diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index 09360a62d..4ca87855b 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ before_build:
   - cmd: cd build
   - cmd: cmake -DEIGEN3_INCLUDE_DIR=C:/projects/eigen -G "Visual Studio 14 2015 Win64" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=%configuration% -DENABLE_BOOST=ON -DENABLE_CPP_EXAMPLES=ON -DBOOST_ROOT:PATHNAME="%BOOST_ROOT%" -DBoost_LIBRARY_DIRS:FILEPATH="%BOOST_LIBRARYDIR%" -DBoost_NO_BOOST_CMAKE=TRUE -DBoost_NO_SYSTEM_PATHS=TRUE -DPYTHON=python.exe .. 
   - cmd: set VS90COMNTOOLS=%VS140COMNTOOLS%
+  - cmd: set PATH=%BOOST_LIBRARYDIR%;%PATH%
   - cmd: cd ..
 
 build:
diff --git a/.travis/install_dependencies.sh b/.travis/install_dependencies.sh
index 70636a560..1c19fb6ba 100755
--- a/.travis/install_dependencies.sh
+++ b/.travis/install_dependencies.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ if [[ "$TRAVIS_OS_NAME" == "linux" ]]; then
   sudo apt-get install -y gcc-4.8 g++-4.8
   PYTHON_PACKAGES="numpy pypandoc twine auditwheel cython"
   if [[ "$PYTHON_INSTALL" == manual ]]; then
-    sudo apt-get install -y --allow-unauthenticated libboost-filesystem1.55-dev libboost-program-options1.55-dev libboost-serialization1.55-dev libboost-test1.55-dev libboost-regex1.55-dev
+    sudo apt-get install -y --allow-unauthenticated libboost-filesystem1.55-dev libboost-program-options1.55-dev libboost-serialization1.55-dev libboost-test1.55-dev libboost-regex1.55-dev libboost-iostreams1.55-dev
     sudo -H pip install -U $PYTHON_PACKAGES
   else
     sudo apt-get install -y pandoc
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f592036ba..3ad4c1417 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ if(ENABLE_BOOST)
     endif()
   endif()
   set(Boost_REALPATH ON)
-  find_package(Boost COMPONENTS program_options regex serialization REQUIRED)
+  find_package(Boost COMPONENTS program_options regex serialization iostreams REQUIRED)
+  add_definitions(-DHAVE_BOOST)
   message("-- Boost dir is " ${Boost_INCLUDE_DIR})
   include_directories(${Boost_INCLUDE_DIR})
   if(MSVC)
diff --git a/dynet/CMakeLists.txt b/dynet/CMakeLists.txt
index 5a69b89c4..7539fc775 100644
--- a/dynet/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/dynet/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ set(dynet_library_SRCS
 )
 if(ENABLE_BOOST)
   list(APPEND dynet_library_SRCS mp.cc)
+  
 endif()
 
 # Headers:
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ weight-decay.h
 if(ENABLE_BOOST)
   list(APPEND dynet_library_HDRS mp.h)
 endif()
-  
+
 set(dynet_gpu_mergeable_SRCS
     nodes-activations
     nodes-affinetransform
diff --git a/dynet/io.cc b/dynet/io.cc
index bca3b9952..6372fb913 100644
--- a/dynet/io.cc
+++ b/dynet/io.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+#include <boost/iostreams/filtering_streambuf.hpp>
+#include <boost/iostreams/filter/gzip.hpp>
+#endif
+
 // Normally DyNet style permits using namespace std, but to make compatibility
 // possible with some external code, it is simpler if types are fully
 // qualified in dynet/io.cc. Please do not uncomment the following:
@@ -20,6 +25,7 @@ static const int FLOAT32_EXPONENT = 2;
 namespace dynet {
 namespace {
 
+// ----------------- utility functions
 bool valid_key(const std::string & s) {
   if (s.size() == 0) return true;
   if (s == "/") return false;
@@ -52,11 +58,27 @@ void read_param_header(std::string line, std::string &type, std::string &name, D
   }
 }
 
+
+bool relevant_header_line(std::string line, const std::string &pref, const std::string &key_, std::string &type, std::string &name, Dim& dim,size_t& byte_count, bool& zero_grad){
+
+  if (line.substr(0,pref.size()) != pref)
+    return false; // not the required header start "#", "#Parameter", etc
+
+  // if a param header, check the key
+  read_param_header(line, type, name, dim, byte_count, zero_grad);
+  return (name.substr(0, key_.size()) == key_);
+}
+  
+
+  
 } // anyonymous namespace
 
