diff --git a/include/libtorrent/storage.hpp b/include/libtorrent/storage.hpp
index 8cdab5476..e52196c76 100755
--- a/include/libtorrent/storage.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/storage.hpp
@@ -201,7 +201,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		void async_read(
 			peer_request const& r
-			, boost::function<void(int, disk_io_job const&)> const& handler);
+			, boost::function<void(int, disk_io_job const&)> const& handler
+			, char* buffer = 0);
 
 		void async_write(
 			peer_request const& r
diff --git a/src/disk_io_thread.cpp b/src/disk_io_thread.cpp
index 6bc357506..e07a884cf 100644
--- a/src/disk_io_thread.cpp
+++ b/src/disk_io_thread.cpp
@@ -179,29 +179,35 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 			int ret = 0;
 
+			bool free_buffer = true;
 			try
 			{
 //				std::cerr << "DISK THREAD: executing job: " << j.action << std::endl;
 				switch (j.action)
 				{
 					case disk_io_job::read:
-						l.lock();
-						j.buffer = (char*)m_pool.ordered_malloc();
-						l.unlock();
 						if (j.buffer == 0)
 						{
-							ret = -1;
-							j.str = "out of memory";
+							l.lock();
+							j.buffer = (char*)m_pool.ordered_malloc();
+							l.unlock();
+							assert(j.buffer_size <= m_block_size);
+							if (j.buffer == 0)
+							{
+								ret = -1;
+								j.str = "out of memory";
+								break;
+							}
 						}
 						else
 						{
-							assert(j.buffer_size <= m_block_size);
-							ret = j.storage->read_impl(j.buffer, j.piece, j.offset
-								, j.buffer_size);
-
-							// simulates slow drives
-							// usleep(300);
+							free_buffer = false;
 						}
+						ret = j.storage->read_impl(j.buffer, j.piece, j.offset
+							, j.buffer_size);
+
+						// simulates slow drives
+						// usleep(300);
 						break;
 					case disk_io_job::write:
 						assert(j.buffer);
@@ -240,7 +246,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			try { if (handler) handler(ret, j); }
 			catch (std::exception&) {}
 			
-			if (j.buffer)
+			if (j.buffer && free_buffer)
 			{
 				l.lock();
 				m_pool.ordered_free(j.buffer);
diff --git a/src/http_connection.cpp b/src/http_connection.cpp
index 788fc3aff..2b306ca6d 100644
--- a/src/http_connection.cpp
+++ b/src/http_connection.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ using boost::bind;
 namespace libtorrent
 {
 
+	enum { max_bottled_buffer = 1024 * 1024 };
+
 void http_connection::get(std::string const& url, time_duration timeout
 	, bool handle_redirect)
 {
@@ -311,8 +313,8 @@ void http_connection::on_read(asio::error_code const& e
 	}
 
 	if (int(m_recvbuffer.size()) == m_read_pos)
-		m_recvbuffer.resize((std::min)(m_read_pos + 2048, 1024*500));
-	if (m_read_pos == 1024 * 500)
+		m_recvbuffer.resize((std::min)(m_read_pos + 2048, int(max_bottled_buffer)));
+	if (m_read_pos == max_bottled_buffer)
 	{
 		close();
 		if (m_bottled && m_called) return;
diff --git a/src/storage.cpp b/src/storage.cpp
index 62d75f38f..e1ddd20ae 100755
--- a/src/storage.cpp
+++ b/src/storage.cpp
@@ -1083,7 +1083,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 	void piece_manager::async_read(
 		peer_request const& r
-		, boost::function<void(int, disk_io_job const&)> const& handler)
+		, boost::function<void(int, disk_io_job const&)> const& handler
+		, char* buffer)
 	{
 		disk_io_job j;
 		j.storage = this;
@@ -1091,7 +1092,10 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		j.piece = r.piece;
 		j.offset = r.start;
 		j.buffer_size = r.length;
-		assert(r.length <= 16 * 1024);
+		j.buffer = buffer;
+		// if a buffer is not specified, only one block can be read
+		// since that is the size of the pool allocator's buffers
+		assert(r.length <= 16 * 1024 || buffer != 0);
 		m_io_thread.add_job(j, handler);
 	}