diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/spdy/SpdyOrHttpChooser.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/spdy/SpdyOrHttpChooser.java
index 8f1c817939..fdc036ce7e 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/spdy/SpdyOrHttpChooser.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/spdy/SpdyOrHttpChooser.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerAdapter;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundByteHandler;
-import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundHandler;
+import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundMessageHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelPipeline;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpObjectAggregator;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpRequestDecoder;
@@ -143,21 +143,21 @@ public abstract class SpdyOrHttpChooser extends ChannelHandlerAdapter implements
     }
 
     /**
-     * Create the {@link ChannelInboundHandler} that is responsible for handling the http requests
+     * Create the {@link ChannelInboundMessageHandler} that is responsible for handling the http requests
      * when the {@link SelectedProtocol} was {@link SelectedProtocol#HttpVersion1_0} or
      * {@link SelectedProtocol#HttpVersion1_1}
      */
-    protected abstract ChannelInboundHandler createHttpRequestHandlerForHttp();
+    protected abstract ChannelInboundMessageHandler<?> createHttpRequestHandlerForHttp();
 
     /**
-     * Create the {@link ChannelInboundHandler} that is responsible for handling the http responses
+     * Create the {@link ChannelInboundMessageHandler} that is responsible for handling the http responses
      * when the {@link SelectedProtocol} was {@link SelectedProtocol#SpdyVersion2} or
      * {@link SelectedProtocol#SpdyVersion3}.
      *
      * Bye default this getMethod will just delecate to {@link #createHttpRequestHandlerForHttp()}, but
      * sub-classes may override this to change the behaviour.
      */
-    protected ChannelInboundHandler createHttpRequestHandlerForSpdy() {
+    protected ChannelInboundMessageHandler<?> createHttpRequestHandlerForSpdy() {
         return createHttpRequestHandlerForHttp();
     }
 }
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 eb2cb42965..322ad22743 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java
@@ -16,11 +16,10 @@
 package io.netty.handler.codec;
 
 import io.netty.buffer.ByteBuf;
-import io.netty.channel.ChannelConfig;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerUtil;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundByteHandler;
-import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter;
+import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundByteHandlerAdapter;
 
 /**
  * {@link ChannelInboundByteHandler} which decodes bytes in a stream-like fashion from one {@link ByteBuf} to an other
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter;
  * </pre>
  */
 public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder
-    extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter implements ChannelInboundByteHandler {
+    extends ChannelInboundByteHandlerAdapter {
 
     private volatile boolean singleDecode;
     private boolean decodeWasNull;
@@ -64,19 +63,10 @@ public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder
     public boolean isSingleDecode() {
         return singleDecode;
     }
-    @Override
-    public ByteBuf newInboundBuffer(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
-        return ctx.alloc().buffer();
-    }
 
     @Override
-    public void discardInboundReadBytes(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
-        ctx.inboundByteBuffer().discardSomeReadBytes();
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public void inboundBufferUpdated(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
-        callDecode(ctx);
+    public void inboundBufferUpdated(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, ByteBuf in) throws Exception {
+        callDecode(ctx, in);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -94,7 +84,7 @@ public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder
     public void channelInactive(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
         ByteBuf in = ctx.inboundByteBuffer();
         if (in.readable()) {
-            callDecode(ctx);
+            callDecode(ctx, in);
         }
 
         try {
@@ -112,11 +102,9 @@ public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder
         ctx.fireChannelInactive();
     }
 
-    protected void callDecode(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) {
+    protected void callDecode(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, ByteBuf in) {
         boolean wasNull = false;
 
-        ByteBuf in = ctx.inboundByteBuffer();
-
         boolean decoded = false;
         while (in.readable()) {
             try {
diff --git a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/MessageToMessageDecoder.java b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/MessageToMessageDecoder.java
index c70eb8c167..30cb8269d5 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/MessageToMessageDecoder.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/MessageToMessageDecoder.java
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ import io.netty.buffer.MessageBuf;
 import io.netty.buffer.Unpooled;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerUtil;
-import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