diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/io/StreamUtil.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/io/StreamUtil.java
index 58d387ec..9adfea0c 100644
--- a/src/java/com/samskivert/io/StreamUtil.java
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/io/StreamUtil.java
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 
 package com.samskivert.io;
 
-import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
+import java.io.Reader;
+import java.io.Writer;
 
 import com.samskivert.Log;
 
@@ -23,8 +25,7 @@ public class StreamUtil
             try {
                 in.close();
             } catch (IOException ioe) {
-                Log.warning("Error closing input stream [stream=" + in +
-                    ", cause=" + ioe + "].");
+                Log.warning("Error closing input stream [stream=" + in + ", cause=" + ioe + "].");
             }
         }
     }
@@ -38,8 +39,35 @@ public class StreamUtil
             try {
                 out.close();
             } catch (IOException ioe) {
-                Log.warning("Error closing output stream [stream=" + out +
-                    ", cause=" + ioe + "].");
+                Log.warning("Error closing output stream [stream=" + out + ", cause=" + ioe + "].");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Convenient close for a reader. Use in a finally clause and love life.
+     */
+    public static void close (Reader in)
+    {
+        if (in != null) {
+            try {
+                in.close();
+            } catch (IOException ioe) {
+                Log.warning("Error closing input reader [reader=" + in + ", cause=" + ioe + "].");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Convenient close for a writer. Use in a finally clause and love life.
+     */
+    public static void close (Writer out)
+    {
+        if (out != null) {
+            try {
+                out.close();
+            } catch (IOException ioe) {
+                Log.warning("Error closing output writer [writer=" + out + ", cause=" + ioe + "].");
             }
         }
     }