diff --git a/src/tape/helpers/blocked_reader.rs b/src/tape/helpers/blocked_reader.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5ee090dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tape/helpers/blocked_reader.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,309 @@
+use std::io::Read;
+
+use crate::tape::{
+    TapeRead,
+    tape_device_read_block,
+    file_formats::{
+        PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_HEADER_MAGIC_1_0,
+        BlockHeader,
+        BlockHeaderFlags,
+    },
+};
+
+/// Read a block stream generated by 'BlockWriter'.
+///
+/// This class implements 'TapeRead'. It always read whole blocks from
+/// the underlying reader, and does additional error checks:
+///
+/// - check magic number (detect streams not written by 'BlockWriter')
+/// - check block size
+/// - check block sequence numbers
+///
+/// The reader consumes the EOF mark after the data stream (if read to
+/// the end of the stream).
+pub struct BlockedReader<R> {
+    reader: R,
+    buffer: Box<BlockHeader>,
+    seq_nr: u32,
+    found_end_marker: bool,
+    incomplete: bool,
+    got_eod: bool,
+    read_error: bool,
+    read_pos: usize,
+}
+
+impl <R: Read> BlockedReader<R> {
+
+    /// Create a new BlockedReader instance.
+    ///
+    /// This tries to read the first block, and returns None if we are
+    /// at EOT.
+    pub fn open(mut reader: R) -> Result<Option<Self>, std::io::Error> {
+
+        let mut buffer = BlockHeader::new();
+
+        if !Self::read_block_frame(&mut buffer, &mut reader)? {
+            return Ok(None);
+        }
+
+        let (_size, found_end_marker) = Self::check_buffer(&buffer, 0)?;
+
+        let mut incomplete = false;
+        if found_end_marker {
+            incomplete = buffer.flags.contains(BlockHeaderFlags::INCOMPLETE);
+        }
+        Ok(Some(Self {
+            reader,
+            buffer,
+            found_end_marker,
+            incomplete,
+            seq_nr: 1,
+            got_eod: false,
+            read_error: false,
+            read_pos: 0,
+        }))
+    }
+
+    fn check_buffer(buffer: &BlockHeader, seq_nr: u32) -> Result<(usize, bool), std::io::Error> {
+
+        if buffer.magic != PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_HEADER_MAGIC_1_0 {
+            proxmox::io_bail!("detected tape block with wrong magic number - not written by proxmox tape");
+        }
+
+        if seq_nr != buffer.seq_nr() {
+            proxmox::io_bail!(
+                "detected tape block with wrong seqence number ({} != {})",
+                seq_nr, buffer.seq_nr())
+        }
+
+        let size = buffer.size();
+        let found_end_marker = buffer.flags.contains(BlockHeaderFlags::END_OF_STREAM);
+
+        if size > buffer.payload.len() {
+            proxmox::io_bail!("detected tape block with wrong payload size ({} > {}", size, buffer.payload.len());
+        } else if size == 0 {
+            if !found_end_marker{
+                proxmox::io_bail!("detected tape block with zero payload size");
+            }
+        }
+
+
+        Ok((size, found_end_marker))
+    }
+
+    fn read_block_frame(buffer: &mut BlockHeader, reader: &mut R) -> Result<bool, std::io::Error> {
+
+        let data = unsafe {
+            std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(
+                (buffer as *mut BlockHeader) as *mut u8,
+                BlockHeader::SIZE,
+            )
+        };
+
+        tape_device_read_block(reader, data)
+    }
+
+    fn read_block(&mut self) -> Result<usize, std::io::Error> {
+
+        if !Self::read_block_frame(&mut self.buffer, &mut self.reader)? {
+            self.got_eod = true;
+            self.read_pos = self.buffer.payload.len();
+            if !self.found_end_marker {
+                proxmox::io_bail!("detected tape stream without end marker");
+            }
+            return Ok(0); // EOD
+        }
+
+        let (size, found_end_marker) = Self::check_buffer(&self.buffer, self.seq_nr)?;
+        self.seq_nr += 1;
+
+        if found_end_marker { // consume EOF mark
+            self.found_end_marker = true;
+            self.incomplete = self.buffer.flags.contains(BlockHeaderFlags::INCOMPLETE);
+            let mut tmp_buf = [0u8; 512]; // use a small buffer for testing EOF
+            if tape_device_read_block(&mut self.reader, &mut tmp_buf)? {
+                proxmox::io_bail!("detected tape block after stream end marker");
+            } else {
+                self.got_eod = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        self.read_pos = 0;
+
+        Ok(size)
+    }
+}
+
+impl <R: Read> TapeRead for BlockedReader<R> {
+
+    fn is_incomplete(&self) -> Result<bool, std::io::Error> {
+        if !self.got_eod {
+            proxmox::io_bail!("is_incomplete failed: EOD not reached");
+        }
+        if !self.found_end_marker {
+            proxmox::io_bail!("is_incomplete failed: no end marker found");
+        }
+
+        Ok(self.incomplete)
+    }
+
+    fn has_end_marker(&self) -> Result<bool, std::io::Error> {
+        if !self.got_eod {
+            proxmox::io_bail!("has_end_marker failed: EOD not reached");
+        }
+
+        Ok(self.found_end_marker)
+    }
+}
+
+impl <R: Read> Read for BlockedReader<R> {
+
+    fn read(&mut self, buffer: &mut [u8]) -> Result<usize, std::io::Error> {
