diff --git a/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid.rb b/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid.rb
index 850b7b4..b60c9a5 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid.rb
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ module Mongo
 
   # WARNING: This class is part of a new, experimental GridFS API. Subject to change.
   class Grid
-    DEFAULT_BUCKET_NAME = 'fs'
+    DEFAULT_FS_NAME = 'fs'
 
-    def initialize(db, bucket_name=DEFAULT_BUCKET_NAME)
+    def initialize(db, fs_name=DEFAULT_FS_NAME)
       check_params(db)
       @db     = db
-      @files  = @db["#{bucket_name}.files"]
-      @chunks = @db["#{bucket_name}.chunks"]
+      @files  = @db["#{fs_name}.files"]
+      @chunks = @db["#{fs_name}.chunks"]
 
       @chunks.create_index([['files_id', Mongo::ASCENDING], ['n', Mongo::ASCENDING]])
     end
diff --git a/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid_file_system.rb b/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid_file_system.rb
index c38c91f..dcfa7f3 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid_file_system.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid_file_system.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module Mongo
   # WARNING: This class is part of a new, experimental GridFS API. Subject to change.
   class GridFileSystem < Grid
 
-    def initialize(db, bucket_name=DEFAULT_BUCKET_NAME)
+    def initialize(db, fs_name=DEFAULT_FS_NAME)
       super
 
       @files.create_index([['filename', 1], ['uploadDate', -1]])
diff --git a/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid_io.rb b/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid_io.rb
index 729b842..6fc16f4 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid_io.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/gridfs/grid_io.rb
@@ -48,20 +48,15 @@ module Mongo
     # @return [String]
     #   the data in the file
     def read(length=nil)
-      return '' if length == 0
-      return read_all if length.nil? && @file_position.zero?
-      buf = ''
-      while true
-        buf << @current_chunk['data'].to_s[@chunk_position..-1]
-        if buf.length >= length
-          return buf[0...length]
-        else
-          @current_chunk = get_chunk(@current_chunk['n'] + 1)
-        end
+      if length == 0
+        return ''
+      elsif length.nil? && @file_position.zero?
+        read_all
+      else
+        read_length(length)
       end
-      buf
     end
-    alias :data :read
+    alias_method :data, :read
 
     # Write the given string (binary) data to the file.
     #
@@ -70,26 +65,17 @@ module Mongo
     #
     # @return [Integer]
     #   the number of bytes written.
-    def write(string)
-      raise GridError, "#{@filename} not opened for write" unless @mode[0] == ?w
-      # Since Ruby 1.9.1 doesn't necessarily store one character per byte.
-      if string.respond_to?(:force_encoding)
-        string.force_encoding("binary")
-      end
-      to_write = string.length
-      while (to_write > 0) do
-        if @current_chunk && @chunk_position == @chunk_size
-          next_chunk_number = @current_chunk['n'] + 1
-          @current_chunk    = create_chunk(next_chunk_number)
+    def write(io)
+      raise GridError, "file not opened for write" unless @mode[0] == ?w
+      if io.is_a? String
+        write_string(io)
+      else
+        length = 0
+        while(string = io.read(@chunk_size))
+          length += write_string(string)
         end
-        chunk_available = @chunk_size - @chunk_position
-        step_size = (to_write > chunk_available) ? chunk_available : to_write
-        @current_chunk['data'] = Binary.new((@current_chunk['data'].to_s << string[-to_write, step_size]).unpack("c*"))
-        @chunk_position += step_size
-        to_write -= step_size
-        save_chunk(@current_chunk)
+        length
       end
-      string.length - to_write
     end
 
     # Position the file pointer at the provided location.
@@ -129,12 +115,12 @@ module Mongo
       @file_position
     end
 
-    # Creates or updates the document storing the chunks' metadata
-    # in the files collection. The file exists only after this method
-    # is called.
+    # Creates or updates the document from the files collection that
+    # stores the chunks' metadata. The file becomes available only after
+    # this method has been called.
     #
-    # This method will be invoked automatically
-    # on GridIO#open. Otherwise, it must be called manually.
+    # This method will be invoked automatically when
+    # on GridIO#open is passed a block. Otherwise, it must be called manually.
     #
     # @return [True]
     def close
@@ -170,7 +156,12 @@ module Mongo
     def get_chunk(n)
       chunk = @chunks.find({'files_id' => @files_id, 'n' => n}).next_document
       @chunk_position = 0
-      chunk || {}
+      chunk
+    end
+
+    def get_chunk_for_read(n)
+      chunk = get_chunk(n)
+      return nil unless chunk
     end
 
