diff --git a/proxmox-router/src/lib.rs b/proxmox-router/src/lib.rs
index b0b67bcb..da2f018f 100644
--- a/proxmox-router/src/lib.rs
+++ b/proxmox-router/src/lib.rs
@@ -29,3 +29,5 @@ pub use serializable_return::SerializableReturn;
 // make list_subdirs_api_method! work without an explicit proxmox-schema dependency:
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub use proxmox_schema::ObjectSchema as ListSubdirsObjectSchema;
+
+pub mod stream;
diff --git a/proxmox-router/src/router.rs b/proxmox-router/src/router.rs
index 4585f503..4491e59b 100644
--- a/proxmox-router/src/router.rs
+++ b/proxmox-router/src/router.rs
@@ -78,24 +78,6 @@ pub type SerializingApiHandlerFn = &'static (dyn Fn(
               + Sync
               + 'static);
 
-#[derive(Serialize)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
-enum RecordEntry<'a> {
-    /// A successful record.
-    Data(&'a Value),
-    /// An error entry.
-    Error(Value),
-}
-
-impl<'a> From<&'a Result<Value, Error>> for RecordEntry<'a> {
-    fn from(res: &'a Result<Value, Error>) -> Self {
-        match res {
-            Ok(value) => Self::Data(value),
-            Err(err) => Self::Error(err.to_string().into()),
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 /// A record for a streaming API call. This contains a `Result<Value, Error>` and allows formatting
 /// as a `json-seq` formatted string.
 ///
@@ -105,21 +87,39 @@ impl<'a> From<&'a Result<Value, Error>> for RecordEntry<'a> {
 /// API.
 pub struct Record {
     // direct access is only for the CLI code
-    pub(crate) data: Result<Value, Error>,
+    pub(crate) data: crate::stream::Record<Value>,
 }
 
 impl Record {
     /// Create a new successful record from a serializeable element.
-    pub fn new<T: ?Sized + Serialize>(data: &T) -> Self {
+    pub fn new<T: Serialize>(data: T) -> Self {
         Self {
-            data: Ok(serde_json::to_value(data).expect("failed to create json string")),
+            data: crate::stream::Record::Data(
+                serde_json::to_value(data).expect("failed to create json string"),
+            ),
         }
     }
 
     /// Create a new error record from an error value.
     pub fn error<E: Into<Error>>(error: E) -> Self {
         Self {
-            data: Err(error.into()),
+            data: crate::stream::Record::Error(error.into().to_string().into()),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Create a new error record from an error message.
+    pub fn error_msg<T: fmt::Display>(msg: T) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            data: crate::stream::Record::Error(msg.to_string().into()),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Create a new structured error record from an error value.
+    pub fn error_value<T: Serialize>(error: T) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            data: crate::stream::Record::Error(
+                serde_json::to_value(error).expect("failed to create json string"),
+            ),
         }
     }
 
@@ -145,13 +145,26 @@ impl Record {
         // Don't return special objects that can fail to serialize.
         // As for "normal" data - we don't expect spurious errors, otherwise they could also happen
         // when serializing *errors*...
-        serde_json::to_writer(&mut data, &RecordEntry::from(&self.data))
-            .expect("failed to create JSON record");
+        serde_json::to_writer(&mut data, &self.data).expect("failed to create JSON record");
         data.push(b'\n');
         data
     }
 }
 
+impl<T> From<crate::stream::Record<T>> for Record
+where
+    T: Serialize,
+{
+    fn from(data: crate::stream::Record<T>) -> Self {
+        match data {
+            crate::stream::Record::Data(data) => Self::new(data),
+            crate::stream::Record::Error(err) => Self {
+                data: crate::stream::Record::Error(err),
+            },
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// A synchronous API handler returns an [`Iterator`] over items which should be serialized.
 ///
 /// ```
@@ -194,7 +207,7 @@ impl SyncStream {
     pub fn try_collect(self) -> Result<Value, Error> {
         let mut acc = Vec::new();
         for i in self.inner {
-            acc.push(i.data?);
+            acc.push(i.data.into_result()?);
         }
         Ok(Value::Array(acc))
     }
@@ -339,7 +352,7 @@ impl Stream {
 
