diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractByteBufAllocator.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractByteBufAllocator.java
index 33c80feaf7..b51d4900ea 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractByteBufAllocator.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractByteBufAllocator.java
@@ -18,28 +18,18 @@ package io.netty.buffer;
 
 public abstract class AbstractByteBufAllocator implements ByteBufAllocator {
 
-    private final int bufferMaxCapacity;
     private final boolean directByDefault;
     private final ByteBuf emptyBuf;
 
-    protected AbstractByteBufAllocator(int bufferMaxCapacity) {
-        this(bufferMaxCapacity, false);
+    protected AbstractByteBufAllocator() {
+        this(false);
     }
 
-    protected AbstractByteBufAllocator(int bufferMaxCapacity, boolean directByDefault) {
-        if (bufferMaxCapacity <= 0) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("bufferMaxCapacity: " + bufferMaxCapacity + " (expected: 1+)");
-        }
+    protected AbstractByteBufAllocator(boolean directByDefault) {
         this.directByDefault = directByDefault;
-        this.bufferMaxCapacity = bufferMaxCapacity;
         emptyBuf = new UnpooledHeapByteBuf(this, 0, 0);
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public int bufferMaxCapacity() {
-        return bufferMaxCapacity;
-    }
-
     @Override
     public ByteBuf buffer() {
         if (directByDefault) {
@@ -66,12 +56,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractByteBufAllocator implements ByteBufAllocator {
 
     @Override
     public ByteBuf heapBuffer() {
-        return heapBuffer(256, bufferMaxCapacity());
+        return heapBuffer(256, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
     }
 
     @Override
     public ByteBuf heapBuffer(int initialCapacity) {
-        return heapBuffer(initialCapacity, bufferMaxCapacity());
+        return heapBuffer(initialCapacity, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -85,12 +75,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractByteBufAllocator implements ByteBufAllocator {
 
     @Override
     public ByteBuf directBuffer() {
-        return directBuffer(256, bufferMaxCapacity());
+        return directBuffer(256, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
     }
 
     @Override
     public ByteBuf directBuffer(int initialCapacity) {
-        return directBuffer(initialCapacity, bufferMaxCapacity());
+        return directBuffer(initialCapacity, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -138,10 +128,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractByteBufAllocator implements ByteBufAllocator {
         return new DefaultCompositeByteBuf(this, true, maxNumComponents);
     }
 
-    private void validate(int initialCapacity, int maxCapacity) {
-        if (maxCapacity > bufferMaxCapacity()) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-                    "maxCapacity: " + maxCapacity + " (expected: not greater than " + bufferMaxCapacity());
+    private static void validate(int initialCapacity, int maxCapacity) {
+        if (initialCapacity < 0) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("initialCapacity: " + initialCapacity + " (expectd: 0+)");
         }
         if (initialCapacity > maxCapacity) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/ByteBufAllocator.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/ByteBufAllocator.java
index d972948c6c..786bbb18f9 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/ByteBufAllocator.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/ByteBufAllocator.java
@@ -34,6 +34,4 @@ public interface ByteBufAllocator {
     CompositeByteBuf compositeHeapBuffer(int maxNumComponents);
     CompositeByteBuf compositeDirectBuffer();
     CompositeByteBuf compositeDirectBuffer(int maxNumComponents);
-
-    int bufferMaxCapacity();
 }
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolArena.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolArena.java
index 2eaa1e9e35..b8c9e01b00 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolArena.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolArena.java
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ abstract class PoolArena<T> {
                     }
                 }
             }
+        } else if (normCapacity > chunkSize) {
+            allocateHuge(buf, reqCapacity);
+            return;
         }
 
         allocateNormal(buf, reqCapacity, normCapacity);
@@ -150,8 +153,16 @@ abstract class PoolArena<T> {
         qInit.add(c);
     }
 
+    private void allocateHuge(PooledByteBuf<T> buf, int reqCapacity) {
+        buf.initUnpooled(newUnpooledChunk(reqCapacity), reqCapacity);
+    }
+
     synchronized void free(PoolChunk<T> chunk, long handle) {
-        chunk.parent.free(chunk, handle);
+        if (chunk.unpooled) {
+            destroyChunk(chunk);
+        } else {
+            chunk.parent.free(chunk, handle);
+        }
     }
 
     void addSubpage(PoolSubpage<T> subpage) {
@@ -175,8 +186,11 @@ abstract class PoolArena<T> {
     }
 
     private int normalizeCapacity(int reqCapacity) {
-        if (reqCapacity < 0 || reqCapacity > chunkSize) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("capacity: " + reqCapacity + " (expected: 0-" + chunkSize + ')');
+        if (reqCapacity < 0) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("capacity: " + reqCapacity + " (expected: 0+)");
+        }
+        if (reqCapacity >= chunkSize) {
+            return reqCapacity;
         }
 
