diff --git a/src/client/conn.rs b/src/client/conn.rs
index fcc24407f3..0e65e3c565 100644
--- a/src/client/conn.rs
+++ b/src/client/conn.rs
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ pub struct Builder {
     exec: Exec,
     h1_writev: bool,
     h1_title_case_headers: bool,
+    h1_read_buf_exact_size: Option<usize>,
     http2: bool,
 }
 
@@ -432,6 +433,7 @@ impl Builder {
         Builder {
             exec: Exec::Default,
             h1_writev: true,
+            h1_read_buf_exact_size: None,
             h1_title_case_headers: false,
             http2: false,
         }
@@ -461,6 +463,10 @@ impl Builder {
         self
     }
 
+    pub(super) fn h1_read_buf_exact_size(&mut self, sz: Option<usize>) -> &mut Builder {
+        self.h1_read_buf_exact_size = sz;
+        self
+    }
     /// Sets whether HTTP2 is required.
     ///
     /// Default is false.
@@ -506,6 +512,9 @@ where
             if self.builder.h1_title_case_headers {
                 conn.set_title_case_headers();
             }
+            if let Some(sz) = self.builder.h1_read_buf_exact_size {
+                conn.set_read_buf_exact_size(sz);
+            }
             let cd = proto::h1::dispatch::Client::new(rx);
             let dispatch = proto::h1::Dispatcher::new(cd, conn);
             Either::A(dispatch)
diff --git a/src/client/mod.rs b/src/client/mod.rs
index b25486f1bf..ab5e987af2 100644
--- a/src/client/mod.rs
+++ b/src/client/mod.rs
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ pub struct Client<C, B = Body> {
     h1_writev: bool,
     h1_title_case_headers: bool,
     pool: Pool<PoolClient<B>>,
+    h1_read_buf_exact_size: Option<usize>,
     retry_canceled_requests: bool,
     set_host: bool,
     ver: Ver,
@@ -460,6 +461,7 @@ where C: Connect + Sync + 'static,
         let pool = self.pool.clone();
         let h1_writev = self.h1_writev;
         let h1_title_case_headers = self.h1_title_case_headers;
+        let h1_read_buf_exact_size = self.h1_read_buf_exact_size;
         let ver = self.ver;
         let is_ver_h2 = self.ver == Ver::Http2;
         let connector = self.connector.clone();
@@ -506,6 +508,7 @@ where C: Connect + Sync + 'static,
                         .exec(executor.clone())
                         .h1_writev(h1_writev)
                         .h1_title_case_headers(h1_title_case_headers)
+                        .h1_read_buf_exact_size(h1_read_buf_exact_size)
                         .http2_only(is_h2)
                         .handshake(io)
                         .and_then(move |(tx, conn)| {
@@ -545,6 +548,7 @@ impl<C, B> Clone for Client<C, B> {
             connector: self.connector.clone(),
             executor: self.executor.clone(),
             h1_writev: self.h1_writev,
+            h1_read_buf_exact_size: self.h1_read_buf_exact_size,
             h1_title_case_headers: self.h1_title_case_headers,
             pool: self.pool.clone(),
             retry_canceled_requests: self.retry_canceled_requests,
@@ -791,6 +795,7 @@ pub struct Builder {
     keep_alive_timeout: Option<Duration>,
     h1_writev: bool,
     h1_title_case_headers: bool,
+    h1_read_buf_exact_size: Option<usize>,
     max_idle_per_host: usize,
     retry_canceled_requests: bool,
     set_host: bool,
@@ -805,6 +810,7 @@ impl Default for Builder {
             keep_alive_timeout: Some(Duration::from_secs(90)),
             h1_writev: true,
             h1_title_case_headers: false,
+            h1_read_buf_exact_size: None,
             max_idle_per_host: ::std::usize::MAX,
             retry_canceled_requests: true,
             set_host: true,
@@ -851,6 +857,15 @@ impl Builder {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Sets the exact size of the read buffer to *always* use.
+    ///
+    /// Default is an adaptive read buffer.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn http1_read_buf_exact_size(&mut self, sz: usize) -> &mut Self {
+        self.h1_read_buf_exact_size = Some(sz);
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Set whether HTTP/1 connections will write header names as title case at
     /// the socket level.
     ///
@@ -950,6 +965,7 @@ impl Builder {
             executor: self.exec.clone(),
             h1_writev: self.h1_writev,
             h1_title_case_headers: self.h1_title_case_headers,
+            h1_read_buf_exact_size: self.h1_read_buf_exact_size,
             pool: Pool::new(
                 pool::Enabled(self.keep_alive),
                 pool::IdleTimeout(self.keep_alive_timeout),
@@ -968,6 +984,7 @@ impl fmt::Debug for Builder {
         f.debug_struct("Builder")
             .field("keep_alive", &self.keep_alive)
             .field("keep_alive_timeout", &self.keep_alive_timeout)
+            .field("http1_read_buf_exact_size", &self.h1_read_buf_exact_size)
             .field("http1_writev", &self.h1_writev)
             .field("max_idle_per_host", &self.max_idle_per_host)
             .field("set_host", &self.set_host)
diff --git a/src/proto/h1/conn.rs b/src/proto/h1/conn.rs
index 148d43ce8c..6e4125db86 100644
--- a/src/proto/h1/conn.rs
+++ b/src/proto/h1/conn.rs
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ where I: AsyncRead + AsyncWrite,
         self.io.set_max_buf_size(max);
     }
 
