diff --git a/codec-stomp/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/stomp/StompSubframeDecoder.java b/codec-stomp/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/stomp/StompSubframeDecoder.java
index 3ce55f21cb..b4d6a14958 100644
--- a/codec-stomp/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/stomp/StompSubframeDecoder.java
+++ b/codec-stomp/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/stomp/StompSubframeDecoder.java
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ public class StompSubframeDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<State> {
     }
 
     private StompCommand readCommand(ByteBuf in) {
-        String commandStr = readLine(in, maxLineLength);
+        String commandStr = readLine(in, 16);
         StompCommand command = null;
         try {
             command = StompCommand.valueOf(commandStr);
@@ -218,18 +218,11 @@ public class StompSubframeDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<State> {
     }
 
     private State readHeaders(ByteBuf buffer, StompHeaders headers) {
+        AppendableCharSequence buf = new AppendableCharSequence(128);
         for (;;) {
-            String line = readLine(buffer, maxLineLength);
-            if (!line.isEmpty()) {
-                String[] split = line.split(":");
-                if (split.length == 2) {
-                    headers.add(split[0], split[1]);
-                } else if (validateHeaders) {
-                    throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header value or name contains a prohibited character ':'" +
-                            ", " + line);
-                }
-            } else {
-                if (headers.contains(StompHeaders.CONTENT_LENGTH))  {
+            boolean headerRead = readHeader(headers, buf, buffer);
+            if (!headerRead) {
+                if (headers.contains(StompHeaders.CONTENT_LENGTH)) {
                     contentLength = getContentLength(headers, 0);
                     if (contentLength == 0) {
                         return State.FINALIZE_FRAME_READ;
@@ -266,21 +259,18 @@ public class StompSubframeDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<State> {
         }
     }
 
-    private static String readLine(ByteBuf buffer, int maxLineLength) {
-        AppendableCharSequence buf = new AppendableCharSequence(128);
+    private String readLine(ByteBuf buffer, int initialBufferSize) {
+        AppendableCharSequence buf = new AppendableCharSequence(initialBufferSize);
         int lineLength = 0;
         for (;;) {
             byte nextByte = buffer.readByte();
             if (nextByte == StompConstants.CR) {
-                nextByte = buffer.readByte();
-                if (nextByte == StompConstants.LF) {
-                    return buf.toString();
-                }
+                //do nothing
             } else if (nextByte == StompConstants.LF) {
                 return buf.toString();
             } else {
                 if (lineLength >= maxLineLength) {
-                    throw new TooLongFrameException("An STOMP line is larger than " + maxLineLength + " bytes.");
+                    invalidLineLength();
                 }
                 lineLength ++;
                 buf.append((char) nextByte);
@@ -288,6 +278,52 @@ public class StompSubframeDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<State> {
         }
     }
 
+    private boolean readHeader(StompHeaders headers, AppendableCharSequence buf, ByteBuf buffer) {
+        buf.reset();
+        int lineLength = 0;
+        String key = null;
+        boolean valid = false;
+        for (;;) {
+            byte nextByte = buffer.readByte();
+
+            if (nextByte == StompConstants.COLON && key == null) {
+                key = buf.toString();
+                valid = true;
+                buf.reset();
+            } else if (nextByte == StompConstants.CR) {
+                //do nothing
+            } else if (nextByte == StompConstants.LF) {
+                if (key == null && lineLength == 0) {
+                    return false;
+                } else if (valid) {
+                    headers.add(key, buf.toString());
+                } else if (validateHeaders) {
+                    invalidHeader(key, buf.toString());
+                }
+                return true;
+            } else {
+                if (lineLength >= maxLineLength) {
+                    invalidLineLength();
+                }
+                if (nextByte == StompConstants.COLON && key != null) {
+                    valid = false;
+                }
+                lineLength ++;
+                buf.append((char) nextByte);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void invalidHeader(String key, String value) {
+        String line = key != null ? key + ":" + value : value;
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header value or name contains a prohibited character ':'"
+            + ", " + line);
+    }
+
+    private void invalidLineLength() {
+        throw new TooLongFrameException("An STOMP line is larger than " + maxLineLength + " bytes.");
+    }
+
     private void resetDecoder() {
         checkpoint(State.SKIP_CONTROL_CHARACTERS);
         contentLength = -1;