diff --git a/include/ord/Design.h b/include/ord/Design.h
index 23afdc67526..fbf13704d31 100644
--- a/include/ord/Design.h
+++ b/include/ord/Design.h
@@ -150,7 +150,9 @@ class Design
                bool child = false);
   void link(const std::string& design_name);
 
+  void readDb(std::istream& stream);
   void readDb(const std::string& file_name);
+  void writeDb(std::ostream& stream);
   void writeDb(const std::string& file_name);
   void writeDef(const std::string& file_name);
 
diff --git a/include/ord/OpenRoad.hh b/include/ord/OpenRoad.hh
index 6efc3b8ae67..cd23a867e64 100644
--- a/include/ord/OpenRoad.hh
+++ b/include/ord/OpenRoad.hh
@@ -234,7 +234,9 @@ class OpenRoad
   // to notify the tools (eg dbSta, gui).
   void designCreated();
 
+  void readDb(std::istream& stream);
   void readDb(const char* filename);
+  void writeDb(std::ostream& stream);
   void writeDb(const char* filename);
 
   void diffDbs(const char* filename1, const char* filename2, const char* diffs);
diff --git a/src/Design.cc b/src/Design.cc
index c115c6e0771..a75b8537b89 100644
--- a/src/Design.cc
+++ b/src/Design.cc
@@ -101,12 +101,24 @@ void Design::link(const std::string& design_name)
   app->linkDesign(design_name.c_str(), false);
 }
 
+void Design::readDb(std::istream& stream)
+{
+  auto app = OpenRoad::openRoad();
+  app->readDb(stream);
+}
+
 void Design::readDb(const std::string& file_name)
 {
   auto app = OpenRoad::openRoad();
   app->readDb(file_name.c_str());
 }
 
+void Design::writeDb(std::ostream& stream)
+{
+  auto app = OpenRoad::openRoad();
+  app->writeDb(stream);
+}
+
 void Design::writeDb(const std::string& file_name)
 {
   auto app = OpenRoad::openRoad();
diff --git a/src/OpenRoad.cc b/src/OpenRoad.cc
index 3a07e3b6795..c5fe1bc9e20 100644
--- a/src/OpenRoad.cc
+++ b/src/OpenRoad.cc
@@ -438,28 +438,39 @@ void OpenRoad::writeCdl(const char* outFilename,
 }
 
 void OpenRoad::readDb(const char* filename)
+{
+  std::ifstream stream;
+  stream.open(filename, std::ios::binary);
+  try {
+    readDb(stream);
+  } catch (const std::ios_base::failure& f) {
+    logger_->error(ORD, 54, "odb file {} is invalid: {}", filename, f.what());
+  }
+}
+
+void OpenRoad::readDb(std::istream& stream)
 {
   if (db_->getChip() && db_->getChip()->getBlock()) {
     logger_->error(
         ORD, 47, "You can't load a new db file as the db is already populated");
   }
 
-  std::ifstream stream;
   stream.exceptions(std::ifstream::failbit | std::ifstream::badbit
                     | std::ios::eofbit);
-  stream.open(filename, std::ios::binary);
 
-  try {
-    db_->read(stream);
-  } catch (const std::ios_base::failure& f) {
-    logger_->error(ORD, 54, "odb file {} is invalid: {}", filename, f.what());
-  }
+  db_->read(stream);
 
   for (OpenRoadObserver* observer : observers_) {
     observer->postReadDb(db_);
   }
 }
 
+void OpenRoad::writeDb(std::ostream& stream)
+{
+  stream.exceptions(std::ofstream::failbit | std::ofstream::badbit);
+  db_->write(stream);
+}
+
 void OpenRoad::writeDb(const char* filename)
 {
   utl::StreamHandler stream_handler(filename, true);