diff --git a/libs/gst/base/gstadapter.c b/libs/gst/base/gstadapter.c
index 4c69e4d..df5e22e 100644
--- a/libs/gst/base/gstadapter.c
+++ b/libs/gst/base/gstadapter.c
@@ -837,3 +837,124 @@ gst_adapter_masked_scan_uint32 (GstAdapter * adapter, guint32 mask,
   /* nothing found */
   return -1;
 }
+
+/**
+ * gst_adapter_read_valist:
+ * @format: the format of the items to read
+ *
+ * b = byte
+ * w = 16 bits LE
+ * W = 16 bits BE
+ * t = 24 bits LE
+ * T = 24 bits BE
+ * i = 32 bits LE, float 32 bits LE
+ * I = 32 bits BE, float 32 bits BE
+ * q = 64 bits LE, float 64 bits LE
+ * Q = 64 bits BE, float 64 bits BE
+ *
+ *
+ */
+gint
+gst_adapter_read_valist (GstAdapter * adapter, const gchar * format,
+    va_list varargs)
+{
+  GSList *g;
+  guint skip, bsize, i, count;
+  guint8 *bdata, *dest;
+  GstBuffer *buf;
+  guint dlen, start, tocopy;
+  gint inc;
+  gboolean le;
+
+  skip = adapter->skip;
+
+  count = 0;
+
+  /* first step, position on the first buffer */
+  if (!(g = adapter->buflist))
+    goto done;
+
+  buf = g->data;
+  bsize = GST_BUFFER_SIZE (buf) - skip;
+  bdata = GST_BUFFER_DATA (buf) + skip;
+
+  while (TRUE) {
+    le = G_BYTE_ORDER == G_LITTLE_ENDIAN;
+    switch (format[count]) {
+      case 'b':
+        dlen = 1;
+        break;
+      case 'w':
+        le = !le;
+      case 'W':
+        dlen = 2;
+        break;
+      case 't':
+        le = !le;
+      case 'T':
+        dlen = 3;
+        break;
+      case 'i':
+        le = !le;
+      case 'I':
+        dlen = 4;
+        break;
+      case 'q':
+        le = !le;
+      case 'Q':
+        dlen = 8;
+        break;
+      default:
+      case '\0':
+        goto done;
+    }
+    if (le) {
+      start = dlen - 1;
+      inc = -1;
+    } else {
+      start = 0;
+      inc = 1;
+    }
+    /* get destination */
+    dest = va_arg (varargs, guint8 *);
+
+    /* now copy the data */
+    do {
+      tocopy = MIN (bsize, dlen);
+      for (i = 0; i < tocopy; i++, start += inc) {
+        dest[start] = *bdata++;
+      }
+      bsize -= tocopy;
+      if (bsize == 0) {
+        /* go to next buffer */
+        if (!(g = g_slist_next (g)))
+          goto done;
+
+        buf = g->data;
+        bsize = GST_BUFFER_SIZE (buf);
+        bdata = GST_BUFFER_DATA (buf);
+      }
+      dlen -= tocopy;
+      if (dlen == 0)
+        break;
+    } while (TRUE);
+
+    count++;
+  }
+
+done:
+  return count;
+}
+
+gint
+gst_adapter_read (GstAdapter * adapter, const gchar * format, ...)
+{
+  va_list varargs;
+  gint res;
+
+  va_start (varargs, format);
+  res = gst_adapter_read_valist (adapter, format, varargs);
+  va_end (varargs);
+
+  return res;
+}
diff --git a/libs/gst/base/gstadapter.h b/libs/gst/base/gstadapter.h
index 49e408e..d6cf298 100644
--- a/libs/gst/base/gstadapter.h
+++ b/libs/gst/base/gstadapter.h
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ GstClockTime            gst_adapter_prev_timestamp      (GstAdapter *adapter, gu
 guint                   gst_adapter_masked_scan_uint32  (GstAdapter * adapter, guint32 mask,
                                                          guint32 pattern, guint offset, guint size);
 
+gint                    gst_adapter_read_valist         (GstAdapter *adapter, const gchar *format,
+                                                         va_list varargs);
+gint                    gst_adapter_read                (GstAdapter *adapter, const gchar *format,
+                                                         ...);
 
 G_END_DECLS
 
diff --git a/tests/check/libs/adapter.c b/tests/check/libs/adapter.c
index 34cef23..d550273 100644
--- a/tests/check/libs/adapter.c
+++ b/tests/check/libs/adapter.c
@@ -601,6 +601,76 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_scan)
 
 GST_END_TEST;
 
+GST_START_TEST (test_read)
+{
+  GstAdapter *adapter;
+  GstBuffer *buffer;
+  guint8 *data;
+  guint count;
+  guint i;
+  guint8 b[5];
+  guint16 i16[5];
+  guint32 i32[5];
+  //guint64 i64[5];
+
+  adapter = gst_adapter_new ();
+  fail_unless (adapter != NULL);
+
+  buffer = gst_buffer_new_and_alloc (100);
+  data = GST_BUFFER_DATA (buffer);
+  /* fill with pattern */
+  for (i = 0; i < 100; i++)
+    data[i] = i;
+
+  gst_adapter_push (adapter, buffer);
+
+  count = gst_adapter_read (adapter, "bbbbb", &b[0], &b[1],
+      &b[2], &b[3], &b[4]);
+  fail_unless (count == 5);
+  for (i = 0; i < count; i++)
+    fail_unless (b[i] == i);
+
+  count = gst_adapter_read (adapter, "wwwww", &i16[0], &i16[1],
+      &i16[2], &i16[3], &i16[4]);
+  fail_unless (count == 5);
+  fail_unless (i16[0] == 0x0100);
+  fail_unless (i16[1] == 0x0302);
+  fail_unless (i16[2] == 0x0504);
+  fail_unless (i16[3] == 0x0706);
+  fail_unless (i16[4] == 0x0908);
+
+  count = gst_adapter_read (adapter, "WWWWW", &i16[0], &i16[1],
+      &i16[2], &i16[3], &i16[4]);
+  fail_unless (count == 5);
+  fail_unless (i16[0] == 0x0001);
+  fail_unless (i16[1] == 0x0203);
+  fail_unless (i16[2] == 0x0405);
+  fail_unless (i16[3] == 0x0607);
+  fail_unless (i16[4] == 0x0809);
+
+  count = gst_adapter_read (adapter, "wWbWw", &i16[0], &i16[1],
+      &b[0], &i16[2], &i16[3]);
+  fail_unless (count == 5);
+  fail_unless (i16[0] == 0x0100);
+  fail_unless (i16[1] == 0x0203);
+  fail_unless (b[0] == 0x04);
+  fail_unless (i16[2] == 0x0506);
+  fail_unless (i16[3] == 0x0807);
+
+  count = gst_adapter_read (adapter, "bWwiI", &b[0], &i16[0],
+      &i16[1], &i32[0], &i32[1]);
+  fail_unless (count == 5);
+  fail_unless (b[0] == 0x00);
+  fail_unless (i16[0] == 0x0102);
+  fail_unless (i16[1] == 0x0403);
+  fail_unless (i32[0] == 0x08070605);
+  fail_unless (i32[1] == 0x090a0b0c);
+
+  g_object_unref (adapter);
+}
+
+GST_END_TEST;
+
 static Suite *
 gst_adapter_suite (void)
 {
@@ -618,6 +688,7 @@ gst_adapter_suite (void)
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_take_buf_order);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_timestamp);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_scan);
+  tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_read);
 
   return s;
 }