diff --git a/nano/core_test/block.cpp b/nano/core_test/block.cpp
index 8e1e3c7ea8..ac0450595b 100644
--- a/nano/core_test/block.cpp
+++ b/nano/core_test/block.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/common.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
 #include <nano/test_common/testutil.hpp>
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
diff --git a/nano/core_test/message.cpp b/nano/core_test/message.cpp
index fcec2417bc..082a600978 100644
--- a/nano/core_test/message.cpp
+++ b/nano/core_test/message.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include <nano/crypto_lib/random_pool.hpp>
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/common.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/network.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
 #include <nano/test_common/testutil.hpp>
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
diff --git a/nano/core_test/network_filter.cpp b/nano/core_test/network_filter.cpp
index e21af52cd8..21f6f7ec58 100644
--- a/nano/core_test/network_filter.cpp
+++ b/nano/core_test/network_filter.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/common.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
 #include <nano/secure/common.hpp>
 #include <nano/secure/network_filter.hpp>
 #include <nano/test_common/testutil.hpp>
diff --git a/nano/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/nano/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index d0207325cb..4acaf59bb6 100644
--- a/nano/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/nano/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ add_library(
   blockbuilders.cpp
   blocks.hpp
   blocks.cpp
+  char_traits.hpp
   cli.hpp
   cli.cpp
   config.hpp
diff --git a/nano/lib/char_traits.hpp b/nano/lib/char_traits.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b21f2364a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nano/lib/char_traits.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <string>
+
+/**
+ * A traits class to allow us to use uint8_t as a char type for streams
+ * Using `char_traits<uint8_t>` directly is not specified by the standard, is deprecated and scheduled for removal
+ * Based on implementation from clang
+ */
+struct uint8_char_traits
+{
+	using char_type = uint8_t;
+	using int_type = std::char_traits<char>::int_type;
+	using off_type = std::char_traits<char>::off_type;
+	using pos_type = std::char_traits<char>::pos_type;
+	using state_type = std::char_traits<char>::state_type;
+
+	static inline void assign (char_type & a, const char_type & b) noexcept
+	{
+		a = b;
+	}
+	static inline bool eq (char_type a, char_type b) noexcept
+	{
+		return a == b;
+	}
+	static inline bool lt (char_type a, char_type b) noexcept
+	{
+		return a < b;
+	}
+	static int compare (const char_type * a, const char_type * b, size_t size)
+	{
+		return std::char_traits<char>::compare (reinterpret_cast<char const *> (a), reinterpret_cast<char const *> (b), size);
+	}
+	static inline size_t length (const char_type * a)
+	{
+		return std::char_traits<char>::length (reinterpret_cast<char const *> (a));
+	}
+	static inline const char_type * find (const char_type * a, size_t size, const char_type & b)
+	{
+		return reinterpret_cast<const char_type *> (std::char_traits<char>::find (reinterpret_cast<char const *> (a), size, reinterpret_cast<char const &> (b)));
+	}
+	static char_type * move (char_type * a, const char_type * b, size_t size)
+	{
+		return reinterpret_cast<char_type *> (std::char_traits<char>::move (reinterpret_cast<char *> (a), reinterpret_cast<char const *> (b), size));
+	}
+	static char_type * copy (char_type * a, const char_type * b, size_t size)
+	{
+		return reinterpret_cast<char_type *> (std::char_traits<char>::copy (reinterpret_cast<char *> (a), reinterpret_cast<char const *> (b), size));
+	}
+	static char_type * assign (char_type * a, size_t size, char_type b)
+	{
+		return reinterpret_cast<char_type *> (std::char_traits<char>::assign (reinterpret_cast<char *> (a), size, reinterpret_cast<char const &> (b)));
+	}
+	static inline int_type not_eof (int_type v) noexcept
+	{
+		return std::char_traits<char>::not_eof (v);
+	}
+	static inline char_type to_char_type (int_type v) noexcept
+	{
+		return char_type (v);
+	}
+	static inline int_type to_int_type (char_type v) noexcept
+	{
+		return int_type (v);
+	}
+	static inline bool eq_int_type (int_type a, int_type b) noexcept
+	{
+		return a == b;
+	}
+	static inline int_type eof () noexcept
+	{
+		return std::char_traits<char>::eof ();
+	}
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/nano/lib/stream.hpp b/nano/lib/stream.hpp
index 77bb86185c..895719e801 100644
--- a/nano/lib/stream.hpp
+++ b/nano/lib/stream.hpp
@@ -1,15 +1,23 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <nano/lib/char_traits.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/utility.hpp>
 
 #include <boost/endian/conversion.hpp>
+#include <boost/iostreams/device/array.hpp>
+#include <boost/iostreams/device/back_inserter.hpp>
+#include <boost/iostreams/stream_buffer.hpp>
 