         if ((reqCapacity & 0xFFFFFE00) != 0) { // >= 512
@@ -240,6 +254,7 @@ abstract class PoolArena<T> {
     }
 
     protected abstract PoolChunk<T> newChunk(int pageSize, int maxOrder, int pageShifts, int chunkSize);
+    protected abstract PoolChunk<T> newUnpooledChunk(int capacity);
     protected abstract PooledByteBuf<T> newByteBuf(int maxCapacity);
     protected abstract void memoryCopy(T src, int srcOffset, T dst, int dstOffset, int length);
     protected abstract void destroyChunk(PoolChunk<T> chunk);
@@ -311,6 +326,11 @@ abstract class PoolArena<T> {
             return new PoolChunk<byte[]>(this, new byte[chunkSize], pageSize, maxOrder, pageShifts, chunkSize);
         }
 
+        @Override
+        protected PoolChunk<byte[]> newUnpooledChunk(int capacity) {
+            return new PoolChunk<byte[]>(this, new byte[capacity], capacity);
+        }
+
         @Override
         protected void destroyChunk(PoolChunk<byte[]> chunk) {
             // Rely on GC.
@@ -343,6 +363,11 @@ abstract class PoolArena<T> {
                     this, ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(chunkSize), pageSize, maxOrder, pageShifts, chunkSize);
         }
 
+        @Override
+        protected PoolChunk<ByteBuffer> newUnpooledChunk(int capacity) {
+            return new PoolChunk<ByteBuffer>(this, ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(capacity), capacity);
+        }
+
         @Override
         protected void destroyChunk(PoolChunk<ByteBuffer> chunk) {
             UnpooledDirectByteBuf.freeDirect(chunk.memory);
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolChunk.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolChunk.java
index 3f44f26892..17d29fdcbc 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolChunk.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolChunk.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ final class PoolChunk<T> {
 
     final PoolArena<T> arena;
     final T memory;
+    final boolean unpooled;
 
     private final int[] memoryMap;
     private final PoolSubpage<T>[] subpages;
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ final class PoolChunk<T> {
     //private long pad0, pad1, pad2, pad3, pad4, pad5, pad6, pad7;
 
     PoolChunk(PoolArena<T> arena, T memory, int pageSize, int maxOrder, int pageShifts, int chunkSize) {
+        unpooled = false;
         this.arena = arena;
         this.memory = memory;
         this.pageSize = pageSize;
@@ -76,6 +78,20 @@ final class PoolChunk<T> {
         subpages = newSubpageArray(maxSubpageAllocs);
     }
 
+    /** Creates a special chunk that is not pooled. */
+    PoolChunk(PoolArena<T> arena, T memory, int size) {
+        unpooled = true;
+        this.arena = arena;
+        this.memory = memory;
+        memoryMap = null;
+        subpages = null;
+        subpageOverflowMask = 0;
+        pageSize = 0;
+        pageShifts = 0;
+        chunkSize = size;
+        maxSubpageAllocs = 0;
+    }
+
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     private PoolSubpage<T>[] newSubpageArray(int size) {
         return new PoolSubpage[size];
@@ -266,7 +282,7 @@ final class PoolChunk<T> {
         if (bitmapIdx == 0) {
             int val = memoryMap[memoryMapIdx];
             assert (val & 3) == ST_ALLOCATED : String.valueOf(val & 3);
-            buf.init(this, handle, memory, runOffset(val), reqCapacity, runLength(val));
+            buf.init(this, handle, runOffset(val), reqCapacity, runLength(val));
         } else {
             initBufWithSubpage(buf, handle, bitmapIdx, reqCapacity);
         }
@@ -288,7 +304,7 @@ final class PoolChunk<T> {
         assert reqCapacity <= subpage.elemSize;
 
         buf.init(
-                this, handle, memory,
+                this, handle,
                 runOffset(val) + (bitmapIdx & 0x3FFFFFFF) * subpage.elemSize, reqCapacity, subpage.elemSize);
     }
 
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBuf.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBuf.java
index 3443d69092..287d748b84 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBuf.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBuf.java
@@ -37,13 +37,13 @@ abstract class PooledByteBuf<T> extends AbstractByteBuf {
         super(maxCapacity);
     }
 
-    final void init(PoolChunk<T> chunk, long handle, T memory, int offset, int length, int maxLength) {
+    final void init(PoolChunk<T> chunk, long handle, int offset, int length, int maxLength) {
         assert handle >= 0;
-        assert memory != null;
+        assert chunk != null;
 
         this.chunk = chunk;
         this.handle = handle;
-        this.memory = memory;
+        memory = chunk.memory;
         this.offset = offset;
         this.length = length;
         this.maxLength = maxLength;
@@ -51,6 +51,18 @@ abstract class PooledByteBuf<T> extends AbstractByteBuf {
         tmpNioBuf = null;
     }
 
