diff --git a/src/endable.rs b/src/endable.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6006080
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/endable.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+use crate::Error;
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Endable<T> {
+    inner: T,
+    ended: bool,
+}
+
+impl<T> Endable<T> {
+    pub fn new(inner: T) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner,
+            ended: false,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn end(&mut self) {
+        self.ended = true;
+    }
+
+    pub fn into_inner(self) -> T {
+        self.inner
+    }
+
+    #[inline(always)]
+    pub fn try_as_mut(&mut self) -> Result<&mut T, Error> {
+        if self.ended {
+            Err(Error::RootElementEnded)
+        } else {
+            Ok(&mut self.inner)
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index fff59d4..cf01895 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub enum DeserializeError {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
+// TODO: thiserror
 pub enum Error {
     ReadError(std::io::Error),
     Utf8Error(Utf8Error),
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ pub enum Error {
     IncorrectName(Name),
     DeserializeError(String),
     Deserialize(DeserializeError),
+    /// root element end tag already processed
+    RootElementEnded,
 }
 
 impl From<DeserializeError> for Error {
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 30e6051..26a3f78 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 pub mod declaration;
 pub mod element;
+mod endable;
 mod error;
 pub mod reader;
 mod writer;
diff --git a/src/reader.rs b/src/reader.rs
index 074ab99..24cc098 100644
--- a/src/reader.rs
+++ b/src/reader.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ pub struct Reader<R> {
     // to have names reference namespaces could
     depth: Vec<Name>,
     namespace_declarations: Vec<HashSet<NamespaceDeclaration>>,
+    root_ended: bool,
 }
 
 impl<R> Reader<R> {
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ impl<R> Reader<R> {
             depth: Vec::new(),
             // TODO: make sure reserved namespaces are never overwritten
             namespace_declarations: vec![default_declarations],
+            root_ended: false,
         }
     }
 
@@ -66,6 +68,9 @@ where
     }
 
     pub async fn read_prolog<'s>(&'s mut self) -> Result<Option<Declaration>> {
+        if self.root_ended {
+            return Err(Error::RootElementEnded);
+        }
         loop {
             let input = str::from_utf8(self.buffer.data())?;
             match xml::Prolog::parse(input) {
@@ -114,6 +119,9 @@ where
     }
 
     pub async fn read_start_tag<'s>(&'s mut self) -> Result<Element> {
+        if self.root_ended {
+            return Err(Error::RootElementEnded);
+        }
         loop {
             let input = str::from_utf8(self.buffer.data())?;
             match xml::STag::parse(input) {
@@ -140,6 +148,9 @@ where
     }
 
     pub async fn read_end_tag<'s>(&'s mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        if self.root_ended {
+            return Err(Error::RootElementEnded);
+        }
         loop {
             let input = str::from_utf8(self.buffer.data())?;
             match xml::ETag::parse(input) {
@@ -150,6 +161,9 @@ where
                         &mut self.namespace_declarations,
                         e,
                     )?;
+                    if self.depth.is_empty() {
+                        self.root_ended = true
+                    }
                     self.buffer.consume(len);
                     return Ok(());
                 }
@@ -166,6 +180,9 @@ where
     }
 
     pub async fn read_element<'s>(&'s mut self) -> Result<Element> {
+        if self.root_ended {
+            return Err(Error::RootElementEnded);
+        }
         loop {
             let input = str::from_utf8(self.buffer.data())?;
             match xml::Element::parse(input) {
@@ -173,6 +190,9 @@ where
                     let len = self.buffer.available_data() - rest.as_bytes().len();
                     let element =
                         Reader::<R>::element_from_xml(&mut self.namespace_declarations, e)?;
+                    if self.depth.is_empty() {
+                        self.root_ended = true
+                    }
                     self.buffer.consume(len);
                     return Ok(element);
                 }
@@ -189,6 +209,9 @@ where
     }
 
     pub async fn read_content<'s>(&'s mut self) -> Result<Content> {
+        if self.root_ended {
+            return Err(Error::RootElementEnded);
+        }
         let mut last_char = false;
         let mut text = String::new();
         loop {
@@ -217,6 +240,9 @@ where
                                             &mut self.namespace_declarations,
                                             element,
                                         )?;
+                                        if self.depth.is_empty() {
+                                            self.root_ended = true
+                                        }
                                         self.buffer.consume(len);
                                         return Ok(Content::Element(element));
                                     }
@@ -279,6 +305,9 @@ where
                                     &mut self.namespace_declarations,
                                     element,
                                 )?;
+                                if self.depth.is_empty() {
+                                    self.root_ended = true
+                                }
                                 self.buffer.consume(len);
                                 return Ok(Content::Element(element));
                             }
@@ -722,7 +751,7 @@ impl<R> Reader<R> {
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
-pub(crate) mod test {
+pub mod test {
     use tokio::io::AsyncRead;
 
