diff --git a/rust/src/read.rs b/rust/src/read.rs
index cd6808c089..dc15b9a770 100644
--- a/rust/src/read.rs
+++ b/rust/src/read.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ use byteorder::{ReadBytesExt, LE};
 use crc32fast::hash as crc32;
 use enumset::{enum_set, EnumSet, EnumSetType};
 use log::*;
+use std::cmp::Ordering;
+use std::collections::binary_heap::IntoIter;
+use std::collections::BinaryHeap;
 
 use crate::{
     io_utils::CountingCrcReader,
@@ -758,6 +761,93 @@ impl<'a> Iterator for MessageStream<'a> {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Eq, PartialEq)]
+struct OrderedMessage<'a> {
+    message: Message<'a>,
+    reversed: bool,
+}
+
+impl PartialOrd for OrderedMessage<'_> {
+    fn partial_cmp(&self, other: &Self) -> Option<Ordering> {
+        Some(self.cmp(other))
+    }
+}
+
+impl Ord for OrderedMessage<'_> {
+    fn cmp(&self, other: &Self) -> Ordering {
+        let mut cmp = self.message.log_time.cmp(&other.message.log_time);
+
+        // default order is largest to smallest
+        match self.reversed {
+            true => cmp,
+            false => cmp.reverse(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct OrderedMessageStream<'a> {
+    remaining_iter: MessageStream<'a>,
+    ordered_msgs: BinaryHeap<OrderedMessage<'static>>,
+    // should only be set if there's an error while reading from MessageStream into
+    // ordered iterator
+    next_remaining: Option<McapResult<Message<'static>>>,
+}
+
+impl<'a> OrderedMessageStream<'a> {
+    pub fn new(buf: &'a [u8]) -> McapResult<Self> {
+        Self::new_with_options(buf, enum_set!(), false)
+    }
+
+    pub fn new_with_options(
+        buf: &'a [u8],
+        options: EnumSet<Options>,
+        reversed: bool,
+    ) -> McapResult<Self> {
+        MessageStream::new_with_options(buf, options).map(|mut msg_stream| {
+            let mut heap = BinaryHeap::new();
+            let mut next: Option<McapResult<Message>> = None;
+
+            loop {
+                match msg_stream.next() {
+                    None => break,
+                    Some(Ok(msg)) => {
+                        heap.push(OrderedMessage {
+                            message: msg,
+                            reversed,
+                        });
+                    }
+                    Some(Err(e)) => {
+                        next = Some(Err(e));
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            OrderedMessageStream {
+                remaining_iter: msg_stream,
+                ordered_msgs: heap,
+                next_remaining: next,
+            }
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> Iterator for OrderedMessageStream<'a> {
+    type Item = McapResult<Message<'static>>;
+
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        if let Some(msg) = self.ordered_msgs.pop() {
+            return Some(Ok(msg.message));
+        }
+
+        if self.next_remaining.is_some() {
+            return self.next_remaining.take();
+        }
+
+        self.remaining_iter.next()
+    }
+}
+
 const FOOTER_LEN: usize = 20 + 8 + 1; // 20 bytes + 8 byte len + 1 byte opcode
 
 /// Read the MCAP footer.
@@ -1168,6 +1258,8 @@ reader!(u64);
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
     use super::*;
+    use crate::records::MessageHeader;
+    use crate::Writer;
 
     // Can we read a file that's only magic?
     // (Probably considered malformed by the spec, but let's not panic on user input)