diff --git a/src/core/desktopfilereader.cpp b/src/core/desktopfilereader.cpp
index 13d65a5..aae0f36 100644
--- a/src/core/desktopfilereader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/desktopfilereader.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ DesktopFileReader::DesktopFileReader(boost::filesystem::path path) : DesktopFile
     d->parse(ifs);
 }
 
+DesktopFileReader::DesktopFileReader(std::istream& is) : DesktopFileReader() {
+    d->parse(is);
+}
+
 DesktopFileReader::DesktopFileReader(const DesktopFileReader& other) : DesktopFileReader() {
     d->copyData(other.d);
 }
diff --git a/src/core/desktopfilereader.h b/src/core/desktopfilereader.h
index 058eeca..c13befe 100644
--- a/src/core/desktopfilereader.h
+++ b/src/core/desktopfilereader.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 // system includes
 #include <memory>
+#include <istream>
 
 // library includes
 #include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
@@ -19,6 +20,9 @@ public:
     // construct from path
     explicit DesktopFileReader(boost::filesystem::path path);
 
+    // construct from existing istream
+    explicit DesktopFileReader(std::istream& is);
+
     // copy constructor
     DesktopFileReader(const DesktopFileReader& other);
 
diff --git a/tests/core/test_desktopfilereader.cpp b/tests/core/test_desktopfilereader.cpp
index 98bde08..2f7f6e4 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_desktopfilereader.cpp
+++ b/tests/core/test_desktopfilereader.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@ TEST_F(DesktopFileReaderFixture, testPathConstructor) {
     EXPECT_FALSE(reader.isEmpty());
 }
 
+TEST_F(DesktopFileReaderFixture, testStreamConstructor) {
+    std::stringstream ss;
+    DesktopFileReader reader(ss);
+
+    EXPECT_TRUE(reader.isEmpty());
+}
+
 TEST_F(DesktopFileReaderFixture, testPathConstructorWithEmptyPath) {
     ASSERT_THROW(DesktopFileReader(""), std::invalid_argument);
 }