diff --git a/Headers/Foundation/NSStream.h b/Headers/Foundation/NSStream.h
index db35716c8..9f8a3b80d 100644
--- a/Headers/Foundation/NSStream.h
+++ b/Headers/Foundation/NSStream.h
@@ -160,6 +160,12 @@ typedef NSUInteger NSStreamEvent;
  */
 + (id) inputStreamWithFileAtPath: (NSString *)path;
  
+/**
+ * Creates and returns an initialized NSInputStream object that reads data from 
+ * the specified URL.
+ */
++ (id) inputStreamWithURL: (NSURL *)url;
+
 /**
  * Returns a pointer to the read buffer in buffer and, by reference, the number 
  * of bytes available in len.
@@ -184,6 +190,12 @@ typedef NSUInteger NSStreamEvent;
  */
 - (id) initWithFileAtPath: (NSString *)path;
 
+/**
+ * Returns an initialized NSInputStream object for reading from the
+ * specified URL.
+ */
+- (id) initWithURL: (NSURL *)url;
+
 /**
  * Reads up to len bytes into buffer, returning the actual number of bytes read.
  */
diff --git a/Source/unix/NSStream.m b/Source/unix/NSStream.m
index 4ef99747d..b0fd9421d 100644
--- a/Source/unix/NSStream.m
+++ b/Source/unix/NSStream.m
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #import "Foundation/NSValue.h"
 #import "Foundation/NSHost.h"
 #import "Foundation/NSByteOrder.h"
+#import "Foundation/NSURL.h"
 #import "GNUstepBase/NSObject+GNUstepBase.h"
 
 #import "../GSPrivate.h"
@@ -507,6 +508,15 @@
   return AUTORELEASE([[GSFileInputStream alloc] initWithFileAtPath: path]);
 }
 
++ (id) inputStreamWithURL: (NSURL *)url
+{
+  if ([url isFileURL])
+    {
+      return [self inputStreamWithFileAtPath: [url path]];
+    }
+  return [self inputStreamWithData: [url resourceDataUsingCache: YES]];
+}
+
 - (BOOL) getBuffer: (uint8_t **)buffer length: (NSUInteger *)len
 {
   [self subclassResponsibility: _cmd];
@@ -531,6 +541,17 @@
   return [[GSFileInputStream alloc] initWithFileAtPath: path];
 }
 
+- (id) initWithURL: (NSURL *)url
+{
+  DESTROY(self);
+  if ([url isFileURL])
+    {
+      return [[GSFileInputStream alloc] initWithFileAtPath: [url path]];
+    }
+  return [[GSDataInputStream alloc]
+    initWithData: [url resourceDataUsingCache: YES]];
+}
+
 - (NSInteger) read: (uint8_t *)buffer maxLength: (NSUInteger)len
 {
   [self subclassResponsibility: _cmd];
diff --git a/Source/win32/NSStream.m b/Source/win32/NSStream.m
index ee82db361..b4388fc5a 100644
--- a/Source/win32/NSStream.m
+++ b/Source/win32/NSStream.m
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #import "Foundation/NSHost.h"
 #import "Foundation/NSProcessInfo.h"
 #import "Foundation/NSByteOrder.h"
+#import "Foundation/NSURL.h"
 #import "GNUstepBase/NSObject+GNUstepBase.h"
 
 #import "../GSPrivate.h"
@@ -1202,6 +1203,15 @@ done:
   return AUTORELEASE([[GSFileInputStream alloc] initWithFileAtPath: path]);
 }
 
++ (id) inputStreamWithURL: (NSURL *)url
+{
+  if ([url isFileURL])
+    {
+      return [self inputStreamWithFileAtPath: [url path]];
+    }
+  return [self inputStreamWithData: [url resourceDataUsingCache: YES]];
+}
+
 - (BOOL) getBuffer: (uint8_t **)buffer length: (NSUInteger *)len
 {
   [self subclassResponsibility: _cmd];
@@ -1226,6 +1236,17 @@ done:
   return [[GSFileInputStream alloc] initWithFileAtPath: path];
 }
 
+- (id) initWithURL: (NSURL *)url
+{
+  DESTROY(self);
+  if ([url isFileURL])
+    {
+      return [[GSFileInputStream alloc] initWithFileAtPath: [url path]];
+    }
+  return [[GSDataInputStream alloc]
+    initWithData: [url resourceDataUsingCache: YES]];
+}
+
 - (NSInteger) read: (uint8_t *)buffer maxLength: (NSUInteger)len
 {
   [self subclassResponsibility: _cmd];