+    pub fn set_read_buf_exact_size(&mut self, sz: usize) {
+        self.io.set_read_buf_exact_size(sz);
+    }
+
     pub fn set_write_strategy_flatten(&mut self) {
         self.io.set_write_strategy_flatten();
     }
diff --git a/src/proto/h1/io.rs b/src/proto/h1/io.rs
index 012400e013..86664f5837 100644
--- a/src/proto/h1/io.rs
+++ b/src/proto/h1/io.rs
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ const MAX_BUF_LIST_BUFFERS: usize = 16;
 pub struct Buffered<T, B> {
     flush_pipeline: bool,
     io: T,
-    max_buf_size: usize,
     read_blocked: bool,
     read_buf: BytesMut,
+    read_buf_strategy: ReadStrategy,
     write_buf: WriteBuf<B>,
 }
 
@@ -58,10 +58,12 @@ where
         Buffered {
             flush_pipeline: false,
             io: io,
-            max_buf_size: DEFAULT_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE,
+            read_blocked: false,
             read_buf: BytesMut::with_capacity(0),
+            read_buf_strategy: ReadStrategy::Adaptive {
+                max: DEFAULT_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE,
+            },
             write_buf: WriteBuf::new(),
-            read_blocked: false,
         }
     }
 
@@ -76,17 +78,24 @@ where
     pub fn set_max_buf_size(&mut self, max: usize) {
         assert!(
             max >= MINIMUM_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE,
-            "The max_buf_size cannot be smaller than the initial buffer size."
+            "The max_buf_size cannot be smaller than {}.",
+            MINIMUM_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE,
         );
-        self.max_buf_size = max;
+        self.read_buf_strategy = ReadStrategy::Adaptive {
+            max,
+        };
         self.write_buf.max_buf_size = max;
     }
 
+    pub fn set_read_buf_exact_size(&mut self, sz: usize) {
+        self.read_buf_strategy = ReadStrategy::Exact(sz);
+    }
+
     pub fn set_write_strategy_flatten(&mut self) {
         // this should always be called only at construction time,
         // so this assert is here to catch myself
         debug_assert!(self.write_buf.queue.bufs.is_empty());
-        self.write_buf.set_strategy(Strategy::Flatten);
+        self.write_buf.set_strategy(WriteStrategy::Flatten);
     }
 
     pub fn read_buf(&self) -> &[u8] {
@@ -140,10 +149,18 @@ where
                     debug!("parsed {} headers", msg.head.headers.len());
                     return Ok(Async::Ready(msg))
                 },
-                None => {
-                    if self.read_buf.capacity() >= self.max_buf_size {
-                        debug!("max_buf_size ({}) reached, closing", self.max_buf_size);
-                        return Err(::Error::new_too_large());
+                None => match self.read_buf_strategy {
+                    ReadStrategy::Adaptive { max } => {
+                        if self.read_buf.len() >= max {
+                            debug!("max_buf_size ({}) reached, closing", max);
+                            return Err(::Error::new_too_large());
+                        }
+                    },
+                    ReadStrategy::Exact(exact) => {
+                        if self.read_buf.len() >= exact {
+                            debug!("exact buf size ({}) filled, closing", exact);
+                            return Err(::Error::new_too_large());
+                        }
                     }
                 },
             }
@@ -160,8 +177,17 @@ where
     pub fn read_from_io(&mut self) -> Poll<usize, io::Error> {
         use bytes::BufMut;
         self.read_blocked = false;
-        if self.read_buf.remaining_mut() < INIT_BUFFER_SIZE {
-            self.read_buf.reserve(INIT_BUFFER_SIZE);
+        match self.read_buf_strategy {
+            ReadStrategy::Adaptive { .. } => {
+                if self.read_buf.remaining_mut() < INIT_BUFFER_SIZE {
+                    self.read_buf.reserve(INIT_BUFFER_SIZE);
+                }
+            },
+            ReadStrategy::Exact(exact) => {
+                if self.read_buf.capacity() < exact {
+                    self.read_buf.reserve(exact);
+                }
+            },
         }
         self.io.read_buf(&mut self.read_buf).map(|ok| {
             match ok {
@@ -196,7 +222,7 @@ where
             try_nb!(self.io.flush());
         } else {
             match self.write_buf.strategy {
-                Strategy::Flatten => return self.flush_flattened(),
+                WriteStrategy::Flatten => return self.flush_flattened(),
                 _ => (),
             }
             loop {
@@ -256,6 +282,14 @@ where
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+enum ReadStrategy {
+    Adaptive {
+        max: usize
+    },
+    Exact(usize),
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Cursor<T> {
     bytes: T,
@@ -313,7 +347,7 @@ pub(super) struct WriteBuf<B> {
     max_buf_size: usize,
     /// Deque of user buffers if strategy is Queue
     queue: BufDeque<B>,
-    strategy: Strategy,
+    strategy: WriteStrategy,
 }
 
