diff --git a/src/peers.c b/src/peers.c
index 84356e6..173f784 100644
--- a/src/peers.c
+++ b/src/peers.c
@@ -1277,12 +1277,6 @@
 
 	s->rep->flags |= CF_READ_DONTWAIT;
 
-	if (unlikely(b_alloc(&s->req->buf) == NULL))
-		goto out_fail_req_buf; /* no memory */
-
-	if (unlikely(b_alloc(&s->rep->buf) == NULL))
-		goto out_fail_rep_buf; /* no memory */
-
 	/* it is important not to call the wakeup function directly but to
 	 * pass through task_wakeup(), because this one knows how to apply
 	 * priorities to tasks.
@@ -1299,10 +1293,6 @@
 	return s;
 
 	/* Error unrolling */
- out_fail_rep_buf:
-	b_free(&s->req->buf);
- out_fail_req_buf:
-	pool_free2(pool2_channel, s->rep);
  out_fail_rep:
 	pool_free2(pool2_channel, s->req);
  out_fail_req:
diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index d236859..fc5b886 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -516,12 +516,6 @@
 	s->rep->wex = TICK_ETERNITY;
 	s->rep->analyse_exp = TICK_ETERNITY;
 
-	if (unlikely(b_alloc(&s->req->buf) == NULL))
-		goto out_free_rep; /* no memory */
-
-	if (unlikely(b_alloc(&s->rep->buf) == NULL))
-		goto out_free_req_buf; /* no memory */
-
 	txn = &s->txn;
 	/* Those variables will be checked and freed if non-NULL in
 	 * session.c:session_free(). It is important that they are
@@ -550,7 +544,7 @@
 		 * finished (=0, eg: monitoring), in both situations,
 		 * we can release everything and close.
 		 */
-		goto out_free_rep_buf;
+		goto out_free_rep;
 	}
 
 	/* if logs require transport layer information, note it on the connection */
@@ -568,10 +562,6 @@
 	return 1;
 
 	/* Error unrolling */
- out_free_rep_buf:
-	b_free(&s->rep->buf);
- out_free_req_buf:
-	b_free(&s->req->buf);
  out_free_rep:
 	pool_free2(pool2_channel, s->rep);
  out_free_req:
@@ -1804,6 +1794,16 @@
 			goto update_exp_and_leave;
 	}
 
+	/* below we may emit error messages so we have to ensure that we have
+	 * our buffers properly allocated.
+	 */
+	if (!session_alloc_buffers(s)) {
+		/* No buffer available, we've been subscribed to the list of
+		 * buffer waiters, let's wait for our turn.
+		 */
+		goto update_exp_and_leave;
+	}
+
 	/* 1b: check for low-level errors reported at the stream interface.
 	 * First we check if it's a retryable error (in which case we don't
 	 * want to tell the buffer). Otherwise we report the error one level
@@ -2602,6 +2602,7 @@
 		if ((si_applet_call(s->req->cons) | si_applet_call(s->rep->cons)) != 0) {
 			if (task_in_rq(t)) {
 				t->expire = TICK_ETERNITY;
+				session_release_buffers(s);
 				return t;
 			}
 		}
@@ -2631,6 +2632,7 @@
 		if (!tick_isset(t->expire))
 			ABORT_NOW();
 #endif
+		session_release_buffers(s);
 		return t; /* nothing more to do */
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/stream_interface.c b/src/stream_interface.c
index 2c47953..08c72e5 100644
--- a/src/stream_interface.c
+++ b/src/stream_interface.c
@@ -642,6 +642,8 @@
 	}
 	if (si->ib->flags & CF_READ_ACTIVITY)
 		si->ib->flags &= ~CF_READ_DONTWAIT;
+
+	session_release_buffers(si_sess(si));
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1166,6 +1168,12 @@
 		chn->pipe = NULL;
 	}
 
+	/* now we'll need a buffer */
+	if (!session_alloc_recv_buffer(si_sess(si), &chn->buf)) {
+		si->flags |= SI_FL_WAIT_ROOM;
+		goto end_recv;
+	}
+
 	/* Important note : if we're called with POLL_IN|POLL_HUP, it means the read polling
 	 * was enabled, which implies that the recv buffer was not full. So we have a guarantee
 	 * that if such an event is not handled above in splice, it will be handled here by
@@ -1230,9 +1238,6 @@
 		}
 	} /* while !flags */
 
-	if (conn->flags & CO_FL_ERROR)
-		return;
-
 	if (cur_read) {
 		if ((chn->flags & (CF_STREAMER | CF_STREAMER_FAST)) &&
 		    (cur_read <= chn->buf->size / 2)) {
@@ -1272,6 +1277,10 @@
 		chn->last_read = now_ms;
 	}
 
+ end_recv:
+	if (conn->flags & CO_FL_ERROR)
+		return;
+
 	if (conn_data_read0_pending(conn))
 		/* connection closed */
 		goto out_shutdown_r;