diff --git a/ledger/alonzo/genesis.go b/ledger/alonzo/genesis.go
index 2926fd0a..aeeba80f 100644
--- a/ledger/alonzo/genesis.go
+++ b/ledger/alonzo/genesis.go
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@
 
 package alonzo
 
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+)
+
 type AlonzoGenesis struct {
 	LovelacePerUtxoWord  uint64 `json:"lovelacePerUTxOWord"`
 	MaxValueSize         int
@@ -24,3 +30,22 @@ type AlonzoGenesis struct {
 	MaxBlockExUnits      map[string]int
 	CostModels           map[string]map[string]int
 }
+
+func NewAlonzoGenesisFromReader(r io.Reader) (AlonzoGenesis, error) {
+	var ret AlonzoGenesis
+	dec := json.NewDecoder(r)
+	dec.DisallowUnknownFields()
+	if err := dec.Decode(&ret); err != nil {
+		return ret, err
+	}
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func NewAlonzoGenesisFromFile(path string) (AlonzoGenesis, error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return AlonzoGenesis{}, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	return NewAlonzoGenesisFromReader(f)
+}
diff --git a/ledger/alonzo/genesis_test.go b/ledger/alonzo/genesis_test.go
index a6bf8f19..f5cfe7f3 100644
--- a/ledger/alonzo/genesis_test.go
+++ b/ledger/alonzo/genesis_test.go
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 package alonzo_test
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"reflect"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/blinklabs-io/gouroboros/ledger/alonzo"
@@ -411,8 +411,8 @@ var expectedGenesisObj = alonzo.AlonzoGenesis{
 }
 
 func TestGenesisFromJson(t *testing.T) {
-	var tmpGenesis alonzo.AlonzoGenesis
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(alonzoGenesisConfig), &tmpGenesis); err != nil {
+	tmpGenesis, err := alonzo.NewAlonzoGenesisFromReader(strings.NewReader(alonzoGenesisConfig))
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(tmpGenesis, expectedGenesisObj) {
diff --git a/ledger/byron/genesis.go b/ledger/byron/genesis.go
index 162f482f..627dd916 100644
--- a/ledger/byron/genesis.go
+++ b/ledger/byron/genesis.go
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@
 
 package byron
 
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+)
+
 type ByronGenesis struct {
 	AvvmDistr        map[string]string
 	BlockVersionData ByronGenesisBlockVersionData
@@ -74,3 +80,22 @@ type ByronGenesisVssCert struct {
 	SigningKey  string
 	VssKey      string
 }
+
+func NewByronGenesisFromReader(r io.Reader) (ByronGenesis, error) {
+	var ret ByronGenesis
+	dec := json.NewDecoder(r)
+	dec.DisallowUnknownFields()
+	if err := dec.Decode(&ret); err != nil {
+		return ret, err
+	}
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func NewByronGenesisFromFile(path string) (ByronGenesis, error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ByronGenesis{}, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	return NewByronGenesisFromReader(f)
+}
diff --git a/ledger/byron/genesis_test.go b/ledger/byron/genesis_test.go
index 40733350..5af592ee 100644
--- a/ledger/byron/genesis_test.go
+++ b/ledger/byron/genesis_test.go
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 package byron_test
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"reflect"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/blinklabs-io/gouroboros/ledger/byron"
@@ -236,8 +236,8 @@ var expectedGenesisObj = byron.ByronGenesis{
 }
 
 func TestGenesisFromJson(t *testing.T) {
-	var tmpGenesis byron.ByronGenesis
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(byronGenesisConfig), &tmpGenesis); err != nil {
+	tmpGenesis, err := byron.NewByronGenesisFromReader(strings.NewReader(byronGenesisConfig))
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(tmpGenesis, expectedGenesisObj) {
diff --git a/ledger/conway/genesis.go b/ledger/conway/genesis.go
index 23a03d73..41929fcc 100644
--- a/ledger/conway/genesis.go
+++ b/ledger/conway/genesis.go
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@
 
 package conway
 
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+)
+
 type ConwayGenesis struct {
 	PoolVotingThresholds       ConwayGenesisPoolVotingThresholds
 	DRepVotingThresholds       ConwayGenesisDRepVotingThresholds
@@ -64,3 +70,22 @@ type ConwayGenesisCommittee struct {
 	Members   map[string]int
 	Threshold map[string]int
 }
+
+func NewConwayGenesisFromReader(r io.Reader) (ConwayGenesis, error) {
+	var ret ConwayGenesis
+	dec := json.NewDecoder(r)
+	dec.DisallowUnknownFields()
+	if err := dec.Decode(&ret); err != nil {
+		return ret, err
+	}
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func NewConwayGenesisFromFile(path string) (ConwayGenesis, error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ConwayGenesis{}, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	return NewConwayGenesisFromReader(f)
+}
diff --git a/ledger/conway/genesis_test.go b/ledger/conway/genesis_test.go
index 5484e3ad..a28f3770 100644
--- a/ledger/conway/genesis_test.go
+++ b/ledger/conway/genesis_test.go
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 package conway_test
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"reflect"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/blinklabs-io/gouroboros/ledger/conway"
@@ -383,8 +383,8 @@ var expectedGenesisObj = conway.ConwayGenesis{
 }
 
 func TestGenesisFromJson(t *testing.T) {
-	var tmpGenesis conway.ConwayGenesis
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(conwayGenesisConfig), &tmpGenesis); err != nil {
+	tmpGenesis, err := conway.NewConwayGenesisFromReader(strings.NewReader(conwayGenesisConfig))
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(tmpGenesis, expectedGenesisObj) {
diff --git a/ledger/shelley/genesis.go b/ledger/shelley/genesis.go
index 7dd1ce5d..be61b320 100644
--- a/ledger/shelley/genesis.go
+++ b/ledger/shelley/genesis.go
@@ -14,7 +14,12 @@
 
 package shelley
 
-import "time"
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"time"
+)
 
 type ShelleyGenesis struct {
 	SystemStart        time.Time                    `json:"systemStart"`
@@ -56,3 +61,22 @@ type ShelleyGenesisProtocolParams struct {
 	MinUtxoValue uint `json:"minUTxOValue"`
 	MinPoolCost  uint
 }
+
+func NewShelleyGenesisFromReader(r io.Reader) (ShelleyGenesis, error) {
+	var ret ShelleyGenesis
+	dec := json.NewDecoder(r)
+	dec.DisallowUnknownFields()
+	if err := dec.Decode(&ret); err != nil {
+		return ret, err
+	}
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func NewShelleyGenesisFromFile(path string) (ShelleyGenesis, error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ShelleyGenesis{}, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	return NewShelleyGenesisFromReader(f)
+}
diff --git a/ledger/shelley/genesis_test.go b/ledger/shelley/genesis_test.go
index fbde082d..0f12f777 100644
--- a/ledger/shelley/genesis_test.go
+++ b/ledger/shelley/genesis_test.go
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 package shelley_test
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"reflect"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ var expectedGenesisObj = shelley.ShelleyGenesis{
 }
 
 func TestGenesisFromJson(t *testing.T) {
-	var tmpGenesis shelley.ShelleyGenesis
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(shelleyGenesisConfig), &tmpGenesis); err != nil {
+	tmpGenesis, err := shelley.NewShelleyGenesisFromReader(strings.NewReader(shelleyGenesisConfig))
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(tmpGenesis, expectedGenesisObj) {