diff --git a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
index 85d0c3acaa..7adfea5285 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
@@ -225,6 +225,11 @@ func importChain(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		utils.Fatalf("Failed to read database stats: %v", err)
 	}
 	fmt.Println(stats)
+	iostats, err := db.LDB().GetProperty("leveldb.iostats")
+	if err != nil {
+		utils.Fatalf("Failed to read database iostats: %v", err)
+	}
+	fmt.Println(iostats)
 	fmt.Printf("Trie cache misses:  %d\n", trie.CacheMisses())
 	fmt.Printf("Trie cache unloads: %d\n\n", trie.CacheUnloads())
 
@@ -254,6 +259,11 @@ func importChain(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		utils.Fatalf("Failed to read database stats: %v", err)
 	}
 	fmt.Println(stats)
+	iostats, err = db.LDB().GetProperty("leveldb.iostats")
+	if err != nil {
+		utils.Fatalf("Failed to read database iostats: %v", err)
+	}
+	fmt.Println(iostats)
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/dashboard/dashboard.go b/dashboard/dashboard.go
index 2ca795187f..0193794778 100644
--- a/dashboard/dashboard.go
+++ b/dashboard/dashboard.go
@@ -281,8 +281,8 @@ func (db *Dashboard) collectData() {
 		prevNetworkEgress  = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("p2p/OutboundTraffic").(metrics.Meter).Count()
 		prevProcessCPUTime = getProcessCPUTime()
 		prevSystemCPUUsage = systemCPUUsage
-		prevDiskRead       = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("eth/db/chaindata/compact/input").(metrics.Meter).Count()
-		prevDiskWrite      = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("eth/db/chaindata/compact/output").(metrics.Meter).Count()
+		prevDiskRead       = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("eth/db/chaindata/disk/read").(metrics.Meter).Count()
+		prevDiskWrite      = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("eth/db/chaindata/disk/write").(metrics.Meter).Count()
 
 		frequency = float64(db.config.Refresh / time.Second)
 		numCPU    = float64(runtime.NumCPU())
@@ -300,8 +300,8 @@ func (db *Dashboard) collectData() {
 				curNetworkEgress  = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("p2p/OutboundTraffic").(metrics.Meter).Count()
 				curProcessCPUTime = getProcessCPUTime()
 				curSystemCPUUsage = systemCPUUsage
-				curDiskRead       = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("eth/db/chaindata/compact/input").(metrics.Meter).Count()
-				curDiskWrite      = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("eth/db/chaindata/compact/output").(metrics.Meter).Count()
+				curDiskRead       = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("eth/db/chaindata/disk/read").(metrics.Meter).Count()
+				curDiskWrite      = metrics.DefaultRegistry.Get("eth/db/chaindata/disk/write").(metrics.Meter).Count()
 
 				deltaNetworkIngress = float64(curNetworkIngress - prevNetworkIngress)
 				deltaNetworkEgress  = float64(curNetworkEgress - prevNetworkEgress)
diff --git a/ethdb/database.go b/ethdb/database.go
index 57d38f7f5f..32f26258ad 100644
--- a/ethdb/database.go
+++ b/ethdb/database.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"fmt"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/metrics"
 	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/filter"
 	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/iterator"
 	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/opt"
+	"regexp"
 )
 
 var OpenFileLimit = 64
@@ -46,6 +48,8 @@ type LDBDatabase struct {
 	compTimeMeter  metrics.Meter // Meter for measuring the total time spent in database compaction
 	compReadMeter  metrics.Meter // Meter for measuring the data read during compaction
 	compWriteMeter metrics.Meter // Meter for measuring the data written during compaction
+	diskReadMeter  metrics.Meter // Meter for measuring the effective amount of data read
+	diskWriteMeter metrics.Meter // Meter for measuring the effective amount of data written
 
 	quitLock sync.Mutex      // Mutex protecting the quit channel access
 	quitChan chan chan error // Quit channel to stop the metrics collection before closing the database
@@ -187,16 +191,67 @@ func (db *LDBDatabase) Meter(prefix string) {
 	db.compTimeMeter = metrics.NewRegisteredMeter(prefix+"compact/time", nil)
 	db.compReadMeter = metrics.NewRegisteredMeter(prefix+"compact/input", nil)
 	db.compWriteMeter = metrics.NewRegisteredMeter(prefix+"compact/output", nil)
+	db.diskReadMeter = metrics.NewRegisteredMeter(prefix+"disk/read", nil)
+	db.diskWriteMeter = metrics.NewRegisteredMeter(prefix+"disk/write", nil)
 