 #include <streambuf>
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
 
 namespace nano
 {
 // We operate on streams of uint8_t by convention
-using stream = std::basic_streambuf<uint8_t>;
+using stream = std::basic_streambuf<uint8_t, uint8_char_traits>;
+using bufferstream = boost::iostreams::stream_buffer<boost::iostreams::basic_array_source<uint8_t>, uint8_char_traits>;
+using vectorstream = boost::iostreams::stream_buffer<boost::iostreams::back_insert_device<std::vector<uint8_t>>, uint8_char_traits>;
 
 // Read a raw byte stream the size of `T' and fill value. Returns true if there was an error, false otherwise
 template <typename T>
diff --git a/nano/node/bootstrap/block_deserializer.cpp b/nano/node/bootstrap/block_deserializer.cpp
index 6eaaf29049..23a4d30d83 100644
--- a/nano/node/bootstrap/block_deserializer.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/bootstrap/block_deserializer.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include <nano/lib/blocks.hpp>
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/bootstrap/block_deserializer.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/transport/socket.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
 
 nano::bootstrap::block_deserializer::block_deserializer () :
 	read_buffer{ std::make_shared<std::vector<uint8_t>> () }
diff --git a/nano/node/common.cpp b/nano/node/common.cpp
index 52b7dce80c..9a4de71724 100644
--- a/nano/node/common.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/common.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #include <nano/lib/blocks.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/memory.hpp>
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/active_transactions.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/common.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/election.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/network.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/wallet.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
 
 #include <boost/format.hpp>
 
diff --git a/nano/node/messages.cpp b/nano/node/messages.cpp
index 2417eddf18..0f4699c009 100644
--- a/nano/node/messages.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/messages.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 #include <nano/node/election.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/messages.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/network.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
 
 #include <boost/asio/ip/address_v6.hpp>
 #include <boost/endian/conversion.hpp>
diff --git a/nano/node/node.cpp b/nano/node/node.cpp
index 049e940c69..0c764d9de4 100644
--- a/nano/node/node.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/node.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/threading.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/tomlconfig.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/utility.hpp>
@@ -12,7 +13,6 @@
 #include <nano/node/scheduler/priority.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/telemetry.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/websocket.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
 #include <nano/store/component.hpp>
 #include <nano/store/rocksdb/rocksdb.hpp>
 
diff --git a/nano/secure/CMakeLists.txt b/nano/secure/CMakeLists.txt
index b3691dea8e..b294503712 100644
--- a/nano/secure/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/nano/secure/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ add_library(
   ${PLATFORM_SECURE_SOURCE}
   ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bootstrap_weights_live.cpp
   ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bootstrap_weights_beta.cpp
-  buffer.hpp
   common.hpp
   common.cpp
   ledger.hpp
diff --git a/nano/secure/buffer.hpp b/nano/secure/buffer.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index d1a4511789..0000000000
--- a/nano/secure/buffer.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-#include <boost/iostreams/device/array.hpp>
-#include <boost/iostreams/device/back_inserter.hpp>
-#include <boost/iostreams/stream_buffer.hpp>
-
-#include <vector>
-
-namespace nano
-{
-using bufferstream = boost::iostreams::stream_buffer<boost::iostreams::basic_array_source<uint8_t>>;
-using vectorstream = boost::iostreams::stream_buffer<boost::iostreams::back_insert_device<std::vector<uint8_t>>>;
-}
diff --git a/nano/secure/network_filter.cpp b/nano/secure/network_filter.cpp
index 4b84f5e334..059cddb30e 100644
--- a/nano/secure/network_filter.cpp
+++ b/nano/secure/network_filter.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include <nano/crypto_lib/random_pool.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/locks.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/secure/common.hpp>
 #include <nano/secure/network_filter.hpp>
 
diff --git a/nano/store/component.hpp b/nano/store/component.hpp
index 5b1d4e44ac..a6584c9b84 100644
--- a/nano/store/component.hpp
+++ b/nano/store/component.hpp
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <nano/crypto_lib/random_pool.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/memory.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/secure/common.hpp>
 #include <nano/store/tables.hpp>
 #include <nano/store/transaction.hpp>
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ class ledger_cache;
 namespace store
 {
 	/**
- * Store manager
- */
+	 * Store manager
+	 */
 	class component
 	{
 		friend class rocksdb_block_store_tombstone_count_Test;
diff --git a/nano/store/db_val.hpp b/nano/store/db_val.hpp
index 9a52ffb0ac..957492e23e 100644
--- a/nano/store/db_val.hpp
+++ b/nano/store/db_val.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
+
 #include <nano/lib/numbers.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/secure/common.hpp>
 #include <nano/store/block.hpp>
 #include <nano/store/component.hpp>
diff --git a/nano/store/lmdb/lmdb.cpp b/nano/store/lmdb/lmdb.cpp
index 6bf1539980..e1385ac6da 100644
--- a/nano/store/lmdb/lmdb.cpp
+++ b/nano/store/lmdb/lmdb.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
+#include <nano/lib/stream.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/utility.hpp>
-#include <nano/secure/buffer.hpp>
 #include <nano/secure/ledger.hpp>
 #include <nano/store/lmdb/iterator.hpp>
 #include <nano/store/lmdb/lmdb.hpp>