diff --git a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpConnectionSpec.scala b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpConnectionSpec.scala
index fceb271ab4..991a0672ad 100644
--- a/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpConnectionSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-actor-tests/src/test/scala/akka/io/TcpConnectionSpec.scala
@@ -107,25 +107,26 @@ class TcpConnectionSpec extends AkkaSpec("akka.io.tcp.register-timeout = 500ms")
       expectReceivedString("testdata2testdata3")
     }
 
-    "bundle incoming Received messages as long as more data is available" in withEstablishedConnection(
+    "forward incoming data as Received messages instantly as long as more data is available" in withEstablishedConnection(
       clientSocketOptions = List(Inet.SO.ReceiveBufferSize(1000000)) // to make sure enough data gets through
       ) { setup ⇒
         import setup._
 
-        val DataSize = 1000000
+        val bufferSize = Tcp(system).Settings.DirectBufferSize
+        val DataSize = bufferSize + 1500
         val bigData = new Array[Byte](DataSize)
         val buffer = ByteBuffer.wrap(bigData)
 
         serverSideChannel.socket.setSendBufferSize(150000)
         val wrote = serverSideChannel.write(buffer)
-        wrote must be > 140000
+        wrote must be(DataSize)
 
         expectNoMsg(1000.millis) // data should have been transferred fully by now
 
         selector.send(connectionActor, ChannelReadable)
 
-        // 140000 is more than the direct buffer size
-        connectionHandler.expectMsgType[Received].data.length must be > 140000
+        connectionHandler.expectMsgType[Received].data.length must be(bufferSize)
+        connectionHandler.expectMsgType[Received].data.length must be(1500)
       }
 
     "receive data directly when the connection is established" in withUnacceptedConnection() { unregisteredSetup ⇒
diff --git a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
index ec866ae75f..521288fae9 100644
--- a/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
+++ b/akka-actor/src/main/scala/akka/io/TcpConnection.scala
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ private[io] abstract class TcpConnection(val channel: SocketChannel,
   }
 
   def doRead(handler: ActorRef, closeCommander: Option[ActorRef]): Unit = {
-    @tailrec def innerRead(buffer: ByteBuffer, receivedData: ByteString, remainingLimit: Int): ReadResult =
+    @tailrec def innerRead(buffer: ByteBuffer, remainingLimit: Int): ReadResult =
       if (remainingLimit > 0) {
         // never read more than the configured limit
         buffer.clear()
@@ -131,33 +131,22 @@ private[io] abstract class TcpConnection(val channel: SocketChannel,
         val readBytes = channel.read(buffer)
         buffer.flip()
 
-        val totalData = receivedData ++ ByteString(buffer)
+        if (TraceLogging) log.debug("Read [{}] bytes.", readBytes)
+        if (readBytes > 0) handler ! Received(ByteString(buffer))
 
         readBytes match {
-          case `maxBufferSpace`          ⇒ innerRead(buffer, totalData, remainingLimit - maxBufferSpace)
-          case x if totalData.length > 0 ⇒ GotCompleteData(totalData)
-          case 0                         ⇒ NoData
-          case -1                        ⇒ EndOfStream
+          case `maxBufferSpace` ⇒ innerRead(buffer, remainingLimit - maxBufferSpace)
+          case x if x >= 0      ⇒ AllRead
+          case -1               ⇒ EndOfStream
           case _ ⇒
             throw new IllegalStateException("Unexpected value returned from read: " + readBytes)
         }
-      } else MoreDataWaiting(receivedData)
+      } else MoreDataWaiting
 
     val buffer = bufferPool.acquire()
-    try innerRead(buffer, ByteString.empty, ReceivedMessageSizeLimit) match {
-      case NoData ⇒
-        if (TraceLogging) log.debug("Read nothing.")
-        selector ! ReadInterest
-      case GotCompleteData(data) ⇒
-        if (TraceLogging) log.debug("Read [{}] bytes.", data.length)
-
-        handler ! Received(data)
-        selector ! ReadInterest
-      case MoreDataWaiting(data) ⇒
-        if (TraceLogging) log.debug("Read [{}] bytes. More data waiting.", data.length)
-
-        handler ! Received(data)
-        self ! ChannelReadable
+    try innerRead(buffer, ReceivedMessageSizeLimit) match {
+      case AllRead         ⇒ selector ! ReadInterest
+      case MoreDataWaiting ⇒ self ! ChannelReadable
       case EndOfStream ⇒
         if (TraceLogging) log.debug("Read returned end-of-stream")
         doCloseConnection(handler, closeCommander, closeReason)
@@ -307,10 +296,9 @@ private[io] abstract class TcpConnection(val channel: SocketChannel,
  */
 private[io] object TcpConnection {
   sealed trait ReadResult
-  object NoData extends ReadResult
   object EndOfStream extends ReadResult
-  case class GotCompleteData(data: ByteString) extends ReadResult
-  case class MoreDataWaiting(data: ByteString) extends ReadResult
+  object AllRead extends ReadResult
+  object MoreDataWaiting extends ReadResult
 
   /**
    * Used to transport information to the postStop method to notify