         let mut acc = Vec::new();
         while let Some(i) = self.inner.next().await {
-            acc.push(i.data?);
+            acc.push(i.data.into_result()?);
         }
         Ok(Value::Array(acc))
     }
diff --git a/proxmox-router/src/stream.rs b/proxmox-router/src/stream.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..49b1fba4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proxmox-router/src/stream.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,339 @@
+use std::future::Future;
+use std::io;
+use std::pin::Pin;
+use std::task::{ready, Poll};
+
+use anyhow::{format_err, Context as _, Error};
+use futures::io::{AsyncBufRead, AsyncBufReadExt, AsyncRead, BufReader};
+use hyper::body::{Body, Bytes};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+pub struct Records<R = BodyBufReader>
+where
+    R: Send + Sync,
+{
+    inner: RecordsInner<R>,
+}
+
+impl<R: Send + Sync> Records<R> {
+    /// Create a *new buffered reader* for to cerate a record stream from an [`AsyncRead`].
+    /// Note: If the underlying type already implements [`AsyncBufRead`], use [`Records::::from`]
+    /// isntead!
+    pub fn new<T>(reader: T) -> Records<BufReader<T>>
+    where
+        T: AsyncRead + Send + Sync + Unpin + 'static,
+    {
+        BufReader::new(reader).into()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<R> Records<R>
+where
+    R: AsyncBufRead + Send + Sync + Unpin + 'static,
+{
+    pub fn json<T>(self) -> JsonRecords<T, R>
+    where
+        T: for<'de> Deserialize<'de>,
+    {
+        self.inner.into()
+    }
+}
+
+impl Records<BodyBufReader> {
+    pub fn from_body(body: Body) -> Self {
+        Self::from(BodyBufReader::from(body))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<R> From<R> for Records<R>
+where
+    R: AsyncBufRead + Send + Sync + Unpin + 'static,
+{
+    fn from(reader: R) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner: reader.into(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+enum RecordsInner<R: Send + Sync> {
+    New(R),
+    Reading(Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = io::Result<Option<(Vec<u8>, R)>>> + Send + Sync>>),
+    Done,
+}
+
+impl<R> From<R> for RecordsInner<R>
+where
+    R: AsyncBufRead + Send + Sync + Unpin + 'static,
+{
+    fn from(reader: R) -> Self {
+        Self::New(reader)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<R> futures::Stream for RecordsInner<R>
+where
+    R: AsyncBufRead + Send + Sync + Unpin + 'static,
+{
+    type Item = io::Result<Vec<u8>>;
+
+    fn poll_next(
+        mut self: Pin<&mut Self>,
+        cx: &mut std::task::Context<'_>,
+    ) -> Poll<Option<io::Result<Vec<u8>>>> {
+        loop {
+            return match std::mem::replace(&mut *self, Self::Done) {
+                Self::New(mut reader) => {
+                    let fut = Box::pin(async move {
+                        let mut linebuf = Vec::new();
+                        loop {
+                            if reader.read_until(b'\x1E', &mut linebuf).await? == 0 {
+                                return Ok(None);
+                            }
+                            linebuf.pop(); // pop off the record separator
+                            if linebuf.is_empty() {
+                                continue;
+                            }
+                            return Ok(Some((linebuf, reader)));
+                        }
+                    });
+                    *self = Self::Reading(fut);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                Self::Reading(mut fut) => match fut.as_mut().poll(cx) {
+                    Poll::Ready(Ok(None)) => Poll::Ready(None),
+                    Poll::Ready(Ok(Some((data, reader)))) => {
+                        *self = Self::New(reader);
+                        Poll::Ready(Some(Ok(data)))
+                    }
+                    Poll::Ready(Err(err)) => {
+                        *self = Self::Done;
+                        Poll::Ready(Some(Err(err)))
+                    }
+                    Poll::Pending => {
+                        *self = Self::Reading(fut);
+                        Poll::Pending
+                    }
+                },
+                Self::Done => Poll::Ready(None),
+            };
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct JsonRecords<T, R = BodyBufReader>
+where
+    R: Send + Sync,
+{
+    inner: JsonRecordsInner<T, R>,
+}
+
+impl<T, R> JsonRecords<T, R>
+where
+    R: Send + Sync,
+{
+    pub fn from_vec(list: Vec<T>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner: JsonRecordsInner::Fixed(list.into_iter()),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+enum JsonRecordsInner<T, R: Send + Sync> {
+    Stream(RecordsInner<R>),
+    Fixed(std::vec::IntoIter<T>),
+}
+
+impl<T, R> From<R> for JsonRecords<T, R>
+where
+    R: AsyncBufRead + Send + Sync + Unpin + 'static,
+    T: for<'de> Deserialize<'de>,
+{
+    fn from(reader: R) -> Self {
+        Self::from(RecordsInner::from(reader))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> JsonRecords<T, BodyBufReader>
+where
+    T: for<'de> Deserialize<'de>,
+{
+    pub fn from_body(body: Body) -> Self {
+        Self::from(BodyBufReader::from(body))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T, R> From<RecordsInner<R>> for JsonRecords<T, R>
