diff --git a/src/chunktransformer.js b/src/chunktransformer.js
index 34b8163b7..2c4888231 100644
--- a/src/chunktransformer.js
+++ b/src/chunktransformer.js
@@ -187,11 +187,11 @@ ChunkTransformer.prototype.validateResetRow = function(chunk) {
  * Validates state for new row.
  * @private
  * @param {chunk} chunk chunk to validate
+ * @param {newRowKey} newRowKey newRowKey of the new row
  */
-ChunkTransformer.prototype.validateNewRow = function(chunk) {
+ChunkTransformer.prototype.validateNewRow = function(chunk, newRowKey) {
   const row = this.row;
   const prevRowKey = this.prevRowKey;
-  const newRowKey = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.rowKey);
   let errorMessage;
 
   if (typeof row.key !== 'undefined') {
@@ -224,15 +224,30 @@ ChunkTransformer.prototype.validateNewRow = function(chunk) {
  */
 ChunkTransformer.prototype.validateRowInProgress = function(chunk) {
   const row = this.row;
-  const newRowKey = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.rowKey);
-  let errorMessage;
-  if (chunk.rowKey && newRowKey !== '' && newRowKey !== row.key) {
-    errorMessage = 'A commit is required between row keys';
-  } else if (chunk.familyName && !chunk.qualifier) {
-    errorMessage = 'A qualifier must be specified';
+  if (chunk.rowKey && chunk.rowKey.length) {
+    const newRowKey = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.rowKey);
+    if (
+      newRowKey &&
+      chunk.rowKey &&
+      newRowKey !== '' &&
+      newRowKey !== row.key
+    ) {
+      this.destroy(
+        new TransformError({
+          message: 'A commit is required between row keys',
+          chunk,
+        })
+      );
+      return;
+    }
   }
-  if (errorMessage) {
-    this.destroy(new TransformError({message: errorMessage, chunk}));
+  if (chunk.familyName && !chunk.qualifier) {
+    this.destroy(
+      new TransformError({
+        message: 'A qualifier must be specified',
+        chunk,
+      })
+    );
     return;
   }
   this.validateResetRow(chunk);
@@ -270,13 +285,10 @@ ChunkTransformer.prototype.moveToNextState = function(chunk) {
  * Process chunk when in NEW_ROW state.
  * @private
  * @param {chunks} chunk chunk to process
- * @param {options} options options
- * @param {callback} callback callback to call with row as and when generates
- * @returns {boolean} return false to stop further processing.
  */
 ChunkTransformer.prototype.processNewRow = function(chunk) {
   const newRowKey = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.rowKey);
-  this.validateNewRow(chunk);
+  this.validateNewRow(chunk, newRowKey);
   if (chunk.familyName && chunk.qualifier) {
     const row = this.row;
     row.key = newRowKey;
@@ -285,7 +297,10 @@ ChunkTransformer.prototype.processNewRow = function(chunk) {
     const qualifierName = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.qualifier.value);
     this.qualifiers = this.family[qualifierName] = [];
     this.qualifier = {
-      value: Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.value, this.options),
+      value: Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.value, {
+        userOptions: this.options,
+        isPossibleNumber: true,
+      }),
       labels: chunk.labels,
       timestamp: chunk.timestampMicros,
     };
@@ -297,9 +312,6 @@ ChunkTransformer.prototype.processNewRow = function(chunk) {
  * Process chunk when in ROW_IN_PROGRESS state.
  * @private
  * @param {chunk} chunk chunk to process
- * @param {*} options  option
- * @param {*} callback callback to call with row as and when generates
- * @returns {boolean} return false to stop further processing.
  */
 ChunkTransformer.prototype.processRowInProgress = function(chunk) {
   this.validateRowInProgress(chunk);
@@ -317,7 +329,7 @@ ChunkTransformer.prototype.processRowInProgress = function(chunk) {
       this.family[qualifierName] || [];
   }
   this.qualifier = {
-    value: Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.value, this.options),
+    value: Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.value, {userOptions: this.options}),
     labels: chunk.labels,
     timestamp: chunk.timestampMicros,
   };
@@ -328,16 +340,15 @@ ChunkTransformer.prototype.processRowInProgress = function(chunk) {
  * Process chunk when in CELl_IN_PROGRESS state.
  * @private
  * @param {chunk} chunk chunk to process
- * @param {options} options options
- * @param {callback} callback callback to call with row as and when generates
- * @returns {boolean} return false to stop further processing.
  */
 ChunkTransformer.prototype.processCellInProgress = function(chunk) {
   this.validateCellInProgress(chunk);
   if (chunk.resetRow) {
     return this.reset();
   }
-  this.qualifier.value += Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.value, this.options);
+  this.qualifier.value += Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.value, {
+    userOptions: this.options,
+  });
   this.moveToNextState(chunk);
 };
 
diff --git a/src/mutation.js b/src/mutation.js
index ad29c1956..f566fcace 100644
--- a/src/mutation.js
+++ b/src/mutation.js
@@ -62,14 +62,16 @@ var methods = (Mutation.methods = {
  * @returns {string|number|buffer}
  */
 Mutation.convertFromBytes = function(bytes, options) {
-  var buf = Buffer.from(bytes, 'base64');
-  var num = new Int64(buf).toNumber();
+  var buf = bytes instanceof Buffer ? bytes : Buffer.from(bytes, 'base64');
+  if (options && options.isPossibleNumber) {
+    var num = new Int64(buf).toNumber();
 
