diff --git a/src/utility/stream.cpp b/src/utility/stream.cpp
index 06d4ba27..15c2e8eb 100644
--- a/src/utility/stream.cpp
+++ b/src/utility/stream.cpp
@@ -127,6 +127,13 @@ const stream::size_type inputStreamAdapter::read
 }
 
 
+const stream::size_type inputStreamAdapter::skip(const size_type count)
+{
+	m_stream.ignore(count);
+	return (m_stream.gcount());
+}
+
+
 
 // inputStreamStringAdapter
 
@@ -175,6 +182,22 @@ const stream::size_type inputStreamStringAdapter::read
 }
 
 
+const stream::size_type inputStreamStringAdapter::skip(const size_type count)
+{
+	if (m_pos + count >= m_end)
+	{
+		const size_type remaining = m_end - m_pos;
+		m_pos = m_end;
+		return (remaining);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		m_pos += count;
+		return (count);
+	}
+}
+
+
 
 // inputStreamStringProxyAdapter
 
@@ -216,6 +239,23 @@ const stream::size_type inputStreamStringProxyAdapter::read
 }
 
 
+const stream::size_type inputStreamStringProxyAdapter::skip(const size_type count)
+{
+	const size_type remaining = m_buffer.length() - m_pos;
+
+	if (count > remaining)
+	{
+		m_pos = m_buffer.length();
+		return (remaining);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		m_pos += count;
+		return (count);
+	}
+}
+
+
 
 // inputStreamPointerAdapter
 
@@ -253,5 +293,12 @@ const stream::size_type inputStreamPointerAdapter::read
 }
 
 
+const stream::size_type inputStreamPointerAdapter::skip(const size_type count)
+{
+	m_stream->ignore(count);
+	return (m_stream->gcount());
+}
+
+
 } // utility
 } // vmime
diff --git a/src/utility/stream.hpp b/src/utility/stream.hpp
index 8f8de54c..a34e6153 100644
--- a/src/utility/stream.hpp
+++ b/src/utility/stream.hpp
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ public:
 	  * @return number of bytes read
 	  */
 	virtual const size_type read(value_type* const data, const size_type count) = 0;
+
+	/** Skip a number of bytes.
+	  *
+	  * @param count maximum number of bytes to ignore
+	  * @return number of bytes skipped
+	  */
+	virtual const size_type skip(const size_type count) = 0;
 };
 
 
@@ -179,6 +186,7 @@ public:
 	const bool eof() const;
 	void reset();
 	const size_type read(value_type* const data, const size_type count);
+	const size_type skip(const size_type count);
 
 private:
 
@@ -199,6 +207,7 @@ public:
 	const bool eof() const;
 	void reset();
 	const size_type read(value_type* const data, const size_type count);
+	const size_type skip(const size_type count);
 
 private:
 
@@ -223,6 +232,7 @@ public:
 	const bool eof() const;
 	void reset();
 	const size_type read(value_type* const data, const size_type count);
+	const size_type skip(const size_type count);
 
 private:
 
@@ -248,6 +258,7 @@ public:
 	const bool eof() const;
 	void reset();
 	const size_type read(value_type* const data, const size_type count);
+	const size_type skip(const size_type count);
 
 private: