diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/CompositeByteBuf.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/CompositeByteBuf.java
index c9212d5c6e..ce3c9f7f41 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/CompositeByteBuf.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/CompositeByteBuf.java
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ public class CompositeByteBuf extends AbstractReferenceCountedByteBuf implements
         if (alloc == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("alloc");
         }
-        if (maxNumComponents < 2) {
+        if (maxNumComponents < 1) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-                    "maxNumComponents: " + maxNumComponents + " (expected: >= 2)");
+                    "maxNumComponents: " + maxNumComponents + " (expected: >= 1)");
         }
         this.alloc = alloc;
         this.direct = direct;
diff --git a/buffer/src/test/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractCompositeByteBufTest.java b/buffer/src/test/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractCompositeByteBufTest.java
index 8e0f148cdf..c51a991ec3 100644
--- a/buffer/src/test/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractCompositeByteBufTest.java
+++ b/buffer/src/test/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractCompositeByteBufTest.java
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
  */
 public abstract class AbstractCompositeByteBufTest extends AbstractByteBufTest {
 
+    private static final ByteBufAllocator ALLOC = UnpooledByteBufAllocator.DEFAULT;
+
     private final ByteOrder order;
 
     protected AbstractCompositeByteBufTest(ByteOrder order) {
@@ -1262,4 +1264,35 @@ public abstract class AbstractCompositeByteBufTest extends AbstractByteBufTest {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testComponentsLessThanLowerBound() {
+        try {
+            new CompositeByteBuf(ALLOC, true, 0);
+            fail();
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+            assertEquals("maxNumComponents: 0 (expected: >= 1)", e.getMessage());
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testComponentsEqualToLowerBound() {
+        assertCompositeBufCreated(1);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testComponentsGreaterThanLowerBound() {
+        assertCompositeBufCreated(5);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Assert that a new {@linkplain CompositeByteBuf} was created successfully with the desired number of max
+     * components.
+     */
+    private static void assertCompositeBufCreated(int expectedMaxComponents) {
+        CompositeByteBuf buf = new CompositeByteBuf(ALLOC, true, expectedMaxComponents);
+
+        assertEquals(expectedMaxComponents, buf.maxNumComponents());
+        assertTrue(buf.release());
+    }
+
 }