diff --git a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/io/InputStreamSinkSpec.scala b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/io/InputStreamSinkSpec.scala
index 3025589c2d..652c018565 100644
--- a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/io/InputStreamSinkSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/io/InputStreamSinkSpec.scala
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ class InputStreamSinkSpec extends StreamSpec(UnboundedMailboxConfig) {
       an[IllegalArgumentException] shouldBe thrownBy(inputStream.read(buf, -1, 2))
       an[IllegalArgumentException] shouldBe thrownBy(inputStream.read(buf, 0, 5))
       an[IllegalArgumentException] shouldBe thrownBy(inputStream.read(new Array[Byte](0), 0, 1))
-      an[IllegalArgumentException] shouldBe thrownBy(inputStream.read(buf, 0, 0))
+      an[IllegalArgumentException] shouldBe thrownBy(inputStream.read(buf, 0, -1))
       inputStream.close()
     }
 
@@ -275,6 +275,18 @@ class InputStreamSinkSpec extends StreamSpec(UnboundedMailboxConfig) {
       }
       thrown.getCause should ===(error)
     }
+
+    "a read of length 0 should not request bytes from upstream" in assertAllStagesStopped {
+      val (probe, inputStream) = TestSource.probe[ByteString].toMat(StreamConverters.asInputStream())(Keep.both).run()
+      probe.ensureSubscription()
+      probe.expectRequest()
+
+      inputStream.read(new Array[Byte](byteString.size), 0, 0) should ===(0)
+      probe.expectNoMessage()
+
+      inputStream.close()
+      probe.expectCancellation()
+    }
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/io/InputStreamSinkStage.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/io/InputStreamSinkStage.scala
index 2651e45528..211b18a92a 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/io/InputStreamSinkStage.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/io/InputStreamSinkStage.scala
@@ -148,34 +148,36 @@ private[stream] object InputStreamSinkStage {
   override def read(a: Array[Byte], begin: Int, length: Int): Int = {
     require(a.length > 0, "array size must be >= 0")
     require(begin >= 0, "begin must be >= 0")
-    require(length > 0, "length must be > 0")
+    require(length >= 0, "length must be >= 0")
     require(begin + length <= a.length, "begin + length must be smaller or equal to the array length")
 
-    executeIfNotClosed(() =>
-      if (isStageAlive) {
-        detachedChunk match {
-          case None =>
-            try {
-              sharedBuffer.poll(readTimeout.toMillis, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS) match {
-                case Data(data) =>
-                  detachedChunk = Some(data)
-                  readBytes(a, begin, length)
-                case Finished =>
-                  isStageAlive = false
-                  -1
-                case Failed(ex) =>
-                  isStageAlive = false
-                  throw new IOException(ex)
-                case null        => throw new IOException("Timeout on waiting for new data")
-                case Initialized => throw new IllegalStateException("message 'Initialized' must come first")
+    if (length == 0) 0
+    else
+      executeIfNotClosed(() =>
+        if (isStageAlive) {
+          detachedChunk match {
+            case None =>
+              try {
+                sharedBuffer.poll(readTimeout.toMillis, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS) match {
+                  case Data(data) =>
+                    detachedChunk = Some(data)
+                    readBytes(a, begin, length)
+                  case Finished =>
+                    isStageAlive = false
+                    -1
+                  case Failed(ex) =>
+                    isStageAlive = false
+                    throw new IOException(ex)
+                  case null        => throw new IOException("Timeout on waiting for new data")
+                  case Initialized => throw new IllegalStateException("message 'Initialized' must come first")
+                }
+              } catch {
+                case ex: InterruptedException => throw new IOException(ex)
               }
-            } catch {
-              case ex: InterruptedException => throw new IOException(ex)
-            }
-          case Some(_) =>
-            readBytes(a, begin, length)
-        }
-      } else -1)
+            case Some(_) =>
+              readBytes(a, begin, length)
+          }
+        } else -1)
   }
 
   private[this] def readBytes(a: Array[Byte], begin: Int, length: Int): Int = {