+where
+    R: AsyncBufRead + Send + Sync + Unpin + 'static,
+    T: for<'de> Deserialize<'de>,
+{
+    fn from(inner: RecordsInner<R>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner: JsonRecordsInner::Stream(inner),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T, R> futures::Stream for JsonRecords<T, R>
+where
+    R: AsyncBufRead + Send + Sync + Unpin + 'static,
+    T: Unpin + for<'de> Deserialize<'de>,
+{
+    type Item = Result<Record<T>, Error>;
+
+    fn poll_next(
+        self: Pin<&mut Self>,
+        cx: &mut std::task::Context<'_>,
+    ) -> Poll<Option<Result<Record<T>, Error>>> {
+        let this = match &mut self.get_mut().inner {
+            JsonRecordsInner::Stream(this) => this,
+            JsonRecordsInner::Fixed(iter) => {
+                return Poll::Ready(iter.next().map(|item| Ok(Record::Data(item))));
+            }
+        };
+
+        loop {
+            match ready!(Pin::new(&mut *this).poll_next(cx)) {
+                None => return Poll::Ready(None),
+                Some(Err(err)) => return Poll::Ready(Some(Err(err.into()))),
+                Some(Ok(data)) => {
+                    let data = std::str::from_utf8(&data)
+                        .map_err(|_| format_err!("non-utf8 json data in record element"))?
+                        .trim();
+                    if data.is_empty() {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    return Poll::Ready(Some(
+                        serde_json::from_str(data)
+                            .with_context(|| format!("bad json in record element: {data:?}")),
+                    ));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// An adapter to turn a [`hyper::Body`] into an `AsyncRead`/`AsyncBufRead` for use with the
+/// [`Records`]` type.
+pub struct BodyBufReader {
+    reader: Option<Body>,
+    buf_at: Option<(Bytes, usize)>,
+}
+
+impl BodyBufReader {
+    pub fn records(self) -> Records<Self> {
+        self.into()
+    }
+
+    pub fn json_records<T>(self) -> JsonRecords<T, Self>
+    where
+        T: for<'de> Deserialize<'de>,
+    {
+        self.into()
+    }
+
+    pub fn new(body: Body) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            reader: Some(body),
+            buf_at: None,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<Body> for BodyBufReader {
+    fn from(body: Body) -> Self {
+        Self::new(body)
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsyncRead for BodyBufReader {
+    fn poll_read(
+        mut self: Pin<&mut Self>,
+        cx: &mut std::task::Context<'_>,
+        buf: &mut [u8],
+    ) -> Poll<io::Result<usize>> {
+        use std::io::Read;
+        let mut current_data = ready!(self.as_mut().poll_fill_buf(cx))?;
+        let nread = current_data.read(buf)?;
+        self.consume(nread);
+        Poll::Ready(Ok(nread))
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsyncBufRead for BodyBufReader {
+    fn poll_fill_buf(
+        self: Pin<&mut Self>,
+        cx: &mut std::task::Context<'_>,
+    ) -> Poll<io::Result<&[u8]>> {
+        use hyper::body::HttpBody;
+
+        let Self {
+            ref mut reader,
+            ref mut buf_at,
+        } = Pin::into_inner(self);
+        loop {
+            // If we currently have a buffer, use it:
+            if let Some((buf, at)) = buf_at {
+                return Poll::Ready(Ok(&buf[*at..]));
+            };
+
+            let result = match reader {
+                None => return Poll::Ready(Ok(&[])),
+                Some(reader) => ready!(Pin::new(reader).poll_data(cx)),
+            };
+
+            match result {
+                Some(Ok(bytes)) => {
+                    *buf_at = Some((bytes, 0));
+                }
+                Some(Err(err)) => {
+                    *reader = None;
+                    return Poll::Ready(Err(io::Error::other(err)));
+                }
+                None => {
+                    *reader = None;
+                    return Poll::Ready(Ok(&[]));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn consume(mut self: Pin<&mut Self>, amt: usize) {
+        if let Some((buf, at)) = self.buf_at.as_mut() {
+            *at = (*at + amt).min(buf.len());
+            if *at == buf.len() {
+                self.buf_at = None;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Streamed JSON records can contain either "data" or an error.
+///
+/// Errors can be a simple string or structured data.
+///
+/// For convenience, an [`into_result()`](Record::into_result) method is provided to turn the
+/// record into a regular `Result`, where the error is converted to either a message or, for
+/// structured errors, a json representation.
+#[derive(Deserialize, Serialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
+pub enum Record<T> {
+    /// A successful record.
+    Data(T),
+    /// An error entry.
+    Error(serde_json::Value),
+}
+
+impl<T> Record<T> {
+    pub fn into_result(self) -> Result<T, Error> {
+        match self {
+            Self::Data(data) => Ok(data),
+            Self::Error(serde_json::Value::String(s)) => Err(Error::msg(s)),
+            Self::Error(other) => match serde_json::to_string(&other) {
+                Ok(s) => Err(Error::msg(s)),
+                Err(err) => Err(Error::from(err)),
+            },
+        }
+    }
+}