 impl<B> WriteBuf<B> {
@@ -322,7 +356,7 @@ impl<B> WriteBuf<B> {
             headers: Cursor::new(Vec::with_capacity(INIT_BUFFER_SIZE)),
             max_buf_size: DEFAULT_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE,
             queue: BufDeque::new(),
-            strategy: Strategy::Auto,
+            strategy: WriteStrategy::Auto,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -332,7 +366,7 @@ impl<B> WriteBuf<B>
 where
     B: Buf,
 {
-    fn set_strategy(&mut self, strategy: Strategy) {
+    fn set_strategy(&mut self, strategy: WriteStrategy) {
         self.strategy = strategy;
     }
 
@@ -344,7 +378,7 @@ where
     pub(super) fn buffer<BB: Buf + Into<B>>(&mut self, mut buf: BB) {
         debug_assert!(buf.has_remaining());
         match self.strategy {
-            Strategy::Flatten => {
+            WriteStrategy::Flatten => {
                 let head = self.headers_mut();
                 //perf: This is a little faster than <Vec as BufMut>>::put,
                 //but accomplishes the same result.
@@ -360,7 +394,7 @@ where
                     buf.advance(adv);
                 }
             },
-            Strategy::Auto | Strategy::Queue => {
+            WriteStrategy::Auto | WriteStrategy::Queue => {
                 self.queue.bufs.push_back(buf.into());
             },
         }
@@ -368,10 +402,10 @@ where
 
     fn can_buffer(&self) -> bool {
         match self.strategy {
-            Strategy::Flatten => {
+            WriteStrategy::Flatten => {
                 self.remaining() < self.max_buf_size
             },
-            Strategy::Auto | Strategy::Queue => {
+            WriteStrategy::Auto | WriteStrategy::Queue => {
                 self.queue.bufs.len() < MAX_BUF_LIST_BUFFERS
                     && self.remaining() < self.max_buf_size
             },
@@ -474,12 +508,12 @@ impl<'a, B: Buf> Buf for WriteBufAuto<'a, B> {
 
 impl<'a, B: Buf + 'a> Drop for WriteBufAuto<'a, B> {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
-        if let Strategy::Auto = self.inner.strategy {
+        if let WriteStrategy::Auto = self.inner.strategy {
             if self.bytes_vec_called.get() {
-                self.inner.strategy = Strategy::Queue;
+                self.inner.strategy = WriteStrategy::Queue;
             } else if self.bytes_called.get() {
                 trace!("detected no usage of vectored write, flattening");
-                self.inner.strategy = Strategy::Flatten;
+                self.inner.strategy = WriteStrategy::Flatten;
                 self.inner.headers.bytes.put(&mut self.inner.queue);
             }
         }
@@ -488,7 +522,7 @@ impl<'a, B: Buf + 'a> Drop for WriteBufAuto<'a, B> {
 
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
-enum Strategy {
+enum WriteStrategy {
     Auto,
     Flatten,
     Queue,
@@ -640,7 +674,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let mock = AsyncIo::new_buf(vec![], 1024);
         let mut buffered = Buffered::<_, Cursor<Vec<u8>>>::new(mock);
-        buffered.write_buf.set_strategy(Strategy::Flatten);
+        buffered.write_buf.set_strategy(WriteStrategy::Flatten);
 
         buffered.headers_buf().extend(b"hello ");
         buffered.buffer(Cursor::new(b"world, ".to_vec()));
@@ -686,7 +720,7 @@ mod tests {
         let mut mock = AsyncIo::new_buf(vec![], 1024);
         mock.max_read_vecs(0); // disable vectored IO
         let mut buffered = Buffered::<_, Cursor<Vec<u8>>>::new(mock);
-        buffered.write_buf.set_strategy(Strategy::Queue);
+        buffered.write_buf.set_strategy(WriteStrategy::Queue);
 
         // we have 4 buffers, and vec IO disabled, but explicitly said
         // don't try to auto detect (via setting strategy above)
@@ -710,7 +744,7 @@ mod tests {
         b.bytes = s.len() as u64;
 
         let mut write_buf = WriteBuf::<::Chunk>::new();
-        write_buf.set_strategy(Strategy::Flatten);
+        write_buf.set_strategy(WriteStrategy::Flatten);
         b.iter(|| {
             let chunk = ::Chunk::from(s);
             write_buf.buffer(chunk);