diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractByteBuf.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractByteBuf.java
index e7b856a8a7..e5bcbe7222 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractByteBuf.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/AbstractByteBuf.java
@@ -176,17 +176,17 @@ public abstract class AbstractByteBuf implements ByteBuf {
 
     @Override
     public void ensureWritableBytes(int minWritableBytes) {
-        if (minWritableBytes <= writableBytes()) {
-            return;
-        }
-
         if (minWritableBytes < 0) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
                     "minWritableBytes: %d (expected: >= 0)", minWritableBytes));
         }
 
+        if (minWritableBytes <= writableBytes()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (minWritableBytes > maxCapacity - writerIndex) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
+            throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException(String.format(
                     "writerIndex(%d) + minWritableBytes(%d) exceeds maxCapacity(%d)",
                     writerIndex, minWritableBytes, maxCapacity));
         }
@@ -198,6 +198,36 @@ public abstract class AbstractByteBuf implements ByteBuf {
         capacity(newCapacity);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public int ensureWritableBytes(int minWritableBytes, boolean force) {
+        if (minWritableBytes < 0) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
+                    "minWritableBytes: %d (expected: >= 0)", minWritableBytes));
+        }
+
+        if (minWritableBytes <= writableBytes()) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+
+        if (minWritableBytes > maxCapacity - writerIndex) {
+            if (force) {
+                if (capacity() == maxCapacity()) {
+                    return 1;
+                }
+
+                capacity(maxCapacity());
+                return 3;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Normalize the current capacity to the power of 2.
+        int newCapacity = calculateNewCapacity(writerIndex + minWritableBytes);
+
+        // Adjust to the new capacity.
+        capacity(newCapacity);
+        return 2;
+    }
+
     private int calculateNewCapacity(int minNewCapacity) {
         final int maxCapacity = this.maxCapacity;
         final int threshold = 1048576 * 4; // 4 MiB page
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/ByteBuf.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/ByteBuf.java
index 09d19c4a59..e514ee5ec5 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/ByteBuf.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/ByteBuf.java
@@ -443,23 +443,35 @@ public interface ByteBuf extends ChannelBuf, Comparable<ByteBuf> {
      * Makes sure the number of {@linkplain #writableBytes() the writable bytes}
      * is equal to or greater than the specified value.  If there is enough
      * writable bytes in this buffer, this method returns with no side effect.
-     * Otherwise:
-     * <ul>
-     * <li>a non-dynamic buffer will throw an {@link IndexOutOfBoundsException}.</li>
-     * <li>a dynamic buffer will expand its capacity so that the number of the
-     *     {@link #writableBytes() writable bytes} becomes equal to or greater
-     *     than the specified value. The expansion involves the reallocation of
-     *     the internal buffer and consequently memory copy.</li>
-     * </ul>
+     * Otherwise, it raises an {@link IllegalArgumentException}.
      *
-     * @param writableBytes
+     * @param minWritableBytes
      *        the expected minimum number of writable bytes
      * @throws IndexOutOfBoundsException
-     *         if {@linkplain #writableBytes() the writable bytes} of this
-     *         buffer is less than the specified value and if this buffer is
-     *         not a dynamic buffer
+     *         if {@link #writerIndex()} + {@code minWritableBytes} > {@link #maxCapacity()}
      */
-    void ensureWritableBytes(int writableBytes);
+    void ensureWritableBytes(int minWritableBytes);
+
+    /**
+     * Tries to make sure the number of {@linkplain #writableBytes() the writable bytes}
+     * is equal to or greater than the specified value.  Unlike {@link #ensureWritableBytes(int)},
+     * this method does not raise an exception but returns a code.
+     *
+     * @param minWritableBytes
+     *        the expected minimum number of writable bytes
+     * @param force
+     *        When {@link #writerIndex()} + {@code minWritableBytes} > {@link #maxCapacity()}:
+     *        <ul>
+     *        <li>{@code true} - the capacity of the buffer is expanded to {@link #maxCapacity()}</li>
+     *        <li>{@code false} - the capacity of the buffer is unchanged</li>
+     *        </ul>
+     * @return {@code 0} if the buffer has enough writable bytes, and its capacity is unchanged.
+     *         {@code 1} if the buffer does not have enough bytes, and its capacity is unchanged.
+     *         {@code 2} if the buffer has enough writable bytes, and its capacity has been increased.
+     *         {@code 3} if the buffer does not have enough bytes, but its capacity has been
+     *                   increased to its maximum.
+     */
+    int ensureWritableBytes(int minWritableBytes, boolean force);
 
     /**
      * Gets a boolean at the specified absolute (@code index) in this buffer.
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/SwappedByteBuf.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/SwappedByteBuf.java
index cb3810116a..ef612d9301 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/SwappedByteBuf.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/SwappedByteBuf.java
@@ -172,6 +172,11 @@ public class SwappedByteBuf implements WrappedByteBuf {
         buf.ensureWritableBytes(writableBytes);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public int ensureWritableBytes(int minWritableBytes, boolean force) {
+        return buf.ensureWritableBytes(minWritableBytes, force);
+    }
+
     @Override
     public boolean getBoolean(int index) {
         return buf.getBoolean(index);
diff --git a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoderBuffer.java b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoderBuffer.java
index caab92a54a..65715972f4 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoderBuffer.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoderBuffer.java
@@ -139,6 +139,11 @@ class ReplayingDecoderBuffer implements ByteBuf {
         throw new UnreplayableOperationException();
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public int ensureWritableBytes(int minWritableBytes, boolean force) {
+        throw new UnreplayableOperationException();
+    }
+
     @Override
     public ByteBuf duplicate() {
         throw new UnreplayableOperationException();