diff --git a/src/parser.cpp b/src/parser.cpp
index 0c63448..964e8c6 100644
--- a/src/parser.cpp
+++ b/src/parser.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,22 @@ Parser::~Parser()
   delete d;
 }
 
+
 QVariant Parser::parse (QIODevice* io, bool* ok)
+{
+  if (!io->isOpen()) {
+    if (!io->open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
+      if (ok != 0)
+        *ok = false;
+      qCritical ("Error opening device");
+      return QVariant();
+    }
+  }
+  return parse(io, true, ok);
+}
+
+
+QVariant Parser::parse (QIODevice* io,bool alwaysCloseDevice, bool* ok)
 {
   d->reset();
 
@@ -81,13 +96,16 @@ QVariant Parser::parse (QIODevice* io, bool* ok)
       qCritical ("Error opening device");
       return QVariant();
     }
+    alwaysCloseDevice = true;
   }
 
   if (!io->isReadable()) {
     if (ok != 0)
       *ok = false;
     qCritical ("Device is not readable");
-    io->close();
+    if(alwaysCloseDevice) {
+      io->close();
+    }
     return QVariant();
   }
 
@@ -110,7 +128,10 @@ QVariant Parser::parse (QIODevice* io, bool* ok)
   if (ok != 0)
     *ok = !d->m_error;
 
-  io->close();
+  if(alwaysCloseDevice) {
+    io->close();
+  }
+
   return d->m_result;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/parser.h b/src/parser.h
index c3132f5..241ab81 100644
--- a/src/parser.h
+++ b/src/parser.h
@@ -52,6 +52,15 @@ namespace QJson {
       */
       QVariant parse(QIODevice* io, bool* ok = 0);
 
+      /**
+      * Read JSON string from the I/O Device and converts it to a QVariant object
+      * @param io Input output device
+      * @param alwaysCloseDevice if false, io is kept in the same open state, otherwise io is left closed 
+      * @param ok if a conversion error occurs, *ok is set to false; otherwise *ok is set to true.
+      * @returns a QVariant object generated from the JSON string
+      */
+      QVariant parse(QIODevice* io,bool alwaysCloseDevice, bool* ok = 0);
+
       /**
       * This is a method provided for convenience.
       * @param jsonData data containing the JSON object representation