diff --git a/programs/bpf_loader/src/serialization.rs b/programs/bpf_loader/src/serialization.rs
index b338999504..bc003efd29 100644
--- a/programs/bpf_loader/src/serialization.rs
+++ b/programs/bpf_loader/src/serialization.rs
@@ -136,8 +136,7 @@ pub fn deserialize_parameters_unaligned(
                 let end = start + keyed_account.data_len()?;
                 keyed_account
                     .try_account_ref_mut()?
-                    .data_as_mut_slice()
-                    .clone_from_slice(&buffer[start..end]);
+                    .set_data_from_slice(&buffer[start..end]);
                 start += keyed_account.data_len()? // data
                 + size_of::<Pubkey>() // owner
                 + size_of::<u8>() // executable
@@ -263,12 +262,10 @@ pub fn deserialize_parameters_aligned(
             if post_len != pre_len
                 && (post_len.saturating_sub(pre_len)) <= MAX_PERMITTED_DATA_INCREASE
             {
-                account.data.resize(post_len, 0);
                 data_end = start + post_len;
             }
-            account
-                .data_as_mut_slice()
-                .clone_from_slice(&buffer[start..data_end]);
+
+            account.set_data_from_slice(&buffer[start..data_end]);
             start += pre_len + MAX_PERMITTED_DATA_INCREASE; // data
             start += (start as *const u8).align_offset(align_of::<u128>());
             start += size_of::<u64>(); // rent_epoch
diff --git a/sdk/src/account.rs b/sdk/src/account.rs
index 138d4fbaef..17f3b1a95a 100644
--- a/sdk/src/account.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/account.rs
@@ -394,6 +394,20 @@ impl Account {
 }
 
 impl AccountSharedData {
+    /// make account's data equal to 'data'. This may require resizing and copying data.
+    pub fn set_data_from_slice(&mut self, data: &[u8]) {
+        let len = self.data.len();
+        let len_different = len != data.len();
+        if len_different {
+            // if the resize causes a reallocation and copy, it would be better to create a new copy of the final data
+            //  rather than resize (+ copy current) and then copy over below.
+            // however, the implementation of account's data is soon to be copy on write, so the tradeoffs will soon be different.
+            self.data.resize(data.len(), 0);
+        }
+        // we could compare here to determine whether we need to modify the original data or not. In the current implementation, that would
+        //  not make a positive difference.
+        self.data.copy_from_slice(data);
+    }
     pub fn set_data(&mut self, data: Vec<u8>) {
         self.data = data;
     }
@@ -533,6 +547,27 @@ pub mod tests {
         (account1, account2)
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_account_set_data_from_slice() {
+        let key = Pubkey::new_unique();
+        let (_, mut account) = make_two_accounts(&key);
+        assert_eq!(account.data(), &vec![0, 0]);
+        account.set_data_from_slice(&[1, 2]);
+        assert_eq!(account.data(), &vec![1, 2]);
+        account.set_data_from_slice(&[1, 2, 3]);
+        assert_eq!(account.data(), &vec![1, 2, 3]);
+        account.set_data_from_slice(&[4, 5, 6]);
+        assert_eq!(account.data(), &vec![4, 5, 6]);
+        account.set_data_from_slice(&[4, 5, 6, 0]);
+        assert_eq!(account.data(), &vec![4, 5, 6, 0]);
+        account.set_data_from_slice(&[]);
+        assert_eq!(account.data().len(), 0);
+        account.set_data_from_slice(&[44]);
+        assert_eq!(account.data(), &vec![44]);
+        account.set_data_from_slice(&[44]);
+        assert_eq!(account.data(), &vec![44]);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_account_data_set_data() {
         let key = Pubkey::new_unique();