diff --git a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java
index 980f65e2c7..80bf67db62 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java
@@ -260,11 +260,8 @@ public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder extends ChannelHandlerAdapter {
                 }
 
                 int size = out.size();
-                decodeWasNull = size == 0;
-
-                for (int i = 0; i < size; i ++) {
-                    ctx.fireChannelRead(out.get(i));
-                }
+                decodeWasNull = !out.insertSinceRecycled();
+                fireChannelRead(ctx, out, size);
                 out.recycle();
             }
         } else {
@@ -272,6 +269,15 @@ public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder extends ChannelHandlerAdapter {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get {@code numElements} out of the {@link List} and forward these through the pipeline.
+     */
+    static void fireChannelRead(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, List<Object> msgs, int numElements) {
+        for (int i = 0; i < numElements; i ++) {
+            ctx.fireChannelRead(msgs.get(i));
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void channelReadComplete(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
         numReads = 0;
@@ -319,9 +325,7 @@ public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder extends ChannelHandlerAdapter {
                     cumulation = null;
                 }
                 int size = out.size();
-                for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
-                    ctx.fireChannelRead(out.get(i));
-                }
+                fireChannelRead(ctx, out, size);
                 if (size > 0) {
                     // Something was read, call fireChannelReadComplete()
                     ctx.fireChannelReadComplete();
@@ -346,6 +350,13 @@ public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder extends ChannelHandlerAdapter {
         try {
             while (in.isReadable()) {
                 int outSize = out.size();
+
+                if (outSize > 0) {
+                    fireChannelRead(ctx, out, outSize);
+                    out.clear();
+                    outSize = 0;
+                }
+
                 int oldInputLength = in.readableBytes();
                 decode(ctx, in, out);
 
diff --git a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoder.java b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoder.java
index f43e11b882..8b9fbed6df 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoder.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoder.java
@@ -341,11 +341,10 @@ public abstract class ReplayingDecoder<S> extends ByteToMessageDecoder {
                     cumulation.release();
                     cumulation = null;
                 }
+
                 int size = out.size();
-                for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
-                    ctx.fireChannelRead(out.get(i));
-                }
                 if (size > 0) {
+                    fireChannelRead(ctx, out, size);
                     // Something was read, call fireChannelReadComplete()
                     ctx.fireChannelReadComplete();
                 }
@@ -364,6 +363,13 @@ public abstract class ReplayingDecoder<S> extends ByteToMessageDecoder {
             while (in.isReadable()) {
                 int oldReaderIndex = checkpoint = in.readerIndex();
                 int outSize = out.size();
+
+                if (outSize > 0) {
+                    fireChannelRead(ctx, out, outSize);
+                    out.clear();
+                    outSize = 0;
+                }
+
                 S oldState = state;
                 int oldInputLength = in.readableBytes();
                 try {
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/RecyclableArrayList.java b/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/RecyclableArrayList.java
index 38847bd279..b81b0a08d2 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/RecyclableArrayList.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/RecyclableArrayList.java
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ public final class RecyclableArrayList extends ArrayList<Object> {
         }
     };
 
+    private boolean insertSinceRecycled;
+
     /**
      * Create a new empty {@link RecyclableArrayList} instance
      */
@@ -70,13 +72,21 @@ public final class RecyclableArrayList extends ArrayList<Object> {
     @Override
     public boolean addAll(Collection<?> c) {
         checkNullElements(c);
-        return super.addAll(c);
+        if (super.addAll(c)) {
+            insertSinceRecycled = true;
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
     }
 
     @Override
     public boolean addAll(int index, Collection<?> c) {
         checkNullElements(c);
-        return super.addAll(index, c);
+        if (super.addAll(index, c)) {
+            insertSinceRecycled = true;
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
     }
 
     private static void checkNullElements(Collection<?> c) {
@@ -103,7 +113,11 @@ public final class RecyclableArrayList extends ArrayList<Object> {
         if (element == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("element");
         }
-        return super.add(element);
+        if (super.add(element)) {
+            insertSinceRecycled = true;
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -112,6 +126,7 @@ public final class RecyclableArrayList extends ArrayList<Object> {
             throw new NullPointerException("element");
         }
         super.add(index, element);
+        insertSinceRecycled = true;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -119,7 +134,16 @@ public final class RecyclableArrayList extends ArrayList<Object> {
         if (element == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("element");
         }
-        return super.set(index, element);
+        Object old = super.set(index, element);
+        insertSinceRecycled = true;
+        return old;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns {@code true} if any elements where added or set. This will be reset once {@link #recycle()} was called.
+     */
+    public boolean insertSinceRecycled() {
+        return insertSinceRecycled;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -127,6 +151,7 @@ public final class RecyclableArrayList extends ArrayList<Object> {
      */
     public boolean recycle() {
         clear();
+        insertSinceRecycled = false;
         return RECYCLER.recycle(this, handle);
     }
 }