 Saver::~Saver() {}
 Loader::~Loader() {}
 
+  
+// =========== TextFileSaver ====================
+  
 TextFileSaver::TextFileSaver(const std::string & filename, bool append) :
         p_datastream(
             new std::ofstream(
@@ -135,6 +157,8 @@ void TextFileSaver::save(const LookupParameterStorage & p,
     datastream << dynet::as_vector(p.all_grads) << std::endl;
 }
 
+// =========== TextFileLoader ====================
+
 TextFileLoader::TextFileLoader(const std::string & filename) :
         dataname(filename) { }
 
@@ -333,4 +357,273 @@ LookupParameter TextFileLoader::load_lookup_param(ParameterCollection & model,
   DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not find key " << key << " in the model file");
 }
 
+
+// =========== gzFileLoader ====================
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+  
+gzFileLoader::gzFileLoader(const std::string & filename) :
+        dataname(filename) { }
+
+gzFileLoader::~gzFileLoader() {}
+
+
+  
+void gzFileLoader::populate(ParameterCollection & model, const std::string & key) {
+
+  std::ifstream fmod(dataname, std::ios_base::in | std::ios_base::binary);
+  if(!fmod) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not read model from " << dataname);
+  boost::iostreams::filtering_streambuf<boost::iostreams::input> inbuf;
+  inbuf.push(boost::iostreams::gzip_decompressor());
+  inbuf.push(fmod);
+  std::istream datastream(&inbuf);
+  
+  std::string line, type, name;
+  bool zero_grad = false;
+  Dim dim;
+  size_t byte_count = 0;
+  std::vector<float> values;
+  Tensor *value_t, *grad_t;
+  size_t param_id = 0, lookup_id = 0;
+  ParameterCollectionStorage & storage = model.get_storage();
+  std::string key_ = key;
+  if (key_.size() != 0 && key_.back() != '/') key_ += "/";
+  while(std::getline(datastream, line)) {
+    // skip non-relevant parameter lines
+    while (! relevant_header_line(line, "#", key_, type, name, dim, byte_count, zero_grad))
+      std::getline(datastream, line);
+    
+    // We found a relevant parameter line, load it
+    if (type == "#Parameter#") {
+      values.resize(dim.size());
+      if(param_id >= storage.params.size())
+        DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Too many parameters to load in populated model at " << name);
+      ParameterStorage & param = *storage.params[param_id++];
+      if(param.dim != dim)
+        DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Dimensions of parameter " << name << " looked up from file (" << dim << 
+                            ") do not match parameters to be populated (" << param.dim << ")");
+      value_t = &param.values;
+      grad_t = &param.g;
+    }
+
+    // Load a lookup parameter
+    else if(type == "#LookupParameter#") {
+      values.resize(dim.size());
+      if(lookup_id >= storage.lookup_params.size())
+        DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Too many lookup parameters in populated model at " << name);
+      LookupParameterStorage & param = *storage.lookup_params[lookup_id++];
+      if(param.all_dim != dim)
+        DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Dimensions of lookup parameter " << name << " lookup up from file (" << dim << 
+                            ") do not match parameters to be populated (" << param.all_dim << ")");
+      value_t = &param.all_values;
+      grad_t = &param.all_grads;
+    }
+
+    // some unexpected header
+    else {
+      DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Bad parameter specification in model: " << line);
+    }
+
+    // load parameter
+    { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+    TensorTools::set_elements(*value_t, values);
+    if(!zero_grad){
+      { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+      TensorTools::set_elements(*grad_t, values);
+    } else {
+      TensorTools::zero(*grad_t);
+    }
+  }
+
+  if(param_id != storage.params.size() || lookup_id != storage.lookup_params.size())
+    DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Number of parameter/lookup parameter objects loaded from file (" << 
+                      param_id << '/' << lookup_id << ") did not match number to be populated (" <<
+                      storage.params.size() << '/' << storage.lookup_params.size() << ')');
+
+  fmod.close();
+}
+
+void gzFileLoader::populate(Parameter & param,
+                    const std::string & key) {
+  if(key == "") DYNET_INVALID_ARG("gzFileLoader.populate() requires non-empty key");
+
+  std::ifstream fmod(dataname, std::ios_base::in | std::ios_base::binary);
+  if(!fmod) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not read model from " << dataname);
+  boost::iostreams::filtering_streambuf<boost::iostreams::input> inbuf;
+  inbuf.push(boost::iostreams::gzip_decompressor());
+  inbuf.push(fmod);
+  std::istream datastream(&inbuf);
+
+  std::string line, type, name;
+  bool zero_grad=false;
+  Dim dim;
+  size_t byte_count = 0;
+  
+  // skip non-relevant parameter lines
+  bool found = false;
+  std::getline(datastream, line);
+  while (!datastream.eof() && !found) {
+    if (relevant_header_line(line, "#Parameter#", key, type, name, dim, byte_count, zero_grad))
+      found = true;
+    else
+      std::getline(datastream, line);
+  }
+  // search parameter was not found
+  if (!found) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not find key " << key << " in the model file");
+
+  // parameter was found, load it
+  if(param.p->dim != dim)
+    DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Attempted to populate parameter where arguments don't match (" << param.p->dim << " != " << dim << ")");
+  std::vector<float> values(dim.size());
+  { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+  TensorTools::set_elements(param.get_storage().values, values);
+  if(!zero_grad){
