diff --git a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyFile.py b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyFile.py
index eba0e81..d25f2fb 100644
--- a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyFile.py
+++ b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyFile.py
@@ -331,6 +331,11 @@ def create_dataset(self, name, shape=None, dtype=None, data=None, **kwds):
             raise Exception("Cannot create dataset in read-only mode")
         return self._the_group.create_dataset(name, shape=shape, dtype=dtype, data=data, **kwds)
 
+    def require_dataset(self, name, shape, dtype, exact=False, **kwds):
+        if self._mode not in ['r+']:
+            raise Exception("Cannot require dataset in read-only mode")
+        return self._the_group.require_dataset(name, shape, dtype, exact=exact, **kwds)
+
 
 def _download_file(url: str, filename: str) -> None:
     headers = {
diff --git a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyGroup.py b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyGroup.py
index e9f430d..1fbe8be 100644
--- a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyGroup.py
+++ b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/LindiH5pyGroup.py
@@ -183,6 +183,12 @@ def create_dataset(self, name, shape=None, dtype=None, data=None, **kwds):
         assert self._writer is not None
         return self._writer.create_dataset(name, shape=shape, dtype=dtype, data=data, **kwds)
 
+    def require_dataset(self, name, shape, dtype, exact=False, **kwds):
+        if self._readonly:
+            raise Exception('Cannot require dataset in read-only mode')
+        assert self._writer is not None
+        return self._writer.require_dataset(name, shape, dtype, exact=exact, **kwds)
+
     def __setitem__(self, name, obj):
         if self._readonly:
             raise Exception('Cannot set item in read-only mode')
diff --git a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/writers/LindiH5pyGroupWriter.py b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/writers/LindiH5pyGroupWriter.py
index 5bfa58e..a6ca6bf 100644
--- a/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/writers/LindiH5pyGroupWriter.py
+++ b/lindi/LindiH5pyFile/writers/LindiH5pyGroupWriter.py
@@ -83,6 +83,22 @@ def create_dataset(self, name, shape=None, dtype=None, data=None, **kwds):
         else:
             raise Exception(f'Unexpected group object type: {type(self.p._group_object)}')
 
+    def require_dataset(self, name, shape, dtype, exact=False, **kwds):
+        if name in self.p:
+            ret = self.p[name]
+            if not isinstance(ret, LindiH5pyDataset):
+                raise Exception(f'Expected a dataset at {name} but got {type(ret)}')
+            if ret.shape != shape:
+                raise Exception(f'Expected shape {shape} but got {ret.shape}')
+            if exact:
+                if ret.dtype != dtype:
+                    raise Exception(f'Expected dtype {dtype} but got {ret.dtype}')
+            else:
+                if not np.can_cast(ret.dtype, dtype):
+                    raise Exception(f'Cannot cast dtype {ret.dtype} to {dtype}')
+            return ret
+        return self.create_dataset(name, *(shape, dtype), **kwds)
+
     def __setitem__(self, name, obj):
         if isinstance(obj, h5py.SoftLink):
             if isinstance(self.p._group_object, h5py.Group):
diff --git a/tests/test_zarr_write.py b/tests/test_zarr_write.py
index 7512605..a205502 100644
--- a/tests/test_zarr_write.py
+++ b/tests/test_zarr_write.py
@@ -20,6 +20,28 @@ def test_zarr_write():
             compare_example_h5_data(h5f_backed_by_zarr, tmpdir=tmpdir)
 
 
+def test_require_dataset():
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+        dirname = f'{tmpdir}/test.zarr'
+        store = zarr.DirectoryStore(dirname)
+        zarr.group(store=store)
+        with lindi.LindiH5pyFile.from_zarr_store(store, mode='r+') as h5f_backed_by_zarr:
+            h5f_backed_by_zarr.create_dataset('dset_int8', data=np.array([1, 2, 3], dtype=np.int8))
+            h5f_backed_by_zarr.create_dataset('dset_int16', data=np.array([1, 2, 3], dtype=np.int16))
+            h5f_backed_by_zarr.require_dataset('dset_int8', shape=(3,), dtype=np.int8)
+            with pytest.raises(Exception):
+                h5f_backed_by_zarr.require_dataset('dset_int8', shape=(4,), dtype=np.int8)
+            with pytest.raises(Exception):
+                h5f_backed_by_zarr.require_dataset('dset_int8', shape=(3,), dtype=np.int16, exact=True)
+            h5f_backed_by_zarr.require_dataset('dset_int8', shape=(3,), dtype=np.int16, exact=False)
+            with pytest.raises(Exception):
+                h5f_backed_by_zarr.require_dataset('dset_int16', shape=(3,), dtype=np.int8, exact=False)
+            ds = h5f_backed_by_zarr.require_dataset('dset_float32', shape=(3,), dtype=np.float32)
+            ds[:] = np.array([1.1, 2.2, 3.3])
+            with pytest.raises(Exception):
+                h5f_backed_by_zarr.require_dataset('dset_float32', shape=(3,), dtype=np.float64, exact=True)
+
+
 def write_example_h5_data(h5f: h5py.File):
     h5f.attrs['attr_str'] = 'hello'
     h5f.attrs['attr_int'] = 42
@@ -80,4 +102,4 @@ def compare_example_h5_data(h5f: h5py.File, tmpdir: str):
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    test_zarr_write()
+    test_require_dataset()