diff --git a/examples/bt-get2.cpp b/examples/bt-get2.cpp
index 83f3ad030..aadcc8180 100644
--- a/examples/bt-get2.cpp
+++ b/examples/bt-get2.cpp
@@ -85,12 +85,7 @@ int main(int argc, char const* argv[]) try
 	std::vector<char> buf{std::istream_iterator<char>(ifs)
 		, std::istream_iterator<char>()};
 
-	lt::error_code ec;
-	lt::add_torrent_params atp = lt::read_resume_data(buf, ec);
-	if (ec) {
-		std::cerr << "failed to read resume data: " << ec.message() << std::endl;
-		return 1;
-	}
+	lt::add_torrent_params atp = lt::read_resume_data(buf);
 	lt::add_torrent_params magnet = lt::parse_magnet_uri(argv[1]);
 	if (atp.info_hash != magnet.info_hash) {
 		atp = std::move(magnet);
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/read_resume_data.hpp b/include/libtorrent/read_resume_data.hpp
index 87c21b4d6..3db37a543 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/read_resume_data.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/read_resume_data.hpp
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ namespace libtorrent {
 		, error_code& ec);
 	TORRENT_EXPORT add_torrent_params read_resume_data(span<char const> buffer
 		, error_code& ec);
+	TORRENT_EXPORT add_torrent_params read_resume_data(bdecode_node const& rd);
+	TORRENT_EXPORT add_torrent_params read_resume_data(span<char const> buffer);
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/read_resume_data.cpp b/src/read_resume_data.cpp
index 45dd779ae..983c573c5 100644
--- a/src/read_resume_data.cpp
+++ b/src/read_resume_data.cpp
@@ -354,4 +354,23 @@ namespace {
 
 		return read_resume_data(rd, ec);
 	}
+
+	add_torrent_params read_resume_data(bdecode_node const& rd)
+	{
+		error_code ec;
+		auto ret = read_resume_data(rd, ec);
+		if (ec) throw system_error(ec);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	add_torrent_params read_resume_data(span<char const> buffer)
+	{
+		error_code ec;
+		bdecode_node rd = bdecode(buffer, ec);
+		if (ec) throw system_error(ec);
+
+		auto ret = read_resume_data(rd, ec);
+		if (ec) throw system_error(ec);
+		return ret;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/test/test_read_resume.cpp b/test/test_read_resume.cpp
index ff67aca84..5cac08ff5 100644
--- a/test/test_read_resume.cpp
+++ b/test/test_read_resume.cpp
@@ -77,10 +77,7 @@ TORRENT_TEST(read_resume)
 	std::vector<char> resume_data;
 	bencode(std::back_inserter(resume_data), rd);
 
-	error_code ec;
-	add_torrent_params atp = read_resume_data(resume_data, ec);
-
-	TEST_CHECK(!ec);
+	add_torrent_params atp = read_resume_data(resume_data);
 
 	TEST_EQUAL(atp.info_hash, sha1_hash("abcdefghijklmnopqrst"));
 	TEST_EQUAL(atp.have_pieces.size(), 6);
@@ -165,9 +162,7 @@ TORRENT_TEST(read_resume_mismatching_torrent)
 
 	// the info-hash field does not match the torrent in the "info" field, so it
 	// will be ignored
-	error_code ec;
-	add_torrent_params atp = read_resume_data(resume_data, ec);
-	TEST_CHECK(!ec);
+	add_torrent_params atp = read_resume_data(resume_data);
 	TEST_CHECK(!atp.ti);
 }
 
@@ -213,9 +208,7 @@ TORRENT_TEST(read_resume_torrent)
 
 	// the info-hash field does not match the torrent in the "info" field, so it
 	// will be ignored
-	error_code ec;
-	add_torrent_params atp = read_resume_data(resume_data, ec);
-	TEST_CHECK(!ec);
+	add_torrent_params atp = read_resume_data(resume_data);
 	TEST_CHECK(atp.ti);
 
 	TEST_EQUAL(atp.ti->info_hash(), ti->info_hash());
diff --git a/test/test_resume.cpp b/test/test_resume.cpp
index 04374cf6e..0c92e3fa7 100644
--- a/test/test_resume.cpp
+++ b/test/test_resume.cpp
@@ -150,9 +150,7 @@ torrent_handle test_resume_flags(lt::session& ses
 	else
 #endif
 	{
-		error_code ec;
-		p = read_resume_data(rd, ec);
-		TEST_CHECK(!ec);
+		p = read_resume_data(rd);
 	}
 
 	p.ti = ti;
@@ -243,9 +241,7 @@ void test_piece_priorities(bool test_deprecated = false)
 		else
 #endif
 		{
-			error_code ec;
-			p = read_resume_data(resume_data, ec);
-			TEST_CHECK(!ec);
+			p = read_resume_data(resume_data);
 			p.ti = ti;
 			p.save_path = ".";
 		}
@@ -851,9 +847,7 @@ void test_zero_file_prio(bool test_deprecated = false, bool mix_prios = false)
 	else
 #endif
 	{
-		error_code ec;
-		p = read_resume_data(resume_data, ec);
-		TEST_CHECK(!ec);
+		p = read_resume_data(resume_data);
 		p.ti = ti;
 		p.save_path = ".";
 	}
diff --git a/test/test_storage.cpp b/test/test_storage.cpp
index 11e50e41b..8c4e9e743 100644
--- a/test/test_storage.cpp
+++ b/test/test_storage.cpp
@@ -747,8 +747,7 @@ void test_fastresume(bool const test_deprecated)
 		else
 #endif
 		{
-			p = read_resume_data(resume_data, ec);
-			TEST_CHECK(!ec);
+			p = read_resume_data(resume_data);
 		}
 
 		p.flags &= ~torrent_flags::paused;
@@ -928,8 +927,7 @@ void test_rename_file_fastresume(bool test_deprecated)
 		else
 #endif
 		{
-			p = read_resume_data(resume_data, ec);
-			TEST_CHECK(!ec);
+			p = read_resume_data(resume_data);
 		}
 		p.ti = std::make_shared<torrent_info>(std::cref(*t));
 		p.save_path = combine_path(test_path, "tmp2");