diff --git a/drgn/coredump.py b/drgn/coredump.py
index 9ce8c057..3497440f 100644
--- a/drgn/coredump.py
+++ b/drgn/coredump.py
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@ class CoredumpObject:
 
     def _member(self, name):
         if isinstance(self._real_type, PointerType):
-            buffer = self._coredump.read(self._address, self._real_type.sizeof())
-            address = self._real_type.read(buffer)
+            address = self._value()
             type_ = self._real_type.type
         else:
             address = self._address
@@ -62,6 +61,18 @@ class CoredumpObject:
             raise ValueError('type must be Type, TypeName, or string')
         return CoredumpObject(self._coredump, self._address, type)
 
+    def _containerof(self, type, member):
+        if isinstance(type, TypeName):
+            type = self._coredump._type_factory.from_type_name(type)
+        elif isinstance(type, str):
+            type = self._coredump._type_factory.from_type_string(type)
+        elif not isinstance(type, Type):
+            raise ValueError('type must be Type, TypeName, or string')
+        if not isinstance(self._real_type, PointerType):
+            raise ValueError('containerof is only valid on pointers')
+        address = self._value() - type.offsetof(member)
+        return CoredumpObject(self._coredump, address, type)
+
     def __getitem__(self, item):
         if isinstance(self._real_type, PointerType):
             buffer = self._coredump.read(self._address, self._real_type.sizeof())
@@ -102,7 +113,6 @@ class Coredump:
         return os.pread(self._core_file.fileno(), size,
                         phdr.p_offset + address - phdr.p_vaddr)
 
-
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         address = self.symbols[key][-1].address
         dwarf_type = self._dwarf_index.find_variable(key).type()