diff --git a/src/MAT_HDF5.jl b/src/MAT_HDF5.jl
index 6e3425e..2adc4ab 100644
--- a/src/MAT_HDF5.jl
+++ b/src/MAT_HDF5.jl
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
 module MAT_HDF5
 using HDF5
-import Base: read, write, close
+import Base: read, write, close, getindex, setindex!
 import HDF5: names, exists, HDF5ReferenceObj, HDF5BitsKind
 
 type MatlabHDF5File <: HDF5.DataFile
@@ -242,6 +242,9 @@ function read(f::MatlabHDF5File, name::ASCIIString)
     val
 end
 
+getindex(f::MatlabHDF5File, name::ASCIIString) = read(f, name)
+getindex(f::MatlabHDF5File, name::Symbol) = read(f, string(name))
+
 names(f::MatlabHDF5File) = filter!(x->x != "#refs#", names(f.plain))
 exists(p::MatlabHDF5File, path::ASCIIString) = exists(p.plain, path)
 
@@ -480,6 +483,9 @@ function write(parent::MatlabHDF5File, name::ByteString, thing)
     m_write(parent, parent.plain, name, thing)
 end
 
+setindex!(parent::MatlabHDF5File, thing, name::ByteString) = write(parent, name, thing)
+setindex!(parent::MatlabHDF5File, thing, name::Symbol) = write(parent, string(name), thing)
+
 ## Type conversion operations ##
 
 type MatlabString; end
diff --git a/src/MAT_v5.jl b/src/MAT_v5.jl
index dd4de81..43dfbe4 100644
--- a/src/MAT_v5.jl
+++ b/src/MAT_v5.jl
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 module MAT_v5
 using Zlib, HDF5
-import Base: read, write, close
+import Base: read, write, close, getindex, setindex!
 import HDF5: names, exists
 
 type Matlabv5File <: HDF5.DataFile
@@ -439,11 +439,19 @@ function read(matfile::Matlabv5File, varname::ASCIIString)
     data
 end
 
+# []-accessor syntax.
+getindex(matfile::Matlabv5File, varname::ASCIIString) = read(matfile, varname)
+getindex(matfile::Matlabv5File, varname::Symbol) = read(matfile, string(varname))
+
 # Complain about writing to a MAT file
-function write(parent::Matlabv5File, name::ByteString, s)
+function write(parent::Matlabv5File, name::ASCIIString, s)
     error("Writing to a MATLAB v5 file is not currently supported. Create a new file instead.")
 end
 
+# For completeness' sake
+setindex!(parent::Matlabv5File, s, name::ASCIIString) = write(parent, name, s)
+setindex!(parent::Matlabv5File, s, name::Symbol) = write(parent, string(name), s)
+
 # Close MAT file
 close(matfile::Matlabv5File) = close(matfile.ios)
 end