diff --git a/vcs-svn/svndump.c b/vcs-svn/svndump.c
index 2b168aee75..d81a078b8e 100644
--- a/vcs-svn/svndump.c
+++ b/vcs-svn/svndump.c
@@ -468,11 +468,9 @@ void svndump_read(const char *url)
 		end_revision();
 }
 
-int svndump_init(const char *filename)
+static void init(int report_fd)
 {
-	if (buffer_init(&input, filename))
-		return error("cannot open %s: %s", filename, strerror(errno));
-	fast_export_init(REPORT_FILENO);
+	fast_export_init(report_fd);
 	strbuf_init(&dump_ctx.uuid, 4096);
 	strbuf_init(&dump_ctx.url, 4096);
 	strbuf_init(&rev_ctx.log, 4096);
@@ -482,6 +480,22 @@ int svndump_init(const char *filename)
 	reset_dump_ctx(NULL);
 	reset_rev_ctx(0);
 	reset_node_ctx(NULL);
+	return;
+}
+
+int svndump_init(const char *filename)
+{
+	if (buffer_init(&input, filename))
+		return error("cannot open %s: %s", filename ? filename : "NULL", strerror(errno));
+	init(REPORT_FILENO);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int svndump_init_fd(int in_fd, int back_fd)
+{
+	if(buffer_fdinit(&input, xdup(in_fd)))
+		return error("cannot open fd %d: %s", in_fd, strerror(errno));
+	init(xdup(back_fd));
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/vcs-svn/svndump.h b/vcs-svn/svndump.h
index df9ceb0e8d..acb5b474d2 100644
--- a/vcs-svn/svndump.h
+++ b/vcs-svn/svndump.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define SVNDUMP_H_
 
 int svndump_init(const char *filename);
+int svndump_init_fd(int in_fd, int back_fd);
 void svndump_read(const char *url);
 void svndump_deinit(void);
 void svndump_reset(void);