diff --git a/nodes.py b/nodes.py
index 710cccffe..8f8f90cf6 100644
--- a/nodes.py
+++ b/nodes.py
@@ -1754,57 +1754,49 @@ class LoadImage:
 
         return True
 
-class LoadImageMask:
+
+class LoadImageMask(LoadImage):
     ESSENTIALS_CATEGORY = "Image Tools"
     SEARCH_ALIASES = ["import mask", "alpha mask", "channel mask"]
 
     _color_channels = ["alpha", "red", "green", "blue"]
+
     @classmethod
     def INPUT_TYPES(s):
-        input_dir = folder_paths.get_input_directory()
-        files = [f for f in os.listdir(input_dir) if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(input_dir, f))]
-        return {"required":
-                    {"image": (sorted(files), {"image_upload": True}),
-                     "channel": (s._color_channels, ), }
-                }
+        types = super().INPUT_TYPES()
+        return {
+            "required": {
+                **types["required"],
+                "channel": (s._color_channels, )
+            }
+        }
 
     CATEGORY = "mask"
-
     RETURN_TYPES = ("MASK",)
-    FUNCTION = "load_image"
-    def load_image(self, image, channel):
-        image_path = folder_paths.get_annotated_filepath(image)
-        i = node_helpers.pillow(Image.open, image_path)
-        i = node_helpers.pillow(ImageOps.exif_transpose, i)
-        if i.getbands() != ("R", "G", "B", "A"):
-            if i.mode == 'I':
-                i = i.point(lambda i: i * (1 / 255))
-            i = i.convert("RGBA")
-        mask = None
+    FUNCTION = "load_image_mask"
+
+    def load_image_mask(self, image, channel):
+        image_tensor, mask_tensor = super().load_image(image)
         c = channel[0].upper()
-        if c in i.getbands():
-            mask = np.array(i.getchannel(c)).astype(np.float32) / 255.0
-            mask = torch.from_numpy(mask)
-            if c == 'A':
-                mask = 1. - mask
+
+        if c == 'A':
+            return (mask_tensor,)
+
+        channel_idx = {'R': 0, 'G': 1, 'B': 2}.get(c, 0)
+
+        if channel_idx < image_tensor.shape[-1]:
+            return (image_tensor[..., channel_idx].clone(),)
         else:
-            mask = torch.zeros((64,64), dtype=torch.float32, device="cpu")
-        return (mask.unsqueeze(0),)
+            empty_mask = torch.zeros(
+                image_tensor.shape[:-1],
+                dtype=image_tensor.dtype,
+                device=image_tensor.device
+            )
+            return (empty_mask,)
 
     @classmethod
     def IS_CHANGED(s, image, channel):
-        image_path = folder_paths.get_annotated_filepath(image)
-        m = hashlib.sha256()
-        with open(image_path, 'rb') as f:
-            m.update(f.read())
-        return m.digest().hex()
-
-    @classmethod
-    def VALIDATE_INPUTS(s, image):
-        if not folder_paths.exists_annotated_filepath(image):
-            return "Invalid image file: {}".format(image)
-
-        return True
+        return super().IS_CHANGED(image)
 
 
 class LoadImageOutput(LoadImage):