mem_length_alloc( mem_p ) && \
+		     n_needed <= bl2_mem_width_alloc( mem_p )  )  \
 		{ \
+			/* If the mem_t object is currently allocated, AND what is
+			   allocated and available is equal to or larger than what is
+			   needed, then set the dimensions according to how much we
+			   need. This allows us to avoid unnecessarily releasing and
+			   re-allocating when all we need is a subset of what is already
+			   available. */ \
+			bl2_mem_set_dims( m_needed, n_needed, mem_p ); \
+			needs_alloc = FALSE; \
+		} \
+		else if ( bl2_mem_length_alloc( mem_p ) < m_needed || \
+		          bl2_mem_width_alloc( mem_p )  < n_needed )  \
+		{ \
+			/* If the mem_t object is currently allocated and smaller than is
+			   needed, release the memory and mark for re-allocation. */ \
 			bl2_mm_release( mem_p ); \
 			needs_alloc = TRUE; \
 		} \
@@ -888,8 +899,8 @@ bl2_obj_width_stored( obj )
 		bl2_mm_acquire_m( dt, m_needed, n_needed, mem_p ); \
 	} \
 \
-	/* Grab the buffer from the mem_t object and copy it to the main object
-	   buffer. */ \
+	/* Grab the buffer address from the mem_t object and copy it to the main
+	   object buffer. */ \
 	buf = bl2_mem_buffer( mem_p ); \
 	bl2_obj_set_buffer( buf, obj ); \
 } \
@@ -914,12 +925,27 @@ bl2_obj_width_stored( obj )
 \
 	if ( bl2_mem_is_unalloc( mem_p ) ) \
 	{ \
+		/* If the mem_t object is currently unallocated (NULL), mark it for
+		   allocation. */ \
 		needs_alloc = TRUE; \
 	} \
 	else \
 	{ \
-		if ( bl2_mem_length( mem_p ) < m_needed ) \
+		if ( m_needed <= bl2_mem_length_alloc( mem_p ) ) \
 		{ \
+			/* If the mem_t object is currently allocated, AND what is
+			   allocated and available is equal to or larger than what is
+			   needed, then set the dimension according to how much we
+			   need. This allows us to avoid unnecessarily releasing and
+			   re-allocating when all we need is a subset of what is already
+			   available. */ \
+			bl2_mem_set_dims( m_needed, 1, mem_p ); \
+			needs_alloc = FALSE; \
+		} \
+		if ( bl2_mem_length_alloc( mem_p ) < m_needed ) \
+		{ \
+			/* If the mem_t object is currently allocated and smaller than is
+			   needed, release the memory and mark for re-allocation. */ \
 			bl2_mm_release( mem_p ); \
 			needs_alloc = TRUE; \
 		} \
@@ -934,8 +960,8 @@ bl2_obj_width_stored( obj )
 		bl2_mm_acquire_v( dt, m_needed, mem_p ); \
 	} \
 \
-	/* Grab the buffer from the mem_t object and copy it to the main object
-	   buffer. */ \
+	/* Grab the buffer address from the mem_t object and copy it to the main
+	   object buffer. */ \
 	buf = bl2_mem_buffer( mem_p ); \
 	bl2_obj_set_buffer( buf, obj ); \
 } \
diff --git a/frame/include/bl2_type_defs.h b/frame/include/bl2_type_defs.h
index cc4ee3549..ba5c7e3af 100644
--- a/frame/include/bl2_type_defs.h
+++ b/frame/include/bl2_type_defs.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ typedef struct mem_s
 	void*  buf;
 	dim_t  m;
 	dim_t  n;
+	dim_t  m_alloc;
+	dim_t  n_alloc;
 } mem_t;
 
 // Blocksize object type