Index: src/OFStream.h
==================================================================
--- src/OFStream.h
+++ src/OFStream.h
@@ -358,38 +358,70 @@
  *	   stream until the end of the stream is reached.
  */
 - (OFDataArray*)readDataArrayTillEndOfStream;
 
 /**
- * Read until a newline, \\0 or end of stream occurs.
+ * Reads a string with the specified length from the stream. If a \\0 appears in
+ * the stream, the string will be truncated at the \\0 and the rest of the
+ * bytes of the string will be lost. This way, reading from the stream will not
+ * break because of a \\0 because the specified number of bytes is still being
+ * read and only the string gets truncated.
+ *
+ * WARNING: Only call this when you know that enough data is available!
+ *	    Otherwise you will get an exception!
+ *
+ * \param length The length (in bytes) of the string to read from the stream
+ * \return A string with the specified length
+ */
+- (OFString*)readStringWithLength: (size_t)length;
+
+/**
+ * Reads a string with the specified encoding and length from the stream. If a
+ * \\0 appears in the stream, the string will be truncated at the \\0 and the
+ * rest of the bytes of the string will be lost. This way, reading from the
+ * stream will not break because of a \\0 because the specified number of bytes
+ * is still being read and only the string gets truncated.
+ *
+ * WARNING: Only call this when you know that enough data is available!
+ *	    Otherwise you will get an exception!
+ *
+ * \param encoding The encoding of the string to read from the stream
+ * \param length The length (in bytes) of the string to read from the stream
+ * \return A string with the specified length
+ */
+- (OFString*)readStringWithEncoding: (of_string_encoding_t)encoding
+			     length: (size_t)length;
+
+/**
+ * Reads until a newline, \\0 or end of stream occurs.
  *
  * \return The line that was read, autoreleased, or nil if the end of the
  *	   stream has been reached.
  */
 - (OFString*)readLine;
 
 /**
- * Read with the specified encoding until a newline, \\0 or end of stream
+ * Reads with the specified encoding until a newline, \\0 or end of stream
  * occurs.
  *
  * \param encoding The encoding used by the stream
  * \return The line that was read, autoreleased, or nil if the end of the
  *	   stream has been reached.
  */
 - (OFString*)readLineWithEncoding: (of_string_encoding_t)encoding;
 
 /**
- * Read until the specified string or \\0 is found or the end of stream occurs.
+ * Reads until the specified string or \\0 is found or the end of stream occurs.
  *
  * \param delimiter The delimiter
  * \return The line that was read, autoreleased, or nil if the end of the
  *	   stream has been reached.
  */
 - (OFString*)readTillDelimiter: (OFString*)delimiter;
 
 /**
- * Read until the specified string or \\0 is found or the end of stream occurs.
+ * Reads until the specified string or \\0 is found or the end of stream occurs.
  *
  * \param delimiter The delimiter
  * \param encoding The encoding used by the stream
  * \return The line that was read, autoreleased, or nil if the end of the
  *	   stream has been reached.

Index: src/OFStream.m
==================================================================
--- src/OFStream.m
+++ src/OFStream.m
@@ -475,10 +475,36 @@
 		[self freeMemory: buffer];
 	}
 
 	return dataArray;
 }
+
+- (OFString*)readStringWithLength: (size_t)length
+{
+	return [self readStringWithEncoding: OF_STRING_ENCODING_UTF_8
+				     length: length];
+}
+
+- (OFString*)readStringWithEncoding: (of_string_encoding_t)encoding
+			     length: (size_t)length
+{
+	OFString *ret;
+	char *buffer = [self allocMemoryWithSize: length + 1];
+	buffer[length] = 0;
+
+	@try {
+		[self readExactlyNBytes: length
+			     intoBuffer: buffer];
+
+		ret = [OFString stringWithCString: buffer
+					 encoding: encoding];
+	} @finally {
+		[self freeMemory: buffer];
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
 
 - (OFString*)readLine
 {
 	return [self readLineWithEncoding: OF_STRING_ENCODING_UTF_8];
 }