Make sure the cumulation Buffer is only created if really needed. See

#88

src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/frame/FrameDecoder.java

@@ -205,17 +205,28 @@ public abstract class FrameDecoder extends SimpleChannelUpstreamHandler {
             return;
         }
 
-        ChannelBuffer cumulation = cumulation(ctx);
+        if (cumulation == null) {
-        if (cumulation.readable()) {
+            // the cumulation buffer is not created yet so just pass the input to callDecode(...) method
-            cumulation.discardReadBytes();
-            cumulation.writeBytes(input);
-            callDecode(ctx, e.getChannel(), cumulation, e.getRemoteAddress());
-        } else {
             callDecode(ctx, e.getChannel(), input, e.getRemoteAddress());
             if (input.readable()) {
+                // seems like there is something readable left in the input buffer. So create the cumulation buffer and copy the input into it
+                ChannelBuffer cumulation = cumulation(ctx);
                 cumulation.writeBytes(input);
             }
+        } else {
+            ChannelBuffer cumulation = cumulation(ctx);
+            if (cumulation.readable()) {
+                cumulation.discardReadBytes();
+                cumulation.writeBytes(input);
+                callDecode(ctx, e.getChannel(), cumulation, e.getRemoteAddress());
+            } else {
+                callDecode(ctx, e.getChannel(), input, e.getRemoteAddress());
+                if (input.readable()) {
+                    cumulation.writeBytes(input);
+                }
+            }
         }
+        
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -347,6 +358,12 @@ public abstract class FrameDecoder extends SimpleChannelUpstreamHandler {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get the currently used {@link ChannelBuffer} for cumulation or create one in a lazy fashion if none exist yet
+     * 
+     * @param ctx the {@link ChannelHandlerContext} for this handler
+     * @return buffer the {@link ChannelBuffer} which is used fo cumulation
+     */
     private ChannelBuffer cumulation(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) {
         ChannelBuffer c = cumulation;
         if (c == null) {