-  if (!isNaN(num) && isFinite(num)) {
-    return num;
+    if (!isNaN(num) && isFinite(num)) {
+      return num;
+    }
   }
 
-  if (options && options.decode === false) {
+  if (options && options.userOptions && options.userOptions.decode === false) {
     return buf;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/row.js b/src/row.js
index 61f180692..560c30f8d 100644
--- a/src/row.js
+++ b/src/row.js
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ Row.formatChunks_ = function(chunks, options) {
     row.data = row.data || {};
 
     if (chunk.rowKey) {
-      row.key = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.rowKey, options);
+      row.key = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.rowKey, {userOptions: options});
     }
 
     if (chunk.familyName) {
@@ -112,7 +112,9 @@ Row.formatChunks_ = function(chunks, options) {
     }
 
     if (chunk.qualifier) {
-      qualifierName = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.qualifier.value, options);
+      qualifierName = Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.qualifier.value, {
+        userOptions: options,
+      });
     }
 
     if (family && qualifierName) {
@@ -121,7 +123,7 @@ Row.formatChunks_ = function(chunks, options) {
 
     if (qualifier && chunk.value) {
       qualifier.push({
-        value: Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.value, options),
+        value: Mutation.convertFromBytes(chunk.value, {userOptions: options}),
         labels: chunk.labels,
         timestamp: chunk.timestampMicros,
         size: chunk.valueSize,
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ Row.formatFamilies_ = function(families, options) {
         var value = cell.value;
 
         if (options.decode !== false) {
-          value = Mutation.convertFromBytes(value);
+          value = Mutation.convertFromBytes(value, {isPossibleNumber: true});
         }
 
         return {
diff --git a/test/mutation.js b/test/mutation.js
index f50cf00a0..907dfff62 100644
--- a/test/mutation.js
+++ b/test/mutation.js
@@ -44,12 +44,23 @@ describe('Bigtable/Mutation', function() {
   });
 
   describe('convertFromBytes', function() {
-    it('should convert a base64 encoded number', function() {
-      var num = 10;
-      var encoded = new Int64(num).toBuffer().toString('base64');
-      var decoded = Mutation.convertFromBytes(encoded);
+    describe('isPossibleNumber', function() {
+      it('should convert a base64 encoded number when true', function() {
+        var num = 10;
+        var encoded = new Int64(num).toBuffer().toString('base64');
+        var decoded = Mutation.convertFromBytes(encoded, {
+          isPossibleNumber: true,
+        });
 
-      assert.strictEqual(num, decoded);
+        assert.strictEqual(num, decoded);
+      });
+      it('should not convert a base64 encoded number when false', function() {
+        var num = 10;
+        var encoded = new Int64(num).toBuffer().toString('base64');
+        var decoded = Mutation.convertFromBytes(encoded);
+
+        assert.notEqual(num, decoded);
+      });
     });
 
     it('should convert a base64 encoded string', function() {
@@ -63,13 +74,23 @@ describe('Bigtable/Mutation', function() {
     it('should return a buffer if decode is set to false', function() {
       var message = 'Hello!';
       var encoded = Buffer.from(message).toString('base64');
+      const userOptions = {decode: false};
       var decoded = Mutation.convertFromBytes(encoded, {
-        decode: false,
+        userOptions: userOptions,
       });
 
       assert(decoded instanceof Buffer);
       assert.strictEqual(decoded.toString(), message);
     });
+
+    it('should not create a new Buffer needlessly', function() {
+      var message = 'Hello!';
+      var encoded = Buffer.from(message);
+      const stub = sinon.stub(Buffer, 'from');
+      const decoded = Mutation.convertFromBytes(encoded);
+      assert.strictEqual(stub.called, false);
+      assert.strictEqual(decoded.toString(), message);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('convertToBytes', function() {
diff --git a/test/row.js b/test/row.js
index 8b0817a20..7695da114 100644
--- a/test/row.js
+++ b/test/row.js
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ describe('Bigtable/Row', function() {
       };
 
       FakeMutation.convertFromBytes = sinon.spy(function(val, options) {
-        assert.strictEqual(options, formatOptions);
+        assert.deepStrictEqual(options, {userOptions: formatOptions});
         return val.replace('unconverted', 'converted');
       });
 
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ describe('Bigtable/Row', function() {
       // 1 === qualifier
       // 2 === value
       var args = FakeMutation.convertFromBytes.getCall(2).args;
-      assert.strictEqual(args[1], formatOptions);
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(args[1], {userOptions: formatOptions});
     });
 
     it('should discard old data when reset row is found', function() {