diff --git a/book/src/generated/typable-cmd.md b/book/src/generated/typable-cmd.md
index 6390ef858e7b..3d476300d22e 100644
--- a/book/src/generated/typable-cmd.md
+++ b/book/src/generated/typable-cmd.md
@@ -72,3 +72,4 @@
 | `:append-output` | Run shell command, appending output after each selection. |
 | `:pipe` | Pipe each selection to the shell command. |
 | `:run-shell-command`, `:sh` | Run a shell command |
+| `:read`, `:r` | Load a file into buffer |
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
index b8f99ff369d2..2710f54b2d4c 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::ops::Deref;
+use std::{io::BufReader, ops::Deref};
 
 use crate::job::Job;
 
@@ -1783,6 +1783,87 @@ fn run_shell_command(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+fn read_file_info_buffer(
+    cx: &mut compositor::Context,
+    args: &[Cow<str>],
+    event: PromptEvent,
+) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    if event != PromptEvent::Validate {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let (view, doc) = current!(cx.editor);
+
+    ensure!(!args.is_empty(), "file name is expected");
+
+    let filename = args.get(0).unwrap();
+    let path = PathBuf::from(filename.to_string());
+    if !path.exists() {
+        bail!("file doesn't exist: {}", filename);
+    }
+
+    let file = std::fs::File::open(path).map_err(|err| anyhow!("error reading file {}", err))?;
+    let mut reader = BufReader::new(file);
+    let contents = from_reader(&mut reader, doc.encoding())
+        .map_err(|err| anyhow!("error reading file: {}", err))?;
+    let contents = Tendril::from(contents);
+    let selection = doc.selection(view.id);
+    let transaction = Transaction::insert(doc.text(), selection, contents);
+    doc.apply(&transaction, view.id);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// Stripped down version of [`helix_view::document::from_reader`] which is adapted to use encoding_rs::Decoder::read_to_string
+fn from_reader<R: std::io::Read + ?Sized>(
+    reader: &mut R,
+    encoding: &'static helix_core::encoding::Encoding,
+) -> anyhow::Result<String> {
+    let mut buf = [0u8; 8192];
+
+    let (mut decoder, mut slice, read) = {
+        let read = reader.read(&mut buf)?;
+        let decoder = encoding.new_decoder();
+        let slice = &buf[..read];
+        (decoder, slice, read)
+    };
+
+    let mut is_empty = read == 0;
+    let mut buf_str = String::with_capacity(buf.len());
+
+    loop {
+        let mut total_read = 0usize;
+
+        loop {
+            let (result, read, ..) =
+                decoder.decode_to_string(&slice[total_read..], &mut buf_str, is_empty);
+
+            total_read += read;
+
+            match result {
+                helix_core::encoding::CoderResult::InputEmpty => {
+                    debug_assert_eq!(slice.len(), total_read);
+                    break;
+                }
+                helix_core::encoding::CoderResult::OutputFull => {
+                    debug_assert!(slice.len() > total_read);
+                    buf_str.reserve(buf.len())
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        if is_empty {
+            debug_assert_eq!(reader.read(&mut buf)?, 0);
+            break;
+        }
+
+        let read = reader.read(&mut buf)?;
+        slice = &buf[..read];
+        is_empty = read == 0;
+    }
+    Ok(buf_str)
+}
+
 pub const TYPABLE_COMMAND_LIST: &[TypableCommand] = &[
         TypableCommand {
             name: "quit",
@@ -2291,6 +2372,13 @@ pub const TYPABLE_COMMAND_LIST: &[TypableCommand] = &[
             fun: run_shell_command,
             completer: Some(completers::directory),
         },
+        TypableCommand {
+            name: "read",
+            aliases: &["r"],
+            doc: "Load a file into buffer",
+            fun: read_file_info_buffer,
+            completer: Some(completers::filename),
+        },
     ];
 
 pub static TYPABLE_COMMAND_MAP: Lazy<HashMap<&'static str, &'static TypableCommand>> =
diff --git a/helix-term/tests/test/commands.rs b/helix-term/tests/test/commands.rs
index 114bf22211a5..4b3438691942 100644
--- a/helix-term/tests/test/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/tests/test/commands.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,33 @@ async fn test_write_quit_fail() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 }
 
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+async fn test_read_file() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let mut file = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new()?;
+    let expected_content = String::from("some contents");
+    let output_file = helpers::temp_file_with_contents(&expected_content)?;
+    let mut command = String::new();
+    let cmd = format!(":r {:?}<ret><esc>:w<ret>", output_file.path());
+    command.push_str(&cmd);
+
+    test_key_sequence(
+        &mut helpers::AppBuilder::new()
+            .with_file(file.path(), None)
+            .build()?,
+        Some(&command),
+        Some(&|app| {
+            assert!(!app.editor.is_err(), "error: {:?}", app.editor.get_status());
+        }),
+        false,
+    )
+    .await?;
+
+    helpers::assert_file_has_content(file.as_file_mut(), expected_content.as_str())?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+#[ignore]
 async fn test_buffer_close_concurrent() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     test_key_sequences(
         &mut helpers::AppBuilder::new().build()?,