diff --git a/http3/client.go b/http3/client.go
index 8db038f8..861eaf0a 100644
--- a/http3/client.go
+++ b/http3/client.go
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func (c *client) handleUnidirectionalStreams() {
 		}
 
 		go func() {
-			streamType, err := quicvarint.Read(&byteReaderImpl{str})
+			streamType, err := quicvarint.Read(quicvarint.NewReader(str))
 			if err != nil {
 				c.logger.Debugf("reading stream type on stream %d failed: %s", str.StreamID(), err)
 				return
diff --git a/http3/frames.go b/http3/frames.go
index 3f6c54a7..679f66c1 100644
--- a/http3/frames.go
+++ b/http3/frames.go
@@ -10,33 +10,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/lucas-clemente/quic-go/quicvarint"
 )
 
-type byteReader interface {
-	io.ByteReader
-	io.Reader
-}
-
-type byteReaderImpl struct{ io.Reader }
-
-func (br *byteReaderImpl) ReadByte() (byte, error) {
-	b := make([]byte, 1)
-	if _, err := br.Reader.Read(b); err != nil {
-		return 0, err
-	}
-	return b[0], nil
-}
-
 type frame interface{}
 
-func parseNextFrame(b io.Reader) (frame, error) {
-	br, ok := b.(byteReader)
-	if !ok {
-		br = &byteReaderImpl{b}
-	}
-	t, err := quicvarint.Read(br)
+func parseNextFrame(r io.Reader) (frame, error) {
+	qr := quicvarint.NewReader(r)
+	t, err := quicvarint.Read(qr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	l, err := quicvarint.Read(br)
+	l, err := quicvarint.Read(qr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -47,7 +29,7 @@ func parseNextFrame(b io.Reader) (frame, error) {
 	case 0x1:
 		return &headersFrame{Length: l}, nil
 	case 0x4:
-		return parseSettingsFrame(br, l)
+		return parseSettingsFrame(r, l)
 	case 0x3: // CANCEL_PUSH
 		fallthrough
 	case 0x5: // PUSH_PROMISE
@@ -60,10 +42,10 @@ func parseNextFrame(b io.Reader) (frame, error) {
 		fallthrough
 	default:
 		// skip over unknown frames
-		if _, err := io.CopyN(ioutil.Discard, br, int64(l)); err != nil {
+		if _, err := io.CopyN(ioutil.Discard, qr, int64(l)); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		return parseNextFrame(b)
+		return parseNextFrame(qr)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/http3/server.go b/http3/server.go
index ad3cdaf3..b798abd4 100644
--- a/http3/server.go
+++ b/http3/server.go
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleUnidirectionalStreams(sess quic.EarlySession) {
 		}
 
 		go func(str quic.ReceiveStream) {
-			streamType, err := quicvarint.Read(&byteReaderImpl{str})
+			streamType, err := quicvarint.Read(quicvarint.NewReader(str))
 			if err != nil {
 				s.logger.Debugf("reading stream type on stream %d failed: %s", str.StreamID(), err)
 				return
diff --git a/quicvarint/io.go b/quicvarint/io.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c4d976b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quicvarint/io.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package quicvarint
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+)
+
+// Reader implements both the io.ByteReader and io.Reader interfaces.
+type Reader interface {
+	io.ByteReader
+	io.Reader
+}
+
+var _ Reader = &bytes.Reader{}
+
+type byteReader struct {
+	io.Reader
+}
+
+var _ Reader = &byteReader{}
+
+// NewReader returns a Reader for r.
+// If r already implements both io.ByteReader and io.Reader, NewReader returns r.
+// Otherwise, r is wrapped to add the missing interfaces.
+func NewReader(r io.Reader) Reader {
+	if r, ok := r.(Reader); ok {
+		return r
+	}
+	return &byteReader{r}
+}
+
+func (r *byteReader) ReadByte() (byte, error) {
+	var b [1]byte
+	_, err := r.Reader.Read(b[:])
+	return b[0], err
+}
+
+// Writer implements both the io.ByteWriter and io.Writer interfaces.
+type Writer interface {
+	io.ByteWriter
+	io.Writer
+}
+
+var _ Writer = &bytes.Buffer{}
+
+type byteWriter struct {
+	io.Writer
+}
+
+var _ Writer = &byteWriter{}
+
+// NewWriter returns a Writer for w.
+// If r already implements both io.ByteWriter and io.Writer, NewWriter returns w.
+// Otherwise, w is wrapped to add the missing interfaces.
+func NewWriter(w io.Writer) Writer {
+	if w, ok := w.(Writer); ok {
+		return w
+	}
+	return &byteWriter{w}
+}
+
+func (w *byteWriter) WriteByte(c byte) error {
+	_, err := w.Writer.Write([]byte{c})
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/quicvarint/io_test.go b/quicvarint/io_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc28cd90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quicvarint/io_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+package quicvarint
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+)
+
+type nopReader struct{}
+
+func (r *nopReader) Read(_ []byte) (int, error) {
+	return 0, io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+}
+
+var _ io.Reader = &nopReader{}
+
+type nopWriter struct{}
+
+func (r *nopWriter) Write(_ []byte) (int, error) {
+	return 0, io.ErrShortBuffer
+}
+
+var _ io.Writer = &nopWriter{}
+
+var _ = Describe("Varint I/O", func() {
+	Context("Reader", func() {
+		Context("NewReader", func() {
+			It("passes through a Reader unchanged", func() {
+				b := bytes.NewReader([]byte{0})
+				r := NewReader(b)
+				Expect(r).To(Equal(b))
+			})
+
+			It("wraps an io.Reader", func() {
+				n := &nopReader{}
+				r := NewReader(n)
+				Expect(r).ToNot(Equal(n))
+			})
+		})
+
+		It("returns an error when reading from an underlying io.Reader fails", func() {
+			r := NewReader(&nopReader{})
+			val, err := r.ReadByte()
+			Expect(err).To(Equal(io.ErrUnexpectedEOF))
+			Expect(val).To(Equal(byte(0)))
+		})
+	})
+
+	Context("Writer", func() {
+		Context("NewWriter", func() {
+			It("passes through a Writer unchanged", func() {
+				b := &bytes.Buffer{}
+				w := NewWriter(b)
+				Expect(w).To(Equal(b))
+			})
+
+			It("wraps an io.Writer", func() {
+				n := &nopWriter{}
+				w := NewWriter(n)
+				Expect(w).ToNot(Equal(n))
+			})
+		})
+
+		It("returns an error when writing to an underlying io.Writer fails", func() {
+			w := NewWriter(&nopWriter{})
+			err := w.WriteByte(0)
+			Expect(err).To(Equal(io.ErrShortBuffer))
+		})
+	})
+})
diff --git a/quicvarint/varint.go b/quicvarint/varint.go
index fd3ae11d..723c57c4 100644
--- a/quicvarint/varint.go
+++ b/quicvarint/varint.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package quicvarint
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
@@ -16,9 +15,9 @@ const (
 	maxVarInt8 = 4611686018427387903
 )
 
