diff --git a/src/fs/io/BufferedReader.cxx b/src/fs/io/BufferedReader.cxx
index 9ad7bdbc3..c233a7423 100644
--- a/src/fs/io/BufferedReader.cxx
+++ b/src/fs/io/BufferedReader.cxx
@@ -53,6 +53,19 @@ BufferedReader::Fill(bool need_more)
 	return true;
 }
 
+void *
+BufferedReader::ReadFull(size_t size)
+{
+	while (true) {
+		auto r = Read();
+		if (r.size >= size)
+			return r.data;
+
+		if (!Fill(true))
+			throw std::runtime_error("Premature end of file");
+	}
+}
+
 size_t
 BufferedReader::ReadFromBuffer(WritableBuffer<void> dest)
 {
diff --git a/src/fs/io/BufferedReader.hxx b/src/fs/io/BufferedReader.hxx
index 6d6bd5431..fcbef0f11 100644
--- a/src/fs/io/BufferedReader.hxx
+++ b/src/fs/io/BufferedReader.hxx
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ public:
 		return buffer.Read().ToVoid();
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Read a buffer of exactly the given size (without consuming
+	 * it).  Throws std::runtime_error if not enough data is
+	 * available.
+	 */
+	gcc_pure
+	void *ReadFull(size_t size);
+
 	void Consume(size_t n) {
 		buffer.Consume(n);
 	}