diff --git a/collects/racket/private/for.rkt b/collects/racket/private/for.rkt
index 88733cac4a..c1b852f284 100644
--- a/collects/racket/private/for.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/private/for.rkt
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
              stream-first
              stream-rest
              prop:stream
+             stream-ref ; only provided for racket/stream
              sequence->stream
              empty-stream make-do-stream
 
diff --git a/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt b/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
index 59da173128..57a802aa28 100644
--- a/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
                               define-in-vector-like
                               define-:vector-like-gen
                               make-in-vector-like
-                              stream? stream-empty? stream-first stream-rest 
+                              stream? stream-ref stream-empty? stream-first stream-rest
                               prop:stream in-stream empty-stream make-do-stream)
              (all-from "kernstruct.rkt")
              #%top-interaction
diff --git a/collects/racket/stream.rkt b/collects/racket/stream.rkt
index 3e5db6f31e..d33d6e2e4a 100644
--- a/collects/racket/stream.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/stream.rkt
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #lang racket/base
 
-(require "private/for.rkt"
+(require racket/private/generics
+         (rename-in "private/for.rkt"
+                    [stream-ref    stream-get-generics]
+                    [stream-empty? -stream-empty]
+                    [stream-first  -stream-first]
+                    [stream-rest   -stream-rest])
          "private/sequence.rkt"
          (only-in "private/stream-cons.rkt"
                   stream-cons))
@@ -8,9 +13,14 @@
 (provide empty-stream
          stream-cons
          stream?
-         stream-empty?
-         stream-first
-         stream-rest
+         generic-stream
+         ;; we don't need the generics versions of these because
+         ;; the original sequence functions will work fine
+         ;; for the dispatch. (the method table layout is
+         ;; identical)
+         (rename-out [-stream-empty stream-empty?]
+                     [-stream-first stream-first]
+                     [-stream-rest  stream-rest])
          prop:stream
          in-stream
 
@@ -29,6 +39,16 @@
          stream-add-between
          stream-count)
 
+(define-generics (generic-stream prop:stream stream?
+                                 #:defined-table defined-table
+                                 #:coerce-method-table #f
+                                 #:prop-defined-already? stream-get-generics)
+  ;; These three are never used for the reasons explained above.
+  ;; We still need the headers for clients who extend racket/stream.
+  (stream-empty? generic-stream)
+  (stream-first generic-stream)
+  (stream-rest generic-stream))
+
 (define-syntax stream
   (syntax-rules ()
     ((_)
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/reference/sequences.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/reference/sequences.scrbl
index 32aa2e425c..e2eddab344 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/reference/sequences.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/reference/sequences.scrbl
@@ -701,16 +701,22 @@ A shorthand for nested @racket[stream-cons]es ending with
   but with @racket[e] between each pair of elements in @racket[s].
   The new stream is constructed lazily.}
 
-@defthing[prop:stream struct-type-property?]{
+@deftogether[[
+@defthing[generic-stream any/c]
+@defthing[prop:stream struct-type-property?]]]{
 
   Associates three procedures to a structure type to implement stream
-  operations for instances of the structure type.
+  methods for instances of the stream generics.
 
-  The property value must be a vector of three procedures: a
-  @racket[stream-empty?] implementation, a @racket[stream-first]
-  implementation, and a @racket[stream-rest] implementation. The
-  procedures are applied only to instances of the structure type that
-  has the property value.}
+  To supply method implementations, the @racket[methods] form should be used.
+  The methods are applied only to instances of the structure type that has
+  the property value. The following three methods should be implemented:
+  
+@itemize[
+  @item{@racket[stream-empty?] : accepts one argument}
+  @item{@racket[stream-first] : accepts one argument}
+  @item{@racket[stream-rest] : accepts one argument}
+]}
 
 @; ======================================================================
 @section{Generators}
diff --git a/collects/tests/generics/stream.rkt b/collects/tests/generics/stream.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fbd35d1d39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/tests/generics/stream.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#lang racket
+
+(require racket/generics racket/stream)
+
+(define-struct list-stream (v)
+  #:property prop:stream
+  (methods generic-stream
+    (define (stream-empty? generic-stream)
+      (empty? (list-stream-v generic-stream)))
+    (define (stream-first generic-stream)
+      (first (list-stream-v generic-stream)))
+    (define (stream-rest generic-stream)
+      (rest (list-stream-v generic-stream)))))
+
+
+(module+ test
+  (require rackunit)
+
+  (define l1 (list-stream '(1 2)))
+
+  (check-true (stream? l1))
+  (check-false (stream-empty? l1))
+  (check-equal? (stream-first l1) 1)
+
+  (define l2 (stream-rest l1))
+  (check-true (stream? l2))
+  (check-false (stream-empty? l2))
+  (check-equal? (stream-first l2) 2)
+
+  (define l3 (stream-rest l2))
+  (check-true (stream? l3))
+  (check-true (stream-empty? l3)))
diff --git a/collects/tests/generics/tests.rkt b/collects/tests/generics/tests.rkt
index 83416847ba..8090a20800 100644
--- a/collects/tests/generics/tests.rkt
+++ b/collects/tests/generics/tests.rkt
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@
 (require (submod "custom-hash.rkt" test)
          (submod "alist.rkt" test)
          (submod "from-docs.rkt" test)
-         (submod "coercion.rkt" test))
+         (submod "coercion.rkt" test)
+         (submod "stream.rkt" test))