diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/random/binary.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/random/binary.rs
index 47e6429eba..663affbc12 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/random/binary.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/random/binary.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
+use super::byte_stream::{random_byte_stream, RandomDistribution};
 use nu_engine::command_prelude::*;
-use rand::{thread_rng, RngCore};
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct RandomBinary;
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ impl Command for RandomBinary {
             }),
         }?;
 
-        let mut rng = thread_rng();
-
-        let mut out = vec![0u8; length];
-        rng.fill_bytes(&mut out);
-
-        Ok(Value::binary(out, call.head).into_pipeline_data())
+        Ok(random_byte_stream(
+            RandomDistribution::Binary,
+            length,
+            call.head,
+            engine_state.signals().clone(),
+        ))
     }
 
     fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/random/byte_stream.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/random/byte_stream.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..baff8fbc6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/random/byte_stream.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+use nu_engine::command_prelude::*;
+use nu_protocol::Signals;
+use rand::{
+    distributions::{Alphanumeric, Standard},
+    thread_rng, Rng,
+};
+
+pub(super) enum RandomDistribution {
+    Binary,
+    Alphanumeric,
+}
+
+pub(super) fn random_byte_stream(
+    distribution: RandomDistribution,
+    length: usize,
+    span: Span,
+    signals: Signals,
+) -> PipelineData {
+    let stream_type = match distribution {
+        RandomDistribution::Binary => ByteStreamType::Binary,
+        RandomDistribution::Alphanumeric => ByteStreamType::String,
+    };
+
+    const OUTPUT_CHUNK_SIZE: usize = 8192;
+    let mut remaining_bytes = length;
+    PipelineData::ByteStream(
+        ByteStream::from_fn(span, signals.clone(), stream_type, move |out| {
+            if remaining_bytes == 0 || signals.interrupted() {
+                return Ok(false);
+            }
+
+            let bytes_to_write = std::cmp::min(remaining_bytes, OUTPUT_CHUNK_SIZE);
+
+            let rng = thread_rng();
+            let byte_iter: Box<dyn Iterator<Item = u8>> = match distribution {
+                RandomDistribution::Binary => Box::new(rng.sample_iter(Standard)),
+                RandomDistribution::Alphanumeric => Box::new(rng.sample_iter(Alphanumeric)),
+            };
+            out.extend(byte_iter.take(bytes_to_write));
+
+            remaining_bytes -= bytes_to_write;
+
+            Ok(true)
+        })
+        .with_known_size(Some(length as u64)),
+        None,
+    )
+    .with_span(span)
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/random/chars.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/random/chars.rs
index 5ef76603b7..ad9d8ac2ac 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/random/chars.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/random/chars.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
+use super::byte_stream::{random_byte_stream, RandomDistribution};
 use nu_engine::command_prelude::*;
-use rand::{
-    distributions::{Alphanumeric, Distribution},
-    thread_rng,
-};
 
 const DEFAULT_CHARS_LENGTH: usize = 25;
 
@@ -71,7 +68,6 @@ fn chars(
     stack: &mut Stack,
     call: &Call,
 ) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
-    let span = call.head;
     let length: Option<Value> = call.get_flag(engine_state, stack, "length")?;
     let length = if let Some(length_val) = length {
         match length_val {
@@ -97,17 +93,11 @@ fn chars(
         DEFAULT_CHARS_LENGTH
     };
 
-    let mut rng = thread_rng();
-
-    let random_string = Alphanumeric
-        .sample_iter(&mut rng)
-        .take(length)
-        .map(char::from)
-        .collect::<String>();
-
-    Ok(PipelineData::Value(
-        Value::string(random_string, span),
-        None,
+    Ok(random_byte_stream(
+        RandomDistribution::Alphanumeric,
+        length,
+        call.head,
+        engine_state.signals().clone(),
     ))
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/random/mod.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/random/mod.rs
index 43c8af862f..c4b635449b 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/random/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/random/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 mod binary;
 mod bool;
+mod byte_stream;
 mod chars;
 mod dice;
 mod float;