+
+         if self.read_error {
+            proxmox::io_bail!("detected read after error - internal error");
+        }
+
+        let mut buffer_size = self.buffer.size();
+        let mut rest = (buffer_size as isize) - (self.read_pos as isize);
+
+        if rest <= 0 && !self.got_eod { // try to refill buffer
+            buffer_size = match self.read_block() {
+                Ok(len) => len,
+                err => {
+                    self.read_error = true;
+                    return err;
+                }
+            };
+            rest = buffer_size as isize;
+        }
+
+        if rest <= 0 {
+            return Ok(0);
+        } else {
+            let copy_len = if (buffer.len() as isize) < rest {
+                buffer.len()
+            } else {
+                rest as usize
+            };
+            buffer[..copy_len].copy_from_slice(
+                &self.buffer.payload[self.read_pos..(self.read_pos + copy_len)]);
+            self.read_pos += copy_len;
+            return Ok(copy_len);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use std::io::Read;
+    use anyhow::Error;
+    use crate::tape::{
+        TapeWrite,
+        file_formats::PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_SIZE,
+        helpers::{
+            BlockedReader,
+            BlockedWriter,
+        },
+    };
+
+    fn write_and_verify(data: &[u8]) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+        let mut tape_data = Vec::new();
+
+        let mut writer = BlockedWriter::new(&mut tape_data);
+
+        writer.write_all(data)?;
+
+        writer.finish(false)?;
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            tape_data.len(),
+            ((data.len() + PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_SIZE)/PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_SIZE)
+                *PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_SIZE
+        );
+
+        let reader = &mut &tape_data[..];
+        let mut reader = BlockedReader::open(reader)?.unwrap();
+
+        let mut read_data = Vec::with_capacity(PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_SIZE);
+        reader.read_to_end(&mut read_data)?;
+
+        assert_eq!(data.len(), read_data.len());
+
+        assert_eq!(data, &read_data[..]);
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_stream() -> Result<(), Error> {
+        write_and_verify(b"")
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn small_data() -> Result<(), Error> {
+        write_and_verify(b"ABC")
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn large_data() -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let data = proxmox::sys::linux::random_data(1024*1024*5)?;
+        write_and_verify(&data)
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_data() -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let tape_data = Vec::new();
+        let reader = &mut &tape_data[..];
+        let reader = BlockedReader::open(reader)?;
+        assert!(reader.is_none());
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_end_marker() -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let mut tape_data = Vec::new();
+        {
+            let mut writer = BlockedWriter::new(&mut tape_data);
+            // write at least one block
+            let data = proxmox::sys::linux::random_data(PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_SIZE)?;
+            writer.write_all(&data)?;
+            // but do not call finish here
+        }
+        let reader = &mut &tape_data[..];
+        let mut reader = BlockedReader::open(reader)?.unwrap();
+
+        let mut data = Vec::with_capacity(PROXMOX_TAPE_BLOCK_SIZE);
+        assert!(reader.read_to_end(&mut data).is_err());
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn small_read_buffer() -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let mut tape_data = Vec::new();
+
+        let mut writer = BlockedWriter::new(&mut tape_data);
+
+        writer.write_all(b"ABC")?;
+
+        writer.finish(false)?;
+
+        let reader = &mut &tape_data[..];
+        let mut reader = BlockedReader::open(reader)?.unwrap();
+
+        let mut buf = [0u8; 1];
+        assert_eq!(reader.read(&mut buf)?, 1, "wrong byte count");
+        assert_eq!(&buf, b"A");
+        assert_eq!(reader.read(&mut buf)?, 1, "wrong byte count");
+        assert_eq!(&buf, b"B");
+        assert_eq!(reader.read(&mut buf)?, 1, "wrong byte count");
+        assert_eq!(&buf, b"C");
+        assert_eq!(reader.read(&mut buf)?, 0, "wrong byte count");
+        assert_eq!(reader.read(&mut buf)?, 0, "wrong byte count");
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/tape/helpers/blocked_writer.rs b/src/tape/helpers/blocked_writer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c51beedc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tape/helpers/blocked_writer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+use std::io::Write;
+
+use proxmox::tools::vec;
+
+use crate::tape::{
+    TapeWrite,
+    tape_device_write_block,
+    file_formats::{
+        BlockHeader,
+        BlockHeaderFlags,
+    },
+};
+
+/// Assemble and write blocks of data
+///
+/// This type implement 'TapeWrite'. Data written is assembled to
+/// equally sized blocks (see 'BlockHeader'), which are then written
+/// to the underlying writer.
