diff --git a/aeson-value-parser.cabal b/aeson-value-parser.cabal
--- a/aeson-value-parser.cabal
+++ b/aeson-value-parser.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name: aeson-value-parser
-version: 0.19.4.1
+version: 0.19.5
 synopsis: API for parsing "aeson" JSON tree into Haskell types
 description:
   A flexible parser DSL of JSON AST produced by the \"aeson\" library
diff --git a/library/AesonValueParser.hs b/library/AesonValueParser.hs
--- a/library/AesonValueParser.hs
+++ b/library/AesonValueParser.hs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
     run,
     runWithTextError,
     Error.Error (..),
+    parseByteString,
 
     -- * Value parsers
     object,
@@ -107,6 +108,12 @@
 
 runString :: String a -> Text -> Either (Maybe Text) a
 runString (String a) b = first getLast (runExcept (runReaderT a b))
+
+parseByteString :: Value a -> ByteString -> Either Text a
+parseByteString p bs =
+  case Aeson.eitherDecodeStrict' bs of
+    Right aeson -> runWithTextError p aeson
+    Left stringErr -> Left (fromString stringErr)
 
 -- ** Definitions