diff --git a/src/stream.rs b/src/stream.rs
index a88a925..223dd9e 100644
--- a/src/stream.rs
+++ b/src/stream.rs
@@ -151,6 +151,15 @@ impl BufRead for DeadlineStream {
 
 impl Read for DeadlineStream {
     fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+        // If the stream's BufReader has any buffered bytes, return those first.
+        // This avoids calling `fill_buf()` on DeadlineStream unnecessarily,
+        // since that call always does a syscall. This ensures DeadlineStream
+        // can pass through the efficiency we gain by using a BufReader in Stream.
+        if !self.stream.inner.buffer().is_empty() {
+            let n = self.stream.inner.buffer().read(buf)?;
+            self.stream.inner.consume(n);
+            return Ok(n);
+        }
         // All reads on a DeadlineStream use the BufRead impl. This ensures
         // that we have a chance to set the correct timeout before each recv
         // syscall.
@@ -642,3 +651,71 @@ pub(crate) fn connect_test(unit: &Unit) -> Result<Stream, Error> {
 pub(crate) fn connect_test(unit: &Unit) -> Result<Stream, Error> {
     Err(ErrorKind::UnknownScheme.msg(format!("unknown scheme '{}'", unit.url.scheme())))
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use std::{
+        io::Read,
+        sync::{Arc, Mutex},
+    };
+
+    // Returns all zeroes to `.read()` and logs how many times it's called
+    struct ReadRecorder {
+        reads: Arc<Mutex<Vec<usize>>>,
+    }
+
+    impl Read for ReadRecorder {
+        fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> std::result::Result<usize, std::io::Error> {
+            self.reads.lock().unwrap().push(buf.len());
+            buf.fill(0);
+            Ok(buf.len())
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl Write for ReadRecorder {
+        fn write(&mut self, _: &[u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+            unimplemented!()
+        }
+
+        fn flush(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
+            unimplemented!()
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl fmt::Debug for ReadRecorder {
+        fn fmt(&self, _: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+            unimplemented!()
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl ReadWrite for ReadRecorder {
+        fn socket(&self) -> Option<&TcpStream> {
+            unimplemented!()
+        }
+
+        fn is_poolable(&self) -> bool {
+            unimplemented!()
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Test that when a DeadlineStream wraps a Stream, and the user performs a series of
+    // tiny read_exacts, Stream's BufReader is used appropriately.
+    #[test]
+    fn test_deadline_stream_buffering() {
+        let reads = Arc::new(Mutex::new(vec![]));
+        let recorder = ReadRecorder {
+            reads: reads.clone(),
+        };
+        let stream = Stream::new(recorder);
+        let mut deadline_stream = DeadlineStream::new(stream, None);
+        let mut buf = [0u8; 1];
+        for _ in 0..8193 {
+            deadline_stream.read(&mut buf).unwrap();
+        }
+        let reads = reads.lock().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(reads.len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(reads[0], 8192);
+        assert_eq!(reads[1], 8192);
+    }
+}