 	// Create a quit channel for the periodic collector and run it
 	db.quitLock.Lock()
 	db.quitChan = make(chan chan error)
 	db.quitLock.Unlock()
 
-	go db.meter(3 * time.Second)
+	go db.meterDiskIO(3 * time.Second)
+	go db.meterCompaction(3 * time.Second)
 }
 
-// meter periodically retrieves internal leveldb counters and reports them to
+// meterDiskIO periodically retrieves internal leveldb counters and reports them to
+// the metrics subsystem.
+//
+// This is how the iostats look like (currently):
+// Read(MB):    3895.04860 Write(MB):    3654.64712
+func (db *LDBDatabase) meterDiskIO(refresh time.Duration) {
+	var prev, curr [2]float64
+	spaceTruncater := regexp.MustCompile(`[ ]{2,}`)
+
+	for {
+		ioStats, err := db.db.GetProperty("leveldb.iostats")
+		if err != nil {
+			db.log.Error("Failed to read database iostats", "err", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		parts := strings.Split(spaceTruncater.ReplaceAllString(ioStats, " "), " ")
+		if curr[0], err = strconv.ParseFloat(parts[1], 64); err != nil {
+			db.log.Error("Read entry parsing failed", "err", err)
+			return
+		}
+		if curr[1], err = strconv.ParseFloat(parts[3], 64); err != nil {
+			db.log.Error("Write entry parsing failed", "err", err)
+			return
+		}
+		if db.diskReadMeter != nil {
+			db.diskReadMeter.Mark(int64((curr[0] - prev[0]) * 1024 * 1024))
+		}
+		if db.diskWriteMeter != nil {
+			db.diskWriteMeter.Mark(int64((curr[1] - prev[1]) * 1024 * 1024))
+		}
+		fmt.Printf("Read: %9.5fMB Write: %9.5fMB / %v\n", curr[0]-prev[0], curr[1]-prev[1], refresh)
+		prev[0] = curr[0]
+		prev[1] = curr[1]
+
+		// Sleep a bit, then repeat the iostats collection
+		select {
+		case errc := <-db.quitChan:
+			// Quit requesting, stop hammering the database
+			errc <- nil
+			return
+
+		case <-time.After(refresh):
+			// Timeout, gather a new set of iostats
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// meterCompaction periodically retrieves internal leveldb counters and reports them to
 // the metrics subsystem.
 //
 // This is how a stats table look like (currently):
@@ -207,7 +262,7 @@ func (db *LDBDatabase) Meter(prefix string) {
 //      1   |         85 |     109.27913 |      28.09293 |     213.92493 |     214.26294
 //      2   |        523 |    1000.37159 |       7.26059 |      66.86342 |      66.77884
 //      3   |        570 |    1113.18458 |       0.00000 |       0.00000 |       0.00000
-func (db *LDBDatabase) meter(refresh time.Duration) {
+func (db *LDBDatabase) meterCompaction(refresh time.Duration) {
 	// Create the counters to store current and previous values
 	counters := make([][]float64, 2)
 	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
diff --git a/vendor/github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/db.go b/vendor/github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/db.go
index ea5595eb3a..ff18235141 100644
--- a/vendor/github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/db.go
+++ b/vendor/github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/db.go
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func openDB(s *session) (*DB, error) {
 // The returned DB instance is safe for concurrent use.
 // The DB must be closed after use, by calling Close method.
 func Open(stor storage.Storage, o *opt.Options) (db *DB, err error) {
-	s, err := newSession(stor, o)
+	s, err := newSession(storage.IOCounterWrapper(stor), o)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -906,6 +906,8 @@ func (db *DB) GetSnapshot() (*Snapshot, error) {
 //		Returns the number of files at level 'n'.
 //	leveldb.stats
 //		Returns statistics of the underlying DB.
+//	leveldb.iostats
+//		Returns statistics of effective disk read and write.
 //	leveldb.writedelay
 //		Returns cumulative write delay caused by compaction.
 //	leveldb.sstables
@@ -959,6 +961,12 @@ func (db *DB) GetProperty(name string) (value string, err error) {
 				level, len(tables), float64(tables.size())/1048576.0, duration.Seconds(),
 				float64(read)/1048576.0, float64(write)/1048576.0)
 		}
+	case p == "iostats":
+		var r, w float64
+		if s, ok := db.s.stor.(storage.IOCounter); ok {
+			r, w = float64(s.Reads())/1048576.0, float64(s.Writes())/1048576.0
+		}
+		value = fmt.Sprintf("Read(MB): %13.5f Write(MB): %13.5f", r, w)
 	case p == "writedelay":
 		writeDelayN, writeDelay := atomic.LoadInt32(&db.cWriteDelayN), time.Duration(atomic.LoadInt64(&db.cWriteDelay))
 		value = fmt.Sprintf("DelayN:%d Delay:%s", writeDelayN, writeDelay)
diff --git a/vendor/github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/storage/storage.go b/vendor/github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/storage/storage.go
index c16bce6b66..301a484ecf 100644
--- a/vendor/github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/storage/storage.go
+++ b/vendor/github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/storage/storage.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"sync/atomic"
 )
 