+    final void initUnpooled(PoolChunk<T> chunk, int length) {
+        assert chunk != null;
+
+        this.chunk = chunk;
+        handle = 0;
+        memory = chunk.memory;
+        offset = 0;
+        this.length = maxLength = length;
+        setIndex(0, 0);
+        tmpNioBuf = null;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public final int capacity() {
         return length;
@@ -61,27 +73,33 @@ abstract class PooledByteBuf<T> extends AbstractByteBuf {
         checkUnfreed();
 
         // If the request capacity does not require reallocation, just update the length of the memory.
-        if (newCapacity > length) {
-            if (newCapacity <= maxLength) {
-                length = newCapacity;
+        if (chunk.unpooled) {
+            if (newCapacity == length) {
                 return this;
             }
-        } else if (newCapacity < length) {
-            if (newCapacity > maxLength >>> 1) {
-                if (maxLength <= 512) {
-                    if (newCapacity > maxLength - 16) {
+        } else {
+            if (newCapacity > length) {
+                if (newCapacity <= maxLength) {
+                    length = newCapacity;
+                    return this;
+                }
+            } else if (newCapacity < length) {
+                if (newCapacity > maxLength >>> 1) {
+                    if (maxLength <= 512) {
+                        if (newCapacity > maxLength - 16) {
+                            length = newCapacity;
+                            setIndex(Math.min(readerIndex(), newCapacity), Math.min(writerIndex(), newCapacity));
+                            return this;
+                        }
+                    } else { // > 512 (i.e. >= 1024)
                         length = newCapacity;
                         setIndex(Math.min(readerIndex(), newCapacity), Math.min(writerIndex(), newCapacity));
                         return this;
                     }
-                } else { // > 512 (i.e. >= 1024)
-                    length = newCapacity;
-                    setIndex(Math.min(readerIndex(), newCapacity), Math.min(writerIndex(), newCapacity));
-                    return this;
                 }
+            } else {
+                return this;
             }
-        } else {
-            return this;
         }
 
         // Reallocation required.
@@ -144,7 +162,7 @@ abstract class PooledByteBuf<T> extends AbstractByteBuf {
         }
 
         for (Allocation<T> a: suspendedDeallocations) {
-            chunk.arena.free(a.chunk, a.handle);
+            a.chunk.arena.free(a.chunk, a.handle);
         }
         return this;
     }
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBufAllocator.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBufAllocator.java
index 9d68f109a6..eabdbd2f43 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBufAllocator.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBufAllocator.java
@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ public class PooledByteBufAllocator extends AbstractByteBufAllocator {
 
     public PooledByteBufAllocator(
             boolean directByDefault, int nHeapArena, int nDirectArena, int pageSize, int maxOrder) {
-        super(validateAndCalculateChunkSize(pageSize, maxOrder), directByDefault);
+        super(directByDefault);
+
+        final int chunkSize = validateAndCalculateChunkSize(pageSize, maxOrder);
+
         if (nHeapArena <= 0) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("nHeapArena: " + nHeapArena + " (expected: 1+)");
         }
@@ -68,7 +71,6 @@ public class PooledByteBufAllocator extends AbstractByteBufAllocator {
         }
 
         int pageShifts = validateAndCalculatePageShifts(pageSize);
-        int chunkSize = bufferMaxCapacity();
 
         heapArenas = newArenaArray(nHeapArena);
         for (int i = 0; i < heapArenas.length; i ++) {
@@ -147,11 +149,17 @@ public class PooledByteBufAllocator extends AbstractByteBufAllocator {
     public String toString() {
         StringBuilder buf = new StringBuilder();
         buf.append(heapArenas.length);
-        buf.append(" arena(s):");
+        buf.append(" heap arena(s):");
         buf.append(StringUtil.NEWLINE);
         for (PoolArena<byte[]> a: heapArenas) {
             buf.append(a);
         }
+        buf.append(directArenas.length);
+        buf.append(" direct arena(s):");
+        buf.append(StringUtil.NEWLINE);
+        for (PoolArena<ByteBuffer> a: directArenas) {
+            buf.append(a);
+        }
         return buf.toString();
     }
 }
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/UnpooledByteBufAllocator.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/UnpooledByteBufAllocator.java
index 894611658e..2ec014f679 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/UnpooledByteBufAllocator.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/UnpooledByteBufAllocator.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public final class UnpooledByteBufAllocator extends AbstractByteBufAllocator {
     public static final UnpooledByteBufAllocator DIRECT_BY_DEFAULT = new UnpooledByteBufAllocator(true);
 
     private UnpooledByteBufAllocator(boolean directByDefault) {
-        super(Integer.MAX_VALUE, directByDefault);
+        super(directByDefault);
     }
 
     @Override