diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_layout.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_layout.rs
index 59a9065..480f459 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_layout.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_layout.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use alloc::{format, string::String, vec::Vec};
 use std::string::String;
 
 use crate::error::FormatError;
+use crate::storage::Storage;
 
 /// A single VDS (Virtual Dataset) source mapping.
 ///
@@ -309,6 +310,16 @@ impl DataLayout {
         &mut self,
         file_data: &[u8],
         length_size: u8,
+    ) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
+        self.resolve_vds_mappings_in(&file_data, length_size)
+    }
+
+    /// [`Self::resolve_vds_mappings`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the
+    /// global heap collection holding the mappings.
+    pub fn resolve_vds_mappings_in(
+        &mut self,
+        file_data: &dyn Storage,
+        length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
         if let DataLayout::Virtual {
             global_heap_address,
@@ -318,11 +329,8 @@ impl DataLayout {
         } = self
             && let Some(addr) = *global_heap_address
         {
-            let coll = crate::global_heap::GlobalHeapCollection::parse(
-                file_data,
-                addr as usize,
-                length_size,
-            )?;
+            let coll =
+                crate::global_heap::GlobalHeapCollection::parse_in(file_data, addr, length_size)?;
             let obj = coll.get_object(*global_heap_index as u16).ok_or(
                 FormatError::GlobalHeapObjectNotFound {
                     collection_address: addr,
@@ -1305,4 +1313,44 @@ mod tests {
         let blob = [0x01u8, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0];
         assert!(parse_vds_mappings(&blob, 8).unwrap().is_empty());
     }
+
+    /// A virtual dataset's mappings resolve identically through a
+    /// read_at-only CountingStorage, in two reads of the global heap.
+    #[test]
+    fn vds_mappings_through_storage_match_slice() {
+        use crate::message_type::MessageType;
+        use crate::object_header::ObjectHeader;
+        use crate::storage::CountingStorage;
+        let file: &[u8] = include_bytes!("../tests/fixtures/vds_same_file.h5");
+        let sb = crate::superblock::Superblock::parse(file, 0).unwrap();
+        let (os, ls) = (sb.offset_size, sb.length_size);
+        let storage = CountingStorage::new(file.to_vec());
+        let mut virtuals = 0;
+        for child in
+            crate::group_v2::resolve_group_children(file, &sb, sb.root_group_address).unwrap()
+        {
+            let h =
+                ObjectHeader::parse(file, child.object_header_address as usize, os, ls).unwrap();
+            let Some(msg) = h
+                .messages
+                .iter()
+                .find(|m| m.msg_type == MessageType::DataLayout)
+            else {
+                continue;
+            };
+            let mut want = DataLayout::parse(&msg.data, os, ls).unwrap();
+            if !matches!(want, DataLayout::Virtual { .. }) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            let mut got = want.clone();
+            want.resolve_vds_mappings(file, ls).unwrap();
+            storage.reset();
+            got.resolve_vds_mappings_in(&storage, ls).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(format!("{got:?}"), format!("{want:?}"));
+            assert!(matches!(&got, DataLayout::Virtual { mappings, .. } if !mappings.is_empty()));
+            assert_eq!(storage.reads(), 2);
+            virtuals += 1;
+        }
+        assert!(virtuals >= 1);
+    }
 }