-// Read reads a number in the QUIC varint format
-func Read(b io.ByteReader) (uint64, error) {
-	firstByte, err := b.ReadByte()
+// Read reads a number in the QUIC varint format from r.
+func Read(r io.ByteReader) (uint64, error) {
+	firstByte, err := r.ReadByte()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
@@ -28,53 +27,53 @@ func Read(b io.ByteReader) (uint64, error) {
 	if len == 1 {
 		return uint64(b1), nil
 	}
-	b2, err := b.ReadByte()
+	b2, err := r.ReadByte()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	if len == 2 {
 		return uint64(b2) + uint64(b1)<<8, nil
 	}
-	b3, err := b.ReadByte()
+	b3, err := r.ReadByte()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
-	b4, err := b.ReadByte()
+	b4, err := r.ReadByte()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	if len == 4 {
 		return uint64(b4) + uint64(b3)<<8 + uint64(b2)<<16 + uint64(b1)<<24, nil
 	}
-	b5, err := b.ReadByte()
+	b5, err := r.ReadByte()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
-	b6, err := b.ReadByte()
+	b6, err := r.ReadByte()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
-	b7, err := b.ReadByte()
+	b7, err := r.ReadByte()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
-	b8, err := b.ReadByte()
+	b8, err := r.ReadByte()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	return uint64(b8) + uint64(b7)<<8 + uint64(b6)<<16 + uint64(b5)<<24 + uint64(b4)<<32 + uint64(b3)<<40 + uint64(b2)<<48 + uint64(b1)<<56, nil
 }
 
-// Write writes a number in the QUIC varint format
-func Write(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint64) {
+// Write writes i in the QUIC varint format to w.
+func Write(w Writer, i uint64) {
 	if i <= maxVarInt1 {
-		b.WriteByte(uint8(i))
+		w.WriteByte(uint8(i))
 	} else if i <= maxVarInt2 {
-		b.Write([]byte{uint8(i>>8) | 0x40, uint8(i)})
+		w.Write([]byte{uint8(i>>8) | 0x40, uint8(i)})
 	} else if i <= maxVarInt4 {
-		b.Write([]byte{uint8(i>>24) | 0x80, uint8(i >> 16), uint8(i >> 8), uint8(i)})
+		w.Write([]byte{uint8(i>>24) | 0x80, uint8(i >> 16), uint8(i >> 8), uint8(i)})
 	} else if i <= maxVarInt8 {
-		b.Write([]byte{
+		w.Write([]byte{
 			uint8(i>>56) | 0xc0, uint8(i >> 48), uint8(i >> 40), uint8(i >> 32),
 			uint8(i >> 24), uint8(i >> 16), uint8(i >> 8), uint8(i),
 		})
@@ -83,35 +82,35 @@ func Write(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint64) {
 	}
 }
 
-// WriteWithLen writes a number in the QUIC varint format, with the desired length.
-func WriteWithLen(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint64, length protocol.ByteCount) {
+// WriteWithLen writes i in the QUIC varint format with the desired length to w.
+func WriteWithLen(w Writer, i uint64, length protocol.ByteCount) {
 	if length != 1 && length != 2 && length != 4 && length != 8 {
 		panic("invalid varint length")
 	}
 	l := Len(i)
 	if l == length {
-		Write(b, i)
+		Write(w, i)
 		return
 	}
 	if l > length {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("cannot encode %d in %d bytes", i, length))
 	}
 	if length == 2 {
-		b.WriteByte(0b01000000)
+		w.WriteByte(0b01000000)
 	} else if length == 4 {
-		b.WriteByte(0b10000000)
+		w.WriteByte(0b10000000)
 	} else if length == 8 {
-		b.WriteByte(0b11000000)
+		w.WriteByte(0b11000000)
 	}
 	for j := protocol.ByteCount(1); j < length-l; j++ {
-		b.WriteByte(0)
+		w.WriteByte(0)
 	}
 	for j := protocol.ByteCount(0); j < l; j++ {
-		b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> (8 * (l - 1 - j))))
+		w.WriteByte(uint8(i >> (8 * (l - 1 - j))))
 	}
 }
 
-// Len determines the number of bytes that will be needed to write a number
+// Len determines the number of bytes that will be needed to write the number i.
 func Len(i uint64) protocol.ByteCount {
 	if i <= maxVarInt1 {
 		return 1