+    { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+    TensorTools::set_elements(param.get_storage().g, values);
+  }
+  else {
+    TensorTools::zero(param.get_storage().g);
+  }
+
+  fmod.close();
+  return;
+}
+
+  
+void gzFileLoader::populate(LookupParameter & lookup_param,
+                              const std::string & key) {
+  if(key == "") DYNET_INVALID_ARG("gzFileLoader.populate() requires non-empty key");
+  
+  std::ifstream fmod(dataname, std::ios_base::in | std::ios_base::binary);
+  if(!fmod) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not read model from " << dataname);
+  boost::iostreams::filtering_streambuf<boost::iostreams::input> inbuf;
+  inbuf.push(boost::iostreams::gzip_decompressor());
+  inbuf.push(fmod);
+  std::istream datastream(&inbuf);
+  
+  std::string line, type, name;
+  bool zero_grad=false;
+  Dim dim;
+  size_t byte_count = 0;
+  
+  // skip non-relevant parameter lines
+  bool found = false;
+  std::getline(datastream, line);
+  while (!datastream.eof() && !found) {
+    if (relevant_header_line(line, "#LookupParameter#", key, type, name, dim, byte_count, zero_grad))
+      found = true;
+    else
+      std::getline(datastream, line);
+  }
+  // search parameter was not found
+  if (!found) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not find key " << key << " in the model file");
+  
+  // parameter was found, load it
+  if(lookup_param.p->all_dim != dim)
+    DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Attempted to populate lookup parameter where arguments don't match (" << lookup_param.p->all_dim << " != " << dim << ")");
+  
+  std::vector<float> values(dim.size());
+  { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+  TensorTools::set_elements(lookup_param.get_storage().all_values, values);
+  if(!zero_grad){
+    { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+    TensorTools::set_elements(lookup_param.get_storage().all_grads, values);
+  }
+  else {
+    TensorTools::zero(lookup_param.get_storage().all_grads);
+  }
+  fmod.close();
+  return;
+}
+
+Parameter gzFileLoader::load_param(ParameterCollection & model,
+                                     const std::string & key) {
+  if (key == "") DYNET_INVALID_ARG("gzFileLoader.load_param() requires non-empty key");
+
+  std::ifstream fmod(dataname, std::ios_base::in | std::ios_base::binary);
+  if(!fmod) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not read model from " << dataname);
+  boost::iostreams::filtering_streambuf<boost::iostreams::input> inbuf;
+  inbuf.push(boost::iostreams::gzip_decompressor());
+  inbuf.push(fmod);
+  std::istream datastream(&inbuf);
+
+  std::string line, type, name;
+  bool zero_grad=false;
+  Dim dim;
+  size_t byte_count = 0;
+  
+  // skip non-relevant parameter lines
+  bool found = false;
+  std::getline(datastream, line);
+  while (!datastream.eof() && !found) {
+    if (relevant_header_line(line, "#Parameter#", key, type, name, dim, byte_count, zero_grad))
+      found = true;
+    else
+      std::getline(datastream, line);
+  }
+  // search parameter was not found
+  if (!found) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not find key " << key << " in the model file");
+
+  // parameter was found, add and load it
+  Parameter param = model.add_parameters(dim);
+  param.get_storage().name = name;
+  std::vector<float> values(dim.size());
+  { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+  TensorTools::set_elements(param.get_storage().values, values);
+  if(!zero_grad){
+    { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+    TensorTools::set_elements(param.get_storage().g, values);
+  } else {
+    TensorTools::zero(param.get_storage().g);
+  }
+  fmod.close();
+  return param;
+}
+
+LookupParameter gzFileLoader::load_lookup_param(ParameterCollection & model,
+                                                  const std::string & key) {
+
+  if(key == "") DYNET_INVALID_ARG("gzFileLoader.load_lookup_param() requires non-empty key");
+  
+  std::ifstream fmod(dataname, std::ios_base::in | std::ios_base::binary);
+  if(!fmod) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not read model from " << dataname);
+  boost::iostreams::filtering_streambuf<boost::iostreams::input> inbuf;
+  inbuf.push(boost::iostreams::gzip_decompressor());
+  inbuf.push(fmod);
+  std::istream datastream(&inbuf);
+  
+  std::string line, type, name;
+  bool zero_grad=false;
+  Dim dim;
+  size_t byte_count = 0;
+  
+  // skip non-relevant parameter lines
+  bool found = false;
+  std::getline(datastream, line);
+  while (!datastream.eof() && !found) {
+    if (relevant_header_line(line, "#LookupParameter#", key, type, name, dim, byte_count, zero_grad))
+      found = true;
+    else
+      std::getline(datastream, line);
+  }
+  // search parameter was not found
+  if (!found) DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("Could not find key " << key << " in the model file");
+  
+  // parameter was found, load it
+  std::vector<float> values(dim.size());
+  size_t size = dim[dim.nd-1]; dim.nd--;
+  LookupParameter lookup_param = model.add_lookup_parameters(size, dim);
+  lookup_param.get_storage().name = name;
+  { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+  TensorTools::set_elements(lookup_param.get_storage().all_values, values);
+  if(!zero_grad){
+    { std::getline(datastream, line); std::istringstream iss(line); iss >> values; }
+    TensorTools::set_elements(lookup_param.get_storage().all_grads, values);
+  } else {
+    TensorTools::zero(lookup_param.get_storage().all_grads);
+  }
+  fmod.close();
+  return lookup_param;
+}
+#endif // ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+  
 } // namespace dynet
diff --git a/dynet/io.h b/dynet/io.h
index 9fa82a2b5..5fc7bbe63 100644
--- a/dynet/io.h
+++ b/dynet/io.h
@@ -173,6 +173,25 @@ class TextFileLoader : public Loader {
   std::string dataname;
 }; // class TextFileLoader
 