 // FileType represent a file type.
@@ -177,3 +178,78 @@ type Storage interface {
 	// called after the storage has been closed.
 	Close() error
 }
+
+// IOCounter collects read and write statistics.
+type IOCounter interface {
+	// Reads returns the cumulative number of read bytes of the underlying storage.
+	Reads() uint64
+	// Writes returns the cumulative number of written bytes of the underlying storage.
+	Writes() uint64
+}
+
+type ioCounter struct {
+	Storage
+	read  uint64
+	write uint64
+}
+
+func (c *ioCounter) Open(fd FileDesc) (Reader, error) {
+	r, err := c.Storage.Open(fd)
+	return &meteredReader{r, c}, err
+}
+
+func (c *ioCounter) Create(fd FileDesc) (Writer, error) {
+	w, err := c.Storage.Create(fd)
+	return &meteredWriter{w, c}, err
+}
+
+func (c *ioCounter) Reads() uint64 {
+	return atomic.LoadUint64(&c.read)
+}
+
+func (c *ioCounter) Writes() uint64 {
+	return atomic.LoadUint64(&c.write)
+}
+
+// AddRead increases the number of read bytes by n.
+func (c *ioCounter) AddRead(n uint64) uint64 {
+	return atomic.AddUint64(&c.read, n)
+}
+
+// AddWrite increases the number of written bytes by n.
+func (c *ioCounter) AddWrite(n uint64) uint64 {
+	return atomic.AddUint64(&c.write, n)
+}
+
+// IOCounterWrapper returns the given storage wrapped by ioCounter.
+func IOCounterWrapper(s Storage) Storage {
+	return &ioCounter{s, 0, 0}
+}
+
+type meteredReader struct {
+	Reader
+	c *ioCounter
+}
+
+func (r *meteredReader) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	n, err = r.Reader.Read(p)
+	r.c.AddRead(uint64(n))
+	return n, err
+}
+
+func (r *meteredReader) ReadAt(p []byte, off int64) (n int, err error) {
+	n, err = r.Reader.ReadAt(p, off)
+	r.c.AddRead(uint64(n))
+	return n, err
+}
+
+type meteredWriter struct {
+	Writer
+	c *ioCounter
+}
+
+func (w *meteredWriter) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	n, err = w.Writer.Write(p)
+	w.c.AddWrite(uint64(n))
+	return n, err
+}