diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index abcfd14ee..c9c98cede 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -490,6 +490,24 @@ Returns `null` if committing failed.
 
 Same as [`core.session(options)`](#const-session--coresessionoptions), but backed by a storage snapshot so will not truncate nor append.
 
+#### `const readBatch = core.read()`
+
+Create a read batch.
+
+Reads made on the batch shall be condensed into a single read transaction on the underlying storage.
+
+Any blocks that are not in storage shall be fetched via replication, unless otherwise specified.
+
+#### `const promise = readBatch.get(index, opts)`
+
+Request a block from the read batch. `promise` shall resolve with the block or `null` after the batch is flushed.
+
+`opts` are identical to the `get` API.
+
+#### `readBatch.tryFlush()`
+
+Flush the read batch, any gets made on the batch will only resolve _after_ calling `tryFlush`.
+
 #### `const info = await core.info([options])`
 
 Get information about this core, such as its total size in bytes.
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 7ab24f8a6..86fd156c2 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ const Info = require('./lib/info')
 const Download = require('./lib/download')
 const DefaultEncryption = require('./lib/default-encryption')
 const caps = require('./lib/caps')
+const ReadBatch = require('./lib/read-batch')
 const Replicator = require('./lib/replicator')
 const { manifestHash, createManifest } = require('./lib/verifier')
 const { ReadStream, WriteStream, ByteStream } = require('./lib/streams')
@@ -87,6 +88,8 @@ class Hypercore extends EventEmitter {
     this._findingPeers = 0
     this._active = opts.weak ? !!opts.active : opts.active !== false
 
+    this._readBatches = []
+
     this._sessionIndex = -1
     this._stateIndex = -1 // maintained by session state
     this._monitorIndex = -1 // maintained by replication state
@@ -449,6 +452,10 @@ class Hypercore extends EventEmitter {
 
     if (this.closed === true) return
 
+    for (const batch of this._readBatches.slice()) {
+      batch.destroy()
+    }
+
     this.core.removeMonitor(this)
     this.state.removeSession(this)
     this._removeSession()
@@ -755,6 +762,20 @@ class Hypercore extends EventEmitter {
     return count === end - start
   }
 
+  read() {
+    const read = new ReadBatch(this)
+    read.index = this._readBatches.push(read) - 1
+
+    return read
+  }
+
+  _removeReadBatch(batch) {
+    const last = this._readBatches.pop()
+    if (last === batch) return
+    this._readBatches[batch.index] = last
+    last.index = batch.index
+  }
+
   async get(index, opts) {
     if (this.opened === false) await this.opening
     if (!isValidIndex(index)) throw ASSERTION('block index is invalid', this.discoveryKey)
@@ -762,18 +783,23 @@ class Hypercore extends EventEmitter {
     if (this.closing !== null)
       throw SESSION_CLOSED('cannot get on a closed session', this.discoveryKey)
 
-    const encoding =
-      (opts && opts.valueEncoding && c.from(opts.valueEncoding)) || this.valueEncoding
-
     if (this.onseq !== null) this.onseq(index, this)
 
     const req = this._get(index, opts)
 
     let block = await req
+
+    return this._handleBlock(index, block, opts)
+  }
+
+  async _handleBlock(index, block, opts) {
     if (!block) return null
 
     if (opts && opts.raw) return block
 
+    const encoding =
+      (opts && opts.valueEncoding && c.from(opts.valueEncoding)) || this.valueEncoding
+
     if (this.encryption && (!opts || opts.decrypt !== false)) {
       // Copy the block as it might be shared with other sessions.
       block = b4a.from(block)
diff --git a/lib/read-batch.js b/lib/read-batch.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..839109b47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/read-batch.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+const { ASSERTION } = require('hypercore-errors')
+
+module.exports = class ReadBatch {
+  constructor(core) {
+    this.core = core
+    this.rx = core.state.storage.read()
+
+    this.reads = new Map()
+    this.index = -1
+
+    this.destroyed = false
+  }
+
+  async destroy() {
+    this.core._removeReadBatch(this)
+    this.destroyed = true
+    this.rx.destroy()
+  }
+
+  async get(index, opts = {}) {
+    if (!isValidIndex(index)) throw ASSERTION('block index is invalid', this.discoveryKey)
+
+    if (this.core.onseq !== null) this.core.onseq(index, this.core)
+
+    const block = await this._get(index)
+    if (this.destroyed) return null
+
+    if (block) return this.core._handleBlock(index, block, opts)
+
+    return this.core.get(index, opts)
+  }
+
+  _get(index) {
+    if (this.reads.has(index)) return this.reads.get(index)
+
+    const promise = this.rx.getBlock(index)
+    this.reads.set(index, promise)
+
+    return promise
+  }
+
+  tryFlush() {
+    this.rx.tryFlush()
+    this.core._removeReadBatch(this)
+  }
+}
+
+function isValidIndex(index) {
+  return index === 0 || index > 0
+}
diff --git a/test/read-batch.js b/test/read-batch.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd06f0288
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/read-batch.js
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+const test = require('brittle')
+const b4a = require('b4a')
+const HypercoreStorage = require('hypercore-storage')
+const crypto = require('hypercore-crypto')
+
+const Hypercore = require('../')
+const { create, replicate, eventFlush } = require('./helpers')
+
+test('basic', async function (t) {
+  const core = await create(t)
+
+  await core.append('hello')
+  await core.append('world')
+
+  t.is(core.length, 2)
+
+  const read = core.read()
+
+  const b0 = read.get(0)
+  const b1 = read.get(1)
+
+  read.tryFlush()
+
+  t.alike(await b0, b4a.from('hello'))
+  t.alike(await b1, b4a.from('world'))
+})
+
+test('replication', async function (t) {
+  const core = await create(t)
+  const other = await create(t, core.key)
+
+  await core.append('hello')
+  await core.append('world')
+
+  t.is(core.length, 2)
+
+  replicate(core, other, t)
+
+  const read = other.read()
+
+  const b0 = read.get(0)
+  const b1 = read.get(1, { wait: false })
+
+  read.tryFlush()
+
+  t.alike(await b0, b4a.from('hello'))
+  t.alike(await b1, null)
+})
+
+test('mixed replication', async function (t) {
+  const core = await create(t)
+  const other = await create(t, core.key)
+
+  await core.append('hello')
+  await core.append('world')
+
+  t.is(core.length, 2)
+
+  replicate(core, other, t)
+
+  t.alike(await other.get(0), b4a.from('hello'))
+
+  const read = other.read()
+
+  const b0 = read.get(0)
+  const b1 = read.get(1)
+
+  read.tryFlush()
+
+  t.alike(await b0, b4a.from('hello'))
+  t.alike(await b1, b4a.from('world'))
+})
+
+test('destroy', async function (t) {
+  const core = await create(t)
+  const other = await create(t, core.key)
+
+  await core.append('hello')
+  await core.append('world')
+
+  t.is(core.length, 2)
+
+  replicate(core, other, t)
+
+  t.alike(await other.get(0), b4a.from('hello'))
+
+  const read = other.read()
+
+  const exception = t.exception(read.get(0), /Batch is destroyed/)
+
+  read.destroy()
+
+  await exception
+
+  await t.execution(other.close())
+})