     use super::Reader;
diff --git a/src/writer.rs b/src/writer.rs
index 013d37b..f622bcf 100644
--- a/src/writer.rs
+++ b/src/writer.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use tokio::io::{AsyncWrite, AsyncWriteExt};
 use crate::{
     declaration::{Declaration, VersionInfo},
     element::{escape_str, Content, Element, IntoContent, IntoElement, Name, NamespaceDeclaration},
+    endable::Endable,
     error::Error,
     xml::{self, composers::Composer, parsers_complete::Parser, ETag, XMLDecl},
     Result, XMLNS_NS, XML_NS,
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ use crate::{
 // pub struct Writer<W, C = Composer> {
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Writer<W> {
-    inner: W,
+    inner: Endable<W>,
     depth: Vec<Name>,
     namespace_declarations: Vec<HashSet<NamespaceDeclaration>>,
 }
@@ -38,19 +39,20 @@ impl<W> Writer<W> {
             namespace: XMLNS_NS.to_string(),
         });
         Self {
-            inner: writer,
+            inner: Endable::new(writer),
             depth: Vec::new(),
             namespace_declarations: vec![default_declarations],
         }
     }
 
     pub fn into_inner(self) -> W {
-        self.inner
+        self.inner.into_inner()
     }
 }
 
 impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> Writer<W> {
     pub async fn write_declaration(&mut self, version: VersionInfo) -> Result<()> {
+        let writer = self.inner.try_as_mut()?;
         let declaration = Declaration::version(version);
         let version_info;
         match declaration.version_info {
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> Writer<W> {
             encoding_decl: None,
             sd_decl: None,
         };
-        declaration.write(&mut self.inner).await?;
+        declaration.write(writer).await?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -105,6 +107,7 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> Writer<W> {
     }
 
     pub async fn write_empty(&mut self, element: &Element) -> Result<()> {
+        let writer = self.inner.try_as_mut()?;
         let mut namespace_declarations_stack: Vec<_> = self
             .namespace_declarations
             .iter()
@@ -204,12 +207,17 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> Writer<W> {
 
         let tag = xml::EmptyElemTag { name, attributes };
 
-        tag.write(&mut self.inner).await?;
+        tag.write(writer).await?;
+
+        if self.depth.is_empty() {
+            self.inner.end();
+        }
 
         Ok(())
     }
 
     pub async fn write_element_start(&mut self, element: &Element) -> Result<()> {
+        let writer = self.inner.try_as_mut()?;
         let mut namespace_declarations_stack: Vec<_> = self
             .namespace_declarations
             .iter()
@@ -309,7 +317,7 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> Writer<W> {
 
         let s_tag = xml::STag { name, attributes };
 
-        s_tag.write(&mut self.inner).await?;
+        s_tag.write(writer).await?;
 
         self.depth.push(element.name.clone());
         self.namespace_declarations
@@ -320,7 +328,12 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> Writer<W> {
     pub async fn write_content(&mut self, content: &Content) -> Result<()> {
         match content {
             Content::Element(element) => self.write_element(element).await?,
-            Content::Text(text) => self.inner.write_all(escape_str(text).as_bytes()).await?,
+            Content::Text(text) => {
+                self.inner
+                    .try_as_mut()?
+                    .write_all(escape_str(text).as_bytes())
+                    .await?
+            }
             // TODO: comments and PI
             Content::PI => {}
             Content::Comment(_) => {}
@@ -329,6 +342,7 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> Writer<W> {
     }
 
     pub async fn write_end(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        let writer = self.inner.try_as_mut()?;
         if let Some(name) = &self.depth.pop() {
             let e_tag;
             let namespace_declarations_stack: Vec<_> =
@@ -359,8 +373,12 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> Writer<W> {
                     )?),
                 };
             }
-            e_tag.write(&mut self.inner).await?;
+            e_tag.write(writer).await?;
             self.namespace_declarations.pop();
+
+            if self.depth.is_empty() {
+                self.inner.end();
+            }
             Ok(())
         } else {
             return Err(Error::NotInElement("".to_string()));