+pub struct BlockedWriter<W> {
+    writer: W,
+    buffer: Box<BlockHeader>,
+    buffer_pos: usize,
+    seq_nr: u32,
+    logical_end_of_media: bool,
+    bytes_written: usize,
+}
+
+impl <W: Write> BlockedWriter<W> {
+
+    /// Allow access to underlying writer
+    pub fn writer_ref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut W {
+        &mut self.writer
+    }
+
+    /// Creates a new instance.
+    pub fn new(writer: W) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            writer,
+            buffer: BlockHeader::new(),
+            buffer_pos: 0,
+            seq_nr: 0,
+            logical_end_of_media: false,
+            bytes_written: 0,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn write_block(buffer: &BlockHeader, writer: &mut W) -> Result<bool, std::io::Error> {
+
+        let data = unsafe {
+            std::slice::from_raw_parts(
+                (buffer as *const BlockHeader) as *const u8,
+                BlockHeader::SIZE,
+            )
+        };
+        tape_device_write_block(writer, data)
+    }
+
+    fn write(&mut self, data: &[u8]) -> Result<usize, std::io::Error> {
+
+        if data.is_empty() { return Ok(0); }
+
+        let rest = self.buffer.payload.len() - self.buffer_pos;
+        let bytes = if data.len() < rest { data.len() } else { rest };
+        self.buffer.payload[self.buffer_pos..(self.buffer_pos+bytes)]
+            .copy_from_slice(&data[..bytes]);
+
+        let rest = rest - bytes;
+
+        if rest == 0 {
+            self.buffer.flags = BlockHeaderFlags::empty();
+            self.buffer.set_size(self.buffer.payload.len());
+            self.buffer.set_seq_nr(self.seq_nr);
+            self.seq_nr += 1;
+            let leom = Self::write_block(&self.buffer, &mut self.writer)?;
+            if leom { self.logical_end_of_media = true; }
+            self.buffer_pos = 0;
+            self.bytes_written += BlockHeader::SIZE;
+
+        } else {
+            self.buffer_pos = self.buffer_pos + bytes;
+        }
+
+        Ok(bytes)
+    }
+
+}
+
+impl <W: Write> TapeWrite for BlockedWriter<W> {
+
+    fn write_all(&mut self, mut data: &[u8]) -> Result<bool, std::io::Error> {
+        while !data.is_empty() {
+            match self.write(data) {
+                Ok(n) => data = &data[n..],
+                Err(e) => return Err(e),
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(self.logical_end_of_media)
+    }
+
+    fn bytes_written(&self) -> usize {
+        self.bytes_written
+    }
+
+    /// flush last block, set END_OF_STREAM flag
+    ///
+    /// Note: This may write an empty block just including the
+    /// END_OF_STREAM flag.
+    fn finish(&mut self, incomplete: bool) -> Result<bool, std::io::Error> {
+        vec::clear(&mut self.buffer.payload[self.buffer_pos..]);
+        self.buffer.flags = BlockHeaderFlags::END_OF_STREAM;
+        if incomplete { self.buffer.flags |= BlockHeaderFlags::INCOMPLETE; }
+        self.buffer.set_size(self.buffer_pos);
+        self.buffer.set_seq_nr(self.seq_nr);
+        self.seq_nr += 1;
+        self.bytes_written += BlockHeader::SIZE;
+        Self::write_block(&self.buffer, &mut self.writer)
+    }
+
+    /// Returns if the writer already detected the logical end of media
+    fn logical_end_of_media(&self) -> bool {
+        self.logical_end_of_media
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/tape/helpers/mod.rs b/src/tape/helpers/mod.rs
index 66c8fea9..9186c5db 100644
--- a/src/tape/helpers/mod.rs
+++ b/src/tape/helpers/mod.rs
@@ -3,3 +3,9 @@ pub use emulate_tape_writer::*;
 
 mod emulate_tape_reader;
 pub use emulate_tape_reader::*;
+
+mod blocked_reader;
+pub use blocked_reader::*;
+
+mod blocked_writer;
+pub use blocked_writer::*;