+
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+class gzFileLoader : public Loader {
+ public:
+  gzFileLoader(const std::string & filename);
+  ~gzFileLoader() override;
+  void populate(ParameterCollection & model, const std::string & key = "") override;
+  void populate(Parameter & param, const std::string & key = "") override;
+  void populate(LookupParameter & lookup_param,
+                const std::string & key = "") override;
+  Parameter load_param(ParameterCollection & model, const std::string & key) override;
+  LookupParameter load_lookup_param(ParameterCollection & model, const std::string & key) override;
+
+ private:
+  std::string dataname;
+}; // class gzFileLoader
+#endif
+ 
+
 } // namespace dynet
 
 #endif
diff --git a/dynet/model.cc b/dynet/model.cc
index f81ba74e9..401ddd439 100644
--- a/dynet/model.cc
+++ b/dynet/model.cc
@@ -516,8 +516,18 @@ void save_dynet_model(std::string filename, ParameterCollection* model) {
 };
 
 void load_dynet_model(std::string filename, ParameterCollection* model) {
-  TextFileLoader loader(filename);
-  loader.populate(*model, "/model");
+  if (filename.substr(filename.size()-3) == ".gz") {
+    #ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+    gzFileLoader loader(filename);
+    loader.populate(*model, "/model");
+    #else
+    DYNET_RUNTIME_ERR("gzipped model support was not built. Compile with cmake option -DENABLE_BOOST=ON to enable it.");
+    #endif
+  }
+  else {
+    TextFileLoader loader(filename);
+    loader.populate(*model, "/model");
+  }
 };
 
 Model::Model() : ParameterCollection() {