diff --git a/src/x/serialize/decoder_fast.go b/src/x/serialize/decoder_fast.go
index ef5ac8d406..e9846ac8d1 100644
--- a/src/x/serialize/decoder_fast.go
+++ b/src/x/serialize/decoder_fast.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func TagValueFromEncodedTagsFast(
 			return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("missing size for tag name: index=%d", i)
 		}
 		numBytesName := int(byteOrder.Uint16(encodedTags[:2]))
-		if numBytesName <= 0 {
+		if numBytesName == 0 {
 			return nil, false, errEmptyTagNameLiteral
 		}
 		encodedTags = encodedTags[2:]
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func TagValueFromEncodedTagsFast(
 		bytesValue := encodedTags[:numBytesValue]
 		encodedTags = encodedTags[numBytesValue:]
 
-		if bytes.Compare(bytesName, tagName) == 0 {
+		if bytes.Equal(bytesName, tagName) {
 			return bytesValue, true, nil
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/x/serialize/decoder_fast_benchmark_test.go b/src/x/serialize/decoder_fast_benchmark_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..79547207c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/x/serialize/decoder_fast_benchmark_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Uber Technologies, Inc.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+// of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+// in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+// to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+// copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+// furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+// all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+// OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+// THE SOFTWARE.
+
+package serialize
+
+import (
+	"encoding/base64"
+	"math/rand"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/x/checked"
+	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/x/pool"
+)
+
+type encodedTagsWithTagName struct {
+	encodedTags, tagName []byte
+}
+
+// Samples of encoded tags, taken from metrics generated by promremotebench.
+//nolint:lll
+var samples = []string{
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18GAGRpc2tpbwQAYXJjaAMAeDY0CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyCgB1cy13ZXN0LTJjCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF83OAsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQFAHJlYWRzAgBvcwsAVWJ1bnR1MTUuMTAEAHJhY2sCADg3BgByZWdpb24JAHVzLXdlc3QtMgcAc2VydmljZQIAMTETAHNlcnZpY2VfZW52aXJvbm1lbnQKAHByb2R1Y3Rpb24PAHNlcnZpY2VfdmVyc2lvbgEAMQQAdGVhbQIAU0Y=",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18FAG5naW54BABhcmNoAwB4NjQKAGRhdGFjZW50ZXIKAHVzLXdlc3QtMWEIAGhvc3RuYW1lBwBob3N0XzM3CwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudAYAYWN0aXZlAgBvcwsAVWJ1bnR1MTYuMTAEAHJhY2sCADc4BgByZWdpb24JAHVzLXdlc3QtMQcAc2VydmljZQIAMTATAHNlcnZpY2VfZW52aXJvbm1lbnQEAHRlc3QPAHNlcnZpY2VfdmVyc2lvbgEAMAQAdGVhbQMATE9O",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