diff --git a/scripts/read_chunks.sh b/scripts/read_chunks.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..bdddb71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/read_chunks.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# read from pipe a set number of times
+
+usage() { echo "Usage: $0 -n <chunks> -f <pipe>" 1>&2; exit 1; }
+
+unset -v ACTION
+unset -v ARCHIVE
+unset -v QUIET
+while getopts "n:f:" o; do
+  case "${o}" in
+    n)
+      COUNT=${OPTARG}
+      ;;
+    f)
+      PIPE=${OPTARG}
+      ;;
+    *)
+      usage
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+[ -z "$COUNT" ] && usage && exit 1
+[ -z "$PIPE" ] && usage && exit 1
+! [ -p $PIPE ] && echo "Not a pipe" && exit 1
+
+while [ $COUNT -gt 0 ]
+do
+  cat $PIPE
+  COUNT=$(( $COUNT - 1 ))
+done