diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 02048ac..0cfdae8 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -129,9 +129,52 @@ def get_gid(group: Union[int, str]) -> int:
     return grp.getgrnam(group).gr_gid
 
 
+def is_zstd(data):
+    """
+    Returns True if the given byte stream is compressed with the zstd algorithm,
+    False otherwise. This function performs a simplified version of the actual zstd
+    header validation, using hardcoded values.
+    """
+    # Check for the magic number at the beginning of the stream
+    if len(data) < 4 or data[:4] != b"\x28\xb5\x2f\xfd":
+        logging.debug("zstd header not found")
+        return False
+    # Check the frame descriptor block size
+    if len(data) < 8:
+        return False
+    frame_size = data[4] & 0x7F | (data[5] & 0x7F) << 7 | (data[6] & 0x7F) << 14 | (data[7] & 0x07) << 21
+    if frame_size < 1 or frame_size > 1 << 31:
+        return False
+    # Check the frame descriptor block for the checksum
+    if len(data) < 18:
+        return False
+    return True
+
+
+def decompress_if_zstd(stream):
+    """
+    Given a byte stream, returns either the original stream or the decompressed stream
+    if it is compressed with the zstd algorithm.
+    """
+    if isinstance(stream, str):
+        stream = open(stream, 'rb')
+    data = stream.peek(18)[:18]
+    if not is_zstd(data):
+        logging.debug(f"{data=} Not zstd, skipping")
+        return tarfile.open(fileobj=stream)
+    logging.debug(f"Decompressing {stream=}")
+    import zstandard as zstd
+    dctx = zstd.ZstdDecompressor()
+    return tarfile.open(fileobj=dctx.stream_reader(stream, read_size=4096), mode='r|')
+
+
+def open_tar(tar_file: str) -> tarfile.TarFile:
+    return decompress_if_zstd(tar_file)
+
+
 def read_files_from_tar(tar_file: str, files: Sequence[str]) -> Generator[tuple[str, IO], None, None]:
     assert os.path.exists(tar_file)
-    with tarfile.open(tar_file) as index:
+    with open_tar(tar_file) as index:
         for path in files:
             fd = index.extractfile(index.getmember(path))
             assert fd
@@ -145,7 +188,7 @@ def read_files_from_tar_recursive(tar_file: str, paths: Sequence[str], append_sl
     """
     assert os.path.exists(tar_file)
     paths = [f"{p.strip('/')}/" for p in paths]
-    with tarfile.open(tar_file) as index:
+    with open_tar(tar_file) as index:
         for member in index.getmembers():
             for path in paths:
                 if member.isfile() and member.path.startswith(path):