diff --git a/src/lib.zig b/src/lib.zig
index 7f1d00c68ae334c7d01eab02b7a9c3c165d38ba7..9652d8214220a454ca07618f792457a6fb64ad01 100644
--- a/src/lib.zig
+++ b/src/lib.zig
@@ -301,6 +301,10 @@ pub fn writeEnumBig(writer: anytype, comptime E: type, value: E) !void {
     try writer.writeIntBig(@typeInfo(E).Enum.tag_type, @enumToInt(value));
 }
 
+pub fn readEnumBig(reader: anytype, comptime E: type) !E {
+    return @intToEnum(E, try reader.readIntBig(@typeInfo(E).Enum.tag_type));
+}
+
 pub fn readExpected(reader: anytype, expected: []const u8) !bool {
     for (expected) |item, i| {
         const actual = try reader.readByte();