18EAGRpc2sEAGFyY2gDAHg2NAoAZGF0YWNlbnRlcgoAc2EtZWFzdC0xYggAaG9zdG5hbWUHAGhvc3RfNTQLAG1lYXN1cmVtZW50DABpbm9kZXNfdG90YWwCAG9zCwBVYnVudHUxNi4xMAQAcmFjawIAODgGAHJlZ2lvbgkAc2EtZWFzdC0xBwBzZXJ2aWNlAgAxNRMAc2VydmljZV9lbnZpcm9ubWVudAoAcHJvZHVjdGlvbg8Ac2VydmljZV92ZXJzaW9uAQAwBAB0ZWFtAwBDSEk=",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18DAG5ldAQAYXJjaAMAeDg2CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyCgB1cy1lYXN0LTFiCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF85MwsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQGAGVycl9pbgIAb3MLAFVidW50dTE1LjEwBAByYWNrAgAzNwYAcmVnaW9uCQB1cy1lYXN0LTEHAHNlcnZpY2UCADEyEwBzZXJ2aWNlX2Vudmlyb25tZW50CgBwcm9kdWN0aW9uDwBzZXJ2aWNlX3ZlcnNpb24BADEEAHRlYW0DAENISQ==",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18FAHJlZGlzBABhcmNoAwB4ODYKAGRhdGFjZW50ZXINAGV1LWNlbnRyYWwtMWEIAGhvc3RuYW1lBwBob3N0XzcwCwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudA8Aa2V5c3BhY2VfbWlzc2VzAgBvcw4AVWJ1bnR1MTYuMDRMVFMEAHJhY2sCADQ3BgByZWdpb24MAGV1LWNlbnRyYWwtMQcAc2VydmljZQIAMTITAHNlcnZpY2VfZW52aXJvbm1lbnQHAHN0YWdpbmcPAHNlcnZpY2VfdmVyc2lvbgEAMQQAdGVhbQMATE9O",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18FAG5naW54BABhcmNoAwB4ODYKAGRhdGFjZW50ZXIKAHVzLWVhc3QtMWIIAGhvc3RuYW1lBwBob3N0Xzg0CwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudAgAcmVxdWVzdHMCAG9zDgBVYnVudHUxNi4wNExUUwQAcmFjawIAOTAGAHJlZ2lvbgkAdXMtZWFzdC0xBwBzZXJ2aWNlAgAxMxMAc2VydmljZV9lbnZpcm9ubWVudAQAdGVzdA8Ac2VydmljZV92ZXJzaW9uAQAwBAB0ZWFtAwBOWUM=",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18DAG1lbQQAYXJjaAMAeDY0CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyDQBldS1jZW50cmFsLTFiCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF8yNwsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQIAGJ1ZmZlcmVkAgBvcw4AVWJ1bnR1MTYuMDRMVFMEAHJhY2sCADU4BgByZWdpb24MAGV1LWNlbnRyYWwtMQcAc2VydmljZQEAMBMAc2VydmljZV9lbnZpcm9ubWVudAQAdGVzdA8Ac2VydmljZV92ZXJzaW9uAQAwBAB0ZWFtAwBOWUM=",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18GAGtlcm5lbAQAYXJjaAMAeDg2CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyCgB1cy13ZXN0LTJhCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF84MAsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQNAGRpc2tfcGFnZXNfaW4CAG9zCwBVYnVudHUxNi4xMAQAcmFjawIANDIGAHJlZ2lvbgkAdXMtd2VzdC0yBwBzZXJ2aWNlAgAxMxMAc2VydmljZV9lbnZpcm9ubWVudAQAdGVzdA8Ac2VydmljZV92ZXJzaW9uAQAxBAB0ZWFtAgBTRg==",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18EAGRpc2sEAGFyY2gDAHg2NAoAZGF0YWNlbnRlcg8AYXAtbm9ydGhlYXN0LTFjCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF83NwsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQLAGlub2Rlc191c2VkAgBvcw4AVWJ1bnR1MTYuMDRMVFMEAHJhY2sCADg0BgByZWdpb24OAGFwLW5vcnRoZWFzdC0xBwBzZXJ2aWNlAQA1EwBzZXJ2aWNlX2Vudmlyb25tZW50CgBwcm9kdWN0aW9uDwBzZXJ2aWNlX3ZlcnNpb24BADAEAHRlYW0DAExPTg==",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18JAHBvc3RncmVzbAQAYXJjaAMAeDY0CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyDQBldS1jZW50cmFsLTFiCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF8yNwsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQNAHhhY3Rfcm9sbGJhY2sCAG9zDgBVYnVudHUxNi4wNExUUwQAcmFjawIANTgGAHJlZ2lvbgwAZXUtY2VudHJhbC0xBwBzZXJ2aWNlAQAwEwBzZXJ2aWNlX2Vudmlyb25tZW50BAB0ZXN0DwBzZXJ2aWNlX3ZlcnNpb24BADAEAHRlYW0DAE5ZQw==",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18DAGNwdQQAYXJjaAMAeDY0CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyCgBzYS1lYXN0LTFiCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF80MwsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQKAHVzYWdlX25pY2UCAG9zCwBVYnVudHUxNi4xMAQAcmFjawIAOTUGAHJlZ2lvbgkAc2EtZWFzdC0xBwBzZXJ2aWNlAQA0EwBzZXJ2aWNlX2Vudmlyb25tZW50BAB0ZXN0DwBzZXJ2aWNlX3ZlcnNpb24BADAEAHRlYW0CAFNG",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18EAGRpc2sEAGFyY2gDAHg2NAoAZGF0YWNlbnRlcg8AYXAtbm9ydGhlYXN0LTFjCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF8xNwsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQMAGlub2Rlc190b3RhbAIAb3MLAFVidW50dTE2LjEwBAByYWNrAgA5NAYAcmVnaW9uDgBhcC1ub3J0aGVhc3QtMQcAc2VydmljZQEAORMAc2VydmljZV9lbnZpcm9ubWVudAcAc3RhZ2luZw8Ac2VydmljZV92ZXJzaW9uAQAwBAB0ZWFtAgBTRg==",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18FAHJlZGlzBABhcmNoAwB4ODYKAGRhdGFjZW50ZXIKAHVzLXdlc3QtMmEIAGhvc3RuYW1lBwBob3N0XzgwCwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudBAAc3luY19wYXJ0aWFsX2VycgIAb3MLAFVidW50dTE2LjEwBAByYWNrAgA0MgYAcmVnaW9uCQB1cy13ZXN0LTIHAHNlcnZpY2UCADEzEwBzZXJ2aWNlX2Vudmlyb25tZW50BAB0ZXN0DwBzZXJ2aWNlX3ZlcnNpb24BADEEAHRlYW0CAFNG",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18DAG5ldAQAYXJjaAMAeDg2CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyCgB1cy1lYXN0LTFhCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF83OQsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQIAGRyb3Bfb3V0AgBvcw4AVWJ1bnR1MTYuMDRMVFMEAHJhY2sCADE3BgByZWdpb24JAHVzLWVhc3QtMQcAc2VydmljZQIAMTcTAHNlcnZpY2VfZW52aXJvbm1lbnQHAHN0YWdpbmcPAHNlcnZpY2VfdmVyc2lvbgEAMQQAdGVhbQIAU0Y=",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18FAHJlZGlzBABhcmNoAwB4ODYKAGRhdGFjZW50ZXIPAGFwLXNvdXRoZWFzdC0yYggAaG9zdG5hbWUIAGhvc3RfMTAwCwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudBYAdXNlZF9jcHVfdXNlcl9jaGlsZHJlbgIAb3MOAFVidW50dTE2LjA0TFRTBAByYWNrAgA0MAYAcmVnaW9uDgBhcC1zb3V0aGVhc3QtMgcAc2VydmljZQIAMTQTAHNlcnZpY2VfZW52aXJvbm1lbnQHAHN0YWdpbmcPAHNlcnZpY2VfdmVyc2lvbgEAMQQAdGVhbQMATllD",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18EAGRpc2sEAGFyY2gDAHg2NAoAZGF0YWNlbnRlcg8AYXAtc291dGhlYXN0LTFhCABob3N0bmFtZQcAaG9zdF84NwsAbWVhc3VyZW1lbnQMAGlub2Rlc190b3RhbAIAb3MLAFVidW50dTE1LjEwBAByYWNrAQAwBgByZWdpb24OAGFwLXNvdXRoZWFzdC0xBwBzZXJ2aWNlAgAxMRMAc2VydmljZV9lbnZpcm9ubWVudAcAc3RhZ2luZw8Ac2VydmljZV92ZXJzaW9uAQAwBAB0ZWFtAwBMT04=",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18DAGNwdQQAYXJjaAMAeDY0CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyCgB1cy13ZXN0LTJhCABob3N0bmFtZQYAaG9zdF82CwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudAoAdXNhZ2VfaWRsZQIAb3MLAFVidW50dTE2LjEwBAByYWNrAgAxMAYAcmVnaW9uCQB1cy13ZXN0LTIHAHNlcnZpY2UBADYTAHNlcnZpY2VfZW52aXJvbm1lbnQEAHRlc3QPAHNlcnZpY2VfdmVyc2lvbgEAMAQAdGVhbQMAQ0hJ",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18FAG5naW54BABhcmNoAwB4ODYKAGRhdGFjZW50ZXIKAHVzLWVhc3QtMWEIAGhvc3RuYW1lBwBob3N0XzQ0CwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudAcAaGFuZGxlZAIAb3MOAFVidW50dTE2LjA0TFRTBAByYWNrAgA2MQYAcmVnaW9uCQB1cy1lYXN0LTEHAHNlcnZpY2UBADITAHNlcnZpY2VfZW52aXJvbm1lbnQHAHN0YWdpbmcPAHNlcnZpY2VfdmVyc2lvbgEAMQQAdGVhbQMATllD",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18FAG5naW54BABhcmNoAwB4ODYKAGRhdGFjZW50ZXIKAHVzLXdlc3QtMWEIAGhvc3RuYW1lBwBob3N0XzI5CwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudAcAd2FpdGluZwIAb3MLAFVidW50dTE1LjEwBAByYWNrAgAxNQYAcmVnaW9uCQB1cy13ZXN0LTEHAHNlcnZpY2UBADQTAHNlcnZpY2VfZW52aXJvbm1lbnQEAHRlc3QPAHNlcnZpY2VfdmVyc2lvbgEAMQQAdGVhbQMATllD",
+	"dScMAAgAX19uYW1lX18GAGRpc2tpbwQAYXJjaAMAeDY0CgBkYXRhY2VudGVyDwBhcC1ub3J0aGVhc3QtMWMIAGhvc3RuYW1lBwBob3N0XzM4CwBtZWFzdXJlbWVudAoAd3JpdGVfdGltZQIAb3MLAFVidW50dTE1LjEwBAByYWNrAgAyMAYAcmVnaW9uDgBhcC1ub3J0aGVhc3QtMQcAc2VydmljZQEAMBMAc2VydmljZV9lbnZpcm9ubWVudAcAc3RhZ2luZw8Ac2VydmljZV92ZXJzaW9uAQAwBAB0ZWFtAgBTRg==",
+}
+
+// BenchmarkTagValueFromEncodedTagsFast-12    	11756650	       110 ns/op
+func BenchmarkTagValueFromEncodedTagsFast(b *testing.B) {
+	testData := prepareData(b)
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := range testData {
+		_, _, err := TagValueFromEncodedTagsFast(testData[i].encodedTags, testData[i].tagName)
+		require.NoError(b, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func prepareData(b *testing.B) []encodedTagsWithTagName {
+	encodedTags, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(samples[0])
+	require.NoError(b, err)
+	// Extracting tag names. Each sample has the same set of tag names, so using any of them
+	tagNames, err := decodeTagNames(encodedTags)
+	require.NoError(b, err)
+	tagNames = append(tagNames, []byte("not_exist"))
+
+	var (
+		result = make([]encodedTagsWithTagName, 0, b.N)
+		rnd    = rand.New(rand.NewSource(42)) //nolint:gosec
+	)
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		tagName := tagNames[rnd.Intn(len(tagNames))]
+		encodedTags, err = base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(samples[rnd.Intn(len(samples))])
+		require.NoError(b, err)
+
+		result = append(result, encodedTagsWithTagName{
+			encodedTags: encodedTags,
+			tagName:     tagName,
+		})
+	}
+
+	return result
+}
+
+func decodeTagNames(encodedTags []byte) ([][]byte, error) {
+	decoderPool := NewTagDecoderPool(NewTagDecoderOptions(TagDecoderOptionsConfig{}),
+		pool.NewObjectPoolOptions())
+	decoderPool.Init()
+	decoder := decoderPool.Get()
+	defer decoder.Close()
+
+	var tagNames [][]byte
+	decoder.Reset(checked.NewBytes(encodedTags, nil))
+	for decoder.Next() {
+		tagNames = append(tagNames, decoder.Current().Name.Bytes())
+	}
+
+	if decoder.Err() != nil {
+		return nil, decoder.Err()
+	}
+
+	return tagNames, nil
+}