diff --git a/src/SIM/SIMbase.C b/src/SIM/SIMbase.C
index ead47ead..61f45ed1 100644
--- a/src/SIM/SIMbase.C
+++ b/src/SIM/SIMbase.C
@@ -1257,3 +1257,9 @@ bool SIMbase::dumpSolution (const Vector& psol, std::ostream& os) const
 
   return true;
 }
+
+void SIMbase::readLinSolParams(std::istream& is, int npar)
+{
+  if (!mySolParams) mySolParams = new LinSolParams();
+  mySolParams->read(is,npar);
+}
diff --git a/src/SIM/SIMbase.h b/src/SIM/SIMbase.h
index 1ca6c589..6a6173e3 100644
--- a/src/SIM/SIMbase.h
+++ b/src/SIM/SIMbase.h
@@ -329,6 +329,9 @@ protected:
   //! \param[in] sol Global primary solution vectors in DOF-order
   void extractPatchSolution(const ASMbase* patch, const Vectors& sol);
 
+  //! \brief Read a LinSolParams from the given stream.
+  //!   This method helps with encapsulating PETSc in libIFEM
+  void readLinSolParams(std::istream& is, int npar);
 public:
   //! \brief Enum defining the available discretization methods.
   enum Discretization { Spline, Lagrange, Spectral };