diff --git a/igor2/packed.py b/igor2/packed.py
index 15c8cdf..caf413a 100644
--- a/igor2/packed.py
+++ b/igor2/packed.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 # a later record in the packed file.
 
 
-def load(filename, strict=True, ignore_unknown=True):
+def load(filename, strict=True, ignore_unknown=True, initial_byte_order=None):
     logger.debug('loading a packed experiment file from {}'.format(filename))
     records = []
     if hasattr(filename, 'read'):
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ def load(filename, strict=True, ignore_unknown=True):
     else:
         f = open(filename, 'rb')
     byte_order = None
-    initial_byte_order = '='
+    if initial_byte_order is None:
+        initial_byte_order = '='
     try:
         while True:
             PackedFileRecordHeader.byte_order = initial_byte_order