     def last_chunk_number
@@ -188,6 +179,58 @@ module Mongo
       buf
     end
 
+    def read_length(length)
+      cache_chunk_data
+      remaining  = (@file_length - @file_position)
+      to_read    = length > remaining ? remaining : length
+      return nil unless remaining > 0
+
+      buf        =  ''
+      while to_read > 0
+        if @chunk_position == @chunk_data_length
+          @current_chunk = get_chunk(@current_chunk['n'] + 1)
+          cache_chunk_data
+        end
+        chunk_remainder = @chunk_data_length - @chunk_position
+        size = (to_read >= chunk_remainder) ? chunk_remainder : to_read
+        buf << @current_chunk_data[@chunk_position, size]
+        to_read         -= size
+        @chunk_position += size
+        @file_position  += size
+      end
+      buf
+    end
+
+    def cache_chunk_data
+      @current_chunk_data = @current_chunk['data'].to_s
+      if @current_chunk_data.respond_to?(:force_encoding)
+        @current_chunk_data.force_encoding("binary")
+      end
+      @chunk_data_length  = @current_chunk['data'].length
+    end
+
+    def write_string(string)
+      # Since Ruby 1.9.1 doesn't necessarily store one character per byte.
+      if string.respond_to?(:force_encoding)
+        string.force_encoding("binary")
+      end
+
+      to_write = string.length
+      while (to_write > 0) do
+        if @current_chunk && @chunk_position == @chunk_size
+          next_chunk_number = @current_chunk['n'] + 1
+          @current_chunk    = create_chunk(next_chunk_number)
+        end
+        chunk_available = @chunk_size - @chunk_position
+        step_size = (to_write > chunk_available) ? chunk_available : to_write
+        @current_chunk['data'] = Binary.new((@current_chunk['data'].to_s << string[-to_write, step_size]).unpack("c*"))
+        @chunk_position += step_size
+        to_write -= step_size
+        save_chunk(@current_chunk)
+      end
+      string.length - to_write
+    end
+
     # Initialize based on whether the supplied file exists.
     def init_read(filesystem, opts)
       if filesystem
diff --git a/test/data/sample_file.pdf b/test/data/sample_file.pdf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4557c48
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/data/sample_file.pdf differ
diff --git a/test/data/small_data.txt b/test/data/small_data.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..82736e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/small_data.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+This is pretty small data
diff --git a/test/test_grid.rb b/test/test_grid.rb
index e27d6f2..5f87c38 100644
--- a/test/test_grid.rb
+++ b/test/test_grid.rb
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ class GridTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   def setup
     @db ||= Connection.new(ENV['MONGO_RUBY_DRIVER_HOST'] || 'localhost',
       ENV['MONGO_RUBY_DRIVER_PORT'] || Connection::DEFAULT_PORT).db('ruby-mongo-test')
-    @files  = @db.collection('test-bucket.files')
-    @chunks = @db.collection('test-bucket.chunks')
+    @files  = @db.collection('test-fs.files')
+    @chunks = @db.collection('test-fs.chunks')
   end
 
   def teardown
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class GridTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   context "A basic grid-stored file" do
     setup do
       @data = "GRIDDATA" * 50000
-      @grid = Grid.new(@db, 'test-bucket')
+      @grid = Grid.new(@db, 'test-fs')
       @id   = @grid.put(@data, 'sample', :metadata => {'app' => 'photos'})
     end
 
@@ -44,4 +44,38 @@ class GridTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  def read_and_write_stream(filename, read_length, opts={})
+    io   = File.open(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'data', filename), 'r')
+    id   = @grid.put(io, filename + read_length.to_s, opts)
+    file = @grid.get(id)
+    io.rewind
+    data = io.read
+    read_data = ""
+    while(chunk = file.read(read_length))
+      read_data << chunk
+    end
+    assert_equal data.length, read_data.length
+  end
+
+  context "Streaming: " do
+    setup do
+      @grid = Grid.new(@db, 'test-fs')
+    end
+
+    should "put and get a small io object with a small chunk size" do
+      read_and_write_stream('small_data.txt', 1, :chunk_size => 2)
+    end
+
+    should "put and get a small io object" do
+      read_and_write_stream('small_data.txt', 1)
+    end
+
+    should "put and get a large io object when reading smaller than the chunk size" do
+      read_and_write_stream('sample_file.pdf', 256 * 1024)
+    end
+
+    should "put and get a large io object when reading larger than the chunk size" do
+      read_and_write_stream('sample_file.pdf', 300 * 1024)
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/test_grid_file_system.rb b/test/test_grid_file_system.rb
index e042cfd..110cb91 100644
--- a/test/test_grid_file_system.rb
+++ b/test/test_grid_file_system.rb
@@ -143,12 +143,12 @@ class GridTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         f.seek(0)
         f.seek(7, IO::SEEK_CUR)
         assert_equal 'w', f.read(1)
-        f.seek(-1, IO::SEEK_CUR)
+        f.seek(-2, IO::SEEK_CUR)
         assert_equal ' ', f.read(1)
         f.seek(-4, IO::SEEK_CUR)
         assert_equal 'l', f.read(1)
         f.seek(3, IO::SEEK_CUR)
-        assert_equal ',', f.read(1)
+        assert_equal 'w', f.read(1)
       end
     end