diff --git a/nsv/ensv.py b/nsv/ensv.py
index 37704b1..e75292f 100644
--- a/nsv/ensv.py
+++ b/nsv/ensv.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+"""ENSV -- metadata layer over NSV."""
+
 from typing import List, Iterable
 
-from .reader import Reader
-from .writer import Writer
+from .reader import Reader as NSVReader
+from .writer import Writer as NSVWriter
 
 
 def lift(seqseq: Iterable[Iterable[str]]) -> List[str]:
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ def lift(seqseq: Iterable[Iterable[str]]) -> List[str]:
         if not first:
             result.append('')
         for cell in row:
-            result.append(Writer.escape(cell))
+            result.append(NSVWriter.escape(cell))
         first = False
     return result
 
@@ -37,9 +39,40 @@ def unlift(seq: Iterable[str]) -> List[List[str]]:
     row = []
     for element in seq:
         if element != '':
-            row.append(Reader.unescape(element))
+            row.append(NSVReader.unescape(element))
         else:
             rows.append(row)
             row = []
     rows.append(row)
     return rows
+
+
+class Reader:
+    def __init__(self, file_obj):
+        self._inner = NSVReader(file_obj)
+        self.meta = []
+        for row in self._inner:
+            if not row:
+                break
+            self.meta.append(row)
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        return self
+
+    def __next__(self):
+        return next(self._inner)
+
+
+class Writer:
+    def __init__(self, file_obj):
+        self._inner = NSVWriter(file_obj)
+
+    def write_meta(self, meta):
+        self._inner.write_rows(meta)
+        self._inner.write_row([])
+
+    def write_row(self, row):
+        self._inner.write_row(row)
+
+    def write_rows(self, rows):
+        self._inner.write_rows(rows)
diff --git a/tests/test_ensv.py b/tests/test_ensv.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ac0f511
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_ensv.py
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+import io
+import unittest
+
+from nsv.ensv import Reader, Writer
+
+
+class TestReader(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def _make(self, text):
+        return Reader(io.StringIO(text))
+
+    def test_meta_and_data(self):
+        # meta: [columns: a b] [types: str int], separator, data: [Alice 100] [Bob 200]
+        r = self._make('columns:\na\nb\n\ntypes:\nstr\nint\n\n\nAlice\n100\n\nBob\n200\n\n')
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['columns:', 'a', 'b'], ['types:', 'str', 'int']])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [['Alice', '100'], ['Bob', '200']])
+
+    def test_single_meta_row(self):
+        r = self._make('columns:\nx\n\n\nhello\n\n')
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['columns:', 'x']])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [['hello']])
+
+    def test_no_data(self):
+        r = self._make('columns:\na\n\n\n')
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['columns:', 'a']])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [])
+
+    def test_empty_meta(self):
+        # empty row right away = no meta forms
+        r = self._make('\nhello\n\n')
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [['hello']])
+
+    def test_meta_preserved_for_later(self):
+        r = self._make('columns:\nname\n\ntypes:\nstr\n\n\nAlice\n\n')
+        meta = r.meta
+        _ = list(r)
+        self.assertEqual(meta, [['columns:', 'name'], ['types:', 'str']])
+        self.assertIs(r.meta, meta)
+
+    def test_streaming(self):
+        r = self._make('columns:\nx\n\n\n1\n\n2\n\n3\n\n')
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['columns:', 'x']])
+        self.assertEqual(next(r), ['1'])
+        self.assertEqual(next(r), ['2'])
+        self.assertEqual(next(r), ['3'])
+
+    def test_no_separator_all_meta(self):
+        # no empty row separator = everything is meta
+        r = self._make('a\nb\n\nc\nd\n\n')
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['a', 'b'], ['c', 'd']])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [])
+
+
+class TestWriter(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def _write(self, meta, data):
+        buf = io.StringIO()
+        w = Writer(buf)
+        w.write_meta(meta)
+        w.write_rows(data)
+        return buf.getvalue()
+
+    def test_meta_and_data(self):
+        text = self._write(
+            [['columns:', 'a', 'b']],
+            [['1', '2'], ['3', '4']],
+        )
+        r = Reader(io.StringIO(text))
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['columns:', 'a', 'b']])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [['1', '2'], ['3', '4']])
+
+    def test_multiple_meta_rows(self):
+        text = self._write(
+            [['columns:', 'x'], ['types:', 'int']],
+            [['42']],
+        )
+        r = Reader(io.StringIO(text))
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['columns:', 'x'], ['types:', 'int']])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [['42']])
+
+    def test_empty_data(self):
+        text = self._write([['columns:', 'a']], [])
+        r = Reader(io.StringIO(text))
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['columns:', 'a']])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [])
+
+    def test_write_row_by_row(self):
+        buf = io.StringIO()
+        w = Writer(buf)
+        w.write_meta([['columns:', 'x']])
+        w.write_row(['a'])
+        w.write_row(['b'])
+        r = Reader(io.StringIO(buf.getvalue()))
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, [['columns:', 'x']])
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), [['a'], ['b']])
+
+
+class TestRoundTrip(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_roundtrip(self):
+        meta = [['columns:', 'name', 'score'], ['types:', 'str', 'int']]
+        data = [['Alice', '100'], ['Bob', '200']]
+        buf = io.StringIO()
+        w = Writer(buf)
+        w.write_meta(meta)
+        w.write_rows(data)
+        r = Reader(io.StringIO(buf.getvalue()))
+        self.assertEqual(r.meta, meta)
+        self.assertEqual(list(r), data)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()