diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/io/compression/DeflateDecompressorBase.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/io/compression/DeflateDecompressorBase.scala
index 98d05f5b83..2091b72252 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/io/compression/DeflateDecompressorBase.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/io/compression/DeflateDecompressorBase.scala
@@ -21,12 +21,19 @@ import akka.util.ByteString
     def afterBytesRead(buffer: Array[Byte], offset: Int, length: Int): Unit
     def inflating: Inflate
 
+    /**
+     * Pre-allocated buffer to read from inflater. ByteString.fromArray below
+     * will always create a copy of the read data. Keeping this fixed
+     * buffer around avoids reallocating a buffer that may be too big in many
+     * cases for every call of `parse`.
+     */
+    private[this] val buffer = new Array[Byte](maxBytesPerChunk)
+
     abstract class Inflate(noPostProcessing: Boolean) extends ParseStep[ByteString] {
       override def canWorkWithPartialData = true
       override def parse(reader: ByteStringParser.ByteReader): ParseResult[ByteString] = {
         inflater.setInput(reader.remainingData.toArray)
 
-        val buffer = new Array[Byte](maxBytesPerChunk)
         val read = inflater.inflate(buffer)
 
         reader.skip(reader.remainingSize - inflater.getRemaining)