diff --git a/msg_reader.go b/msg_reader.go
index f7b497f7..1f4e67e9 100644
--- a/msg_reader.go
+++ b/msg_reader.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"errors"
 	"io"
+	"net"
 )
 
 // msgReader is a helper that reads values from a PostgreSQL message.
@@ -35,20 +36,39 @@ func (r *msgReader) rxMsg() (byte, error) {
 			r.log(LogLevelTrace, "msgReader.rxMsg discarding unread previous message", "msgBytesRemaining", r.msgBytesRemaining)
 		}
 
-		_, err := r.reader.Discard(int(r.msgBytesRemaining))
+		n, err := r.reader.Discard(int(r.msgBytesRemaining))
+		r.msgBytesRemaining -= int32(n)
 		if err != nil {
+			if netErr, ok := err.(net.Error); !(ok && netErr.Timeout()) {
+				r.fatal(err)
+			}
 			return 0, err
 		}
 	}
 
 	b, err := r.reader.Peek(5)
 	if err != nil {
-		r.fatal(err)
+		if netErr, ok := err.(net.Error); !(ok && netErr.Timeout()) {
+			r.fatal(err)
+		}
 		return 0, err
 	}
+
 	msgType := b[0]
-	r.msgBytesRemaining = int32(binary.BigEndian.Uint32(b[1:])) - 4
+	payloadSize := int32(binary.BigEndian.Uint32(b[1:])) - 4
+
+	// Try to preload bufio.Reader with entire message
+	b, err = r.reader.Peek(5 + int(payloadSize))
+	if err != nil && err != bufio.ErrBufferFull {
+		if netErr, ok := err.(net.Error); !(ok && netErr.Timeout()) {
+			r.fatal(err)
+		}
+		return 0, err
+	}
+
+	r.msgBytesRemaining = payloadSize
 	r.reader.Discard(5)
+
 	return msgType, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/msg_reader_test.go b/msg_reader_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2bbd53c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/msg_reader_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+package pgx
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"net"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/jackc/pgmock/pgmsg"
+)
+
+func TestMsgReaderPrebuffersWhenPossible(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		msgType     byte
+		payloadSize int32
+		buffered    bool
+	}{
+		{1, 50, true},
+		{2, 0, true},
+		{3, 500, true},
+		{4, 1050, true},
+		{5, 1500, true},
+		{6, 1500, true},
+		{7, 4000, true},
+		{8, 24000, false},
+		{9, 4000, true},
+		{1, 1500, true},
+		{2, 0, true},
+		{3, 500, true},
+		{4, 1050, true},
+		{5, 1500, true},
+		{6, 1500, true},
+		{7, 4000, true},
+		{8, 14000, false},
+		{9, 0, true},
+		{1, 500, true},
+	}
+
+	ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", "127.0.0.1:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer ln.Close()
+
+	go func() {
+		var bigEndian pgmsg.BigEndianBuf
+
+		conn, err := ln.Accept()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		defer conn.Close()
+
+		for _, tt := range tests {
+			_, err = conn.Write([]byte{tt.msgType})
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+
+			_, err = conn.Write(bigEndian.Int32(tt.payloadSize + 4))
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+
+			payload := make([]byte, int(tt.payloadSize))
+			_, err = conn.Write(payload)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", ln.Addr().String())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	mr := &msgReader{
+		reader:    bufio.NewReader(conn),
+		shouldLog: func(int) bool { return false },
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range tests {
+		msgType, err := mr.rxMsg()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%d. Unexpected error: %v", i, err)
+		}
+
+		if msgType != tt.msgType {
+			t.Fatalf("%d. Expected %v, got %v", 1, i, tt.msgType, msgType)
+		}
+
+		if mr.reader.Buffered() < int(tt.payloadSize) && tt.buffered {
+			t.Fatalf("%d. Expected message to be buffered with at least %d bytes, but only %v bytes buffered", i, tt.payloadSize, mr.reader.Buffered())
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMsgReaderDeadlineNeverInterruptsNormalSizedMessages(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", "127.0.0.1:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer ln.Close()
+
+	testCount := 10000
+
+	go func() {
+		var bigEndian pgmsg.BigEndianBuf
+
+		conn, err := ln.Accept()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		defer conn.Close()
+
+		for i := 0; i < testCount; i++ {
+			msgType := byte(i)
+
+			_, err = conn.Write([]byte{msgType})
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+
+			msgSize := i % 4000
+
+			_, err = conn.Write(bigEndian.Int32(int32(msgSize + 4)))
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+
+			payload := make([]byte, msgSize)
+			_, err = conn.Write(payload)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", ln.Addr().String())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	mr := &msgReader{
+		reader:    bufio.NewReader(conn),
+		shouldLog: func(int) bool { return false },
+	}
+
+	conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(time.Millisecond))
+
+	i := 0
+	for {
+		msgType, err := mr.rxMsg()
+		if err != nil {
+			if netErr, ok := err.(net.Error); ok && netErr.Timeout() {
+				conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(time.Millisecond))
+				continue
+			} else {
+				t.Fatalf("%d. Unexpected error: %v", i, err)
+			}
+		}
+
+		expectedMsgType := byte(i)
+		if msgType != expectedMsgType {
+			t.Fatalf("%d. Expected %v, got %v", i, expectedMsgType, msgType)
+		}
+
+		expectedMsgSize := i % 4000
+		payload := mr.readBytes(mr.msgBytesRemaining)
+		if mr.err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%d. readBytes killed msgReader: %v", i, mr.err)
+		}
+		if len(payload) != expectedMsgSize {
+			t.Fatalf("%d. Expected %v, got %v", i, expectedMsgSize, len(payload))
+		}
+
+		i++
+		if i == testCount {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+}