diff --git a/consensus/src/backup/loader.rs b/consensus/src/backup/loader.rs
index c7b960b6..2f912bc1 100644
--- a/consensus/src/backup/loader.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/backup/loader.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use std::{collections::HashSet, fmt, fmt::Debug, io::Read, marker::PhantomData};
 
+use async_trait::async_trait;
 use codec::{Decode, Error as CodecError};
 use futures::channel::oneshot;
 use log::{error, info, warn};
@@ -63,14 +64,28 @@ impl From<CodecError> for LoaderError {
     }
 }
 
-pub struct BackupLoader<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, R: Read> {
+#[async_trait]
+pub trait BackupReader {
+    async fn read(&mut self) -> std::io::Result<Vec<u8>>;
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl<R: Read + Send> BackupReader for R {
+    async fn read(&mut self) -> std::io::Result<Vec<u8>> {
+        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        self.read_to_end(&mut buf)?;
+        Ok(buf)
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct BackupLoader<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, R: BackupReader> {
     backup: R,
     index: NodeIndex,
     session_id: SessionId,
     _phantom: PhantomData<(H, D, S)>,
 }
 
-impl<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, R: Read> BackupLoader<H, D, S, R> {
+impl<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, R: BackupReader> BackupLoader<H, D, S, R> {
     pub fn new(backup: R, index: NodeIndex, session_id: SessionId) -> BackupLoader<H, D, S, R> {
         BackupLoader {
             backup,
@@ -80,9 +95,8 @@ impl<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, R: Read> BackupLoader<H, D, S, R> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn load(&mut self) -> Result<Vec<UncheckedSignedUnit<H, D, S>>, LoaderError> {
-        let mut buf = Vec::new();
-        self.backup.read_to_end(&mut buf)?;
+    async fn load(&mut self) -> Result<Vec<UncheckedSignedUnit<H, D, S>>, LoaderError> {
+        let buf = self.backup.read().await?;
         let input = &mut &buf[..];
         let mut result = Vec::new();
         while !input.is_empty() {
@@ -163,7 +177,7 @@ impl<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, R: Read> BackupLoader<H, D, S, R> {
         starting_round: oneshot::Sender<Option<Round>>,
         next_round_collection: oneshot::Receiver<Round>,
     ) {
-        let units = match self.load() {
+        let units = match self.load().await {
             Ok(items) => items,
             Err(e) => {
                 error!(target: LOG_TARGET, "unable to load backup data: {}", e);
diff --git a/consensus/src/backup/mod.rs b/consensus/src/backup/mod.rs
index d1807330..42a865fd 100644
--- a/consensus/src/backup/mod.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/backup/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 pub use loader::BackupLoader;
+pub use loader::BackupReader;
 pub use saver::BackupSaver;
+pub use saver::BackupWriter;
 
 mod loader;
 mod saver;
diff --git a/consensus/src/backup/saver.rs b/consensus/src/backup/saver.rs
index c4657f74..124d1c1c 100644
--- a/consensus/src/backup/saver.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/backup/saver.rs
@@ -1,22 +1,36 @@
 use std::io::Write;
 
 use crate::{units::UncheckedSignedUnit, Data, Hasher, Receiver, Sender, Signature, Terminator};
+use async_trait::async_trait;
 use codec::Encode;
 use futures::{FutureExt, StreamExt};
 use log::{debug, error};
 
 const LOG_TARGET: &str = "AlephBFT-backup-saver";
 
+#[async_trait]
+pub trait BackupWriter {
+    async fn append(&mut self, data: &[u8]) -> std::io::Result<()>;
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl<W: Write + Send> BackupWriter for W {
+    async fn append(&mut self, data: &[u8]) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+        Write::write_all(self, data)?;
+        self.flush()
+    }
+}
+
 /// Component responsible for saving units into backup.
 /// It waits for items to appear on its receivers, and writes them to backup.
 /// It announces a successful write through an appropriate response sender.
-pub struct BackupSaver<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, W: Write> {
+pub struct BackupSaver<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, W: BackupWriter> {
     units_from_runway: Receiver<UncheckedSignedUnit<H, D, S>>,
     responses_for_runway: Sender<UncheckedSignedUnit<H, D, S>>,
     backup: W,
 }
 
-impl<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, W: Write> BackupSaver<H, D, S, W> {
+impl<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, W: BackupWriter> BackupSaver<H, D, S, W> {
     pub fn new(
         units_from_runway: Receiver<UncheckedSignedUnit<H, D, S>>,
         responses_for_runway: Sender<UncheckedSignedUnit<H, D, S>>,
@@ -29,10 +43,11 @@ impl<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, W: Write> BackupSaver<H, D, S, W> {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn save_item(&mut self, item: &UncheckedSignedUnit<H, D, S>) -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
-        self.backup.write_all(&item.encode())?;
-        self.backup.flush()?;
-        Ok(())
+    pub async fn save_item(
+        &mut self,
+        item: &UncheckedSignedUnit<H, D, S>,
+    ) -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
+        self.backup.append(&item.encode()).await
     }
 
     pub async fn run(&mut self, mut terminator: Terminator) {
@@ -47,7 +62,7 @@ impl<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature, W: Write> BackupSaver<H, D, S, W> {
                             break;
                         },
                     };
-                    if let Err(e) = self.save_item(&item) {
+                    if let Err(e) = self.save_item(&item).await {
                         error!(target: LOG_TARGET, "couldn't save item to backup: {:?}", e);
                         break;
                     }
diff --git a/consensus/src/lib.rs b/consensus/src/lib.rs
index 8958d441..3e76062d 100644
--- a/consensus/src/lib.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/lib.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ pub use aleph_bft_types::{
     PartialMultisignature, PartiallyMultisigned, Recipient, Round, SessionId, Signable, Signature,
     SignatureError, SignatureSet, Signed, SpawnHandle, TaskHandle, UncheckedSigned,
 };
+pub use backup::{BackupReader, BackupWriter};
 pub use config::{
     create_config, default_config, default_delay_config, exponential_slowdown, Config, DelayConfig,
 };
diff --git a/consensus/src/member.rs b/consensus/src/member.rs
index 196356a8..b516df71 100644
--- a/consensus/src/member.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/member.rs
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ use crate::{
     },
     task_queue::TaskQueue,
     units::{UncheckedSignedUnit, UnitCoord},
-    Config, Data, DataProvider, FinalizationHandler, Hasher, MultiKeychain, Network, NodeIndex,
-    Receiver, Recipient, Round, Sender, Signature, SpawnHandle, Terminator, UncheckedSigned,
+    BackupReader, BackupWriter, Config, Data, DataProvider, FinalizationHandler, Hasher,
+    MultiKeychain, Network, NodeIndex, Receiver, Recipient, Round, Sender, Signature, SpawnHandle,
+    Terminator, UncheckedSigned,
 };
 use aleph_bft_types::NodeMap;
 use codec::{Decode, Encode};
@@ -108,7 +109,13 @@ enum TaskDetails<H: Hasher, D: Data, S: Signature> {
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct LocalIO<D: Data, DP: DataProvider<D>, FH: FinalizationHandler<D>, US: Write, UL: Read> {
+pub struct LocalIO<
+    D: Data,
+    DP: DataProvider<D>,
+    FH: FinalizationHandler<D>,
+    US: BackupWriter,
+    UL: BackupReader,
+> {
     data_provider: DP,
     finalization_handler: FH,
     unit_saver: US,
@@ -116,8 +123,13 @@ pub struct LocalIO<D: Data, DP: DataProvider<D>, FH: FinalizationHandler<D>, US:
     _phantom: PhantomData<D>,
 }
 
-impl<D: Data, DP: DataProvider<D>, FH: FinalizationHandler<D>, US: Write, UL: Read>
-    LocalIO<D, DP, FH, US, UL>
+impl<
+        D: Data,
+        DP: DataProvider<D>,
+        FH: FinalizationHandler<D>,
+        US: BackupWriter,
+        UL: BackupReader,
+    > LocalIO<D, DP, FH, US, UL>
 {
     pub fn new(
         data_provider: DP,
@@ -573,8 +585,8 @@ pub async fn run_session<
     D: Data,
     DP: DataProvider<D>,
     FH: FinalizationHandler<D>,
-    US: Write + Send + Sync + 'static,
-    UL: Read + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    US: BackupWriter + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    UL: BackupReader + Send + Sync + 'static,
     N: Network<NetworkData<H, D, MK::Signature, MK::PartialMultisignature>> + 'static,
     SH: SpawnHandle,
     MK: MultiKeychain,
diff --git a/consensus/src/runway/mod.rs b/consensus/src/runway/mod.rs
index 19eed02d..2a0cc911 100644
--- a/consensus/src/runway/mod.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/runway/mod.rs
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ use crate::{
         ControlHash, PreUnit, SignedUnit, UncheckedSignedUnit, Unit, UnitCoord, UnitStore,
         UnitStoreStatus, Validator,
     },
-    Config, Data, DataProvider, FinalizationHandler, Hasher, Index, Keychain, MultiKeychain,
-    NodeCount, NodeIndex, NodeMap, Receiver, Round, Sender, Signature, Signed, SpawnHandle,
-    Terminator, UncheckedSigned,
+    BackupReader, BackupWriter, Config, Data, DataProvider, FinalizationHandler, Hasher, Index,
+    Keychain, MultiKeychain, NodeCount, NodeIndex, NodeMap, Receiver, Round, Sender, Signature,
+    Signed, SpawnHandle, Terminator, UncheckedSigned,
 };
 use aleph_bft_types::Recipient;
 use futures::{
@@ -871,8 +871,8 @@ pub struct RunwayIO<
     H: Hasher,
     D: Data,
     MK: MultiKeychain,
-    W: Write + Send + Sync + 'static,
-    R: Read + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    W: BackupWriter + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    R: BackupReader + Send + Sync + 'static,
     DP: DataProvider<D>,
     FH: FinalizationHandler<D>,
 > {
@@ -887,8 +887,8 @@ impl<
         H: Hasher,
         D: Data,
         MK: MultiKeychain,
-        W: Write + Send + Sync + 'static,
-        R: Read + Send + Sync + 'static,
+        W: BackupWriter + Send + Sync + 'static,
+        R: BackupReader + Send + Sync + 'static,
         DP: DataProvider<D>,
         FH: FinalizationHandler<D>,
     > RunwayIO<H, D, MK, W, R, DP, FH>
@@ -919,8 +919,8 @@ pub(crate) async fn run<H, D, US, UL, MK, DP, FH, SH>(
 ) where
     H: Hasher,
     D: Data,
-    US: Write + Send + Sync + 'static,
-    UL: Read + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    US: BackupWriter + Send + Sync + 'static,
+    UL: BackupReader + Send + Sync + 'static,
     DP: DataProvider<D>,
     FH: FinalizationHandler<D>,
     MK: MultiKeychain,