diff --git a/libp2p/chronosstream.nim b/libp2p/chronosstream.nim
index 736d74fa9..98b16123b 100644
--- a/libp2p/chronosstream.nim
+++ b/libp2p/chronosstream.nim
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@
 ## those terms.
 
 import chronos
-import readerwriter
+import stream
 
-type ChronosStream* = ref object of ReadWrite
+type ChronosStream* = ref object of LPStream
     reader: AsyncStreamReader
     writer: AsyncStreamWriter
     server: StreamServer
diff --git a/libp2p/connection.nim b/libp2p/connection.nim
index 2cf952777..c0c29f6c7 100644
--- a/libp2p/connection.nim
+++ b/libp2p/connection.nim
@@ -8,16 +8,16 @@
 ## those terms.
 
 import chronos
-import peerinfo, multiaddress, readerwriter, peerinfo, varint, vbuffer
+import peerinfo, multiaddress, stream, peerinfo, varint, vbuffer
 
 const DefaultReadSize: uint = 64*1024
 
 type
-  Connection* = ref object of ReadWrite
+  Connection* = ref object of LPStream
     peerInfo*: PeerInfo
-    stream: ReadWrite
+    stream: LPStream
 
-proc newConnection*(stream: ReadWrite): Connection =
+proc newConnection*(stream: LPStream): Connection =
   ## create a new Connection for the specified async reader/writer
   new result
   result.stream = stream
diff --git a/libp2p/stream.nim b/libp2p/stream.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e5f65443f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libp2p/stream.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+## Nim-LibP2P
+## Copyright (c) 2018 Status Research & Development GmbH
+## Licensed under either of
+##  * Apache License, version 2.0, ([LICENSE-APACHE](LICENSE-APACHE))
+##  * MIT license ([LICENSE-MIT](LICENSE-MIT))
+## at your option.
+## This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed except according to
+## those terms.
+
+import chronos
+
+type LPStream* = ref object of RootObj
+  closed*: bool
+
+method read*(s: LPStream, n = -1): Future[seq[byte]]
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
+
+method readExactly*(s: LPStream, pbytes: pointer, nbytes: int): Future[void]
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
+
+method readLine*(s: LPStream, limit = 0, sep = "\r\n"): Future[string]
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
+
+method readOnce*(s: LPStream, pbytes: pointer, nbytes: int): Future[int]
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
+
+method readUntil*(s: LPStream,
+                  pbytes: pointer, nbytes: int,
+                  sep: seq[byte]): Future[int]
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
+
+method write*(s: LPStream, pbytes: pointer, nbytes: int)
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
+
+method write*(s: LPStream, msg: string, msglen = -1)
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
+
+method write*(s: LPStream, msg: seq[byte], msglen = -1)
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
+
+method close*(s: LPStream)
+  {.base, async.} =
+  discard
diff --git a/libp2p/transport.nim b/libp2p/transport.nim
index f1c5a368e..3fc580c75 100644
--- a/libp2p/transport.nim
+++ b/libp2p/transport.nim
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 ## those terms.
 
 import chronos
-import peerinfo, connection, multiaddress, multicodec, readerwriter
+import peerinfo, connection, multiaddress, multicodec
 
 type
   ConnHandler* = proc (conn: Connection): Future[void] {.gcsafe.}
diff --git a/tests/testmultistreamselect.nim b/tests/testmultistreamselect.nim
index 383a5ba9c..d189344cd 100644
--- a/tests/testmultistreamselect.nim
+++ b/tests/testmultistreamselect.nim
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import unittest, strutils, sequtils, sugar
 import chronos
 import ../libp2p/connection, ../libp2p/multistreamselect,
-  ../libp2p/readerwriter, ../libp2p/connection, ../libp2p/multiaddress,
+  ../libp2p/stream, ../libp2p/connection, ../libp2p/multiaddress,
   ../libp2p/transport, ../libp2p/tcptransport
 
 ## Mock stream for select test
 type
-  TestSelectStream = ref object of ReadWrite
+  TestSelectStream = ref object of LPStream
     step*: int
 
 method readExactly*(s: TestSelectStream,
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ proc newTestSelectStream(): TestSelectStream =
 
 ## Mock stream for handles test
 type
-  TestHandlesStream = ref object of ReadWrite
+  TestHandlesStream = ref object of LPStream
     step*: int
 
 method readExactly*(s: TestHandlesStream,
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ proc newTestHandlesStream(): TestHandlesStream =
 type
   LsHandler = proc(procs: seq[byte]): Future[void]
 
-  TestLsStream = ref object of ReadWrite
+  TestLsStream = ref object of LPStream
     step*: int
     ls*: LsHandler
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ proc newTestLsStream(ls: LsHandler): TestLsStream =
 type
   NaHandler = proc(procs: string): Future[void]
 
-  TestNaStream = ref object of ReadWrite
+  TestNaStream = ref object of LPStream
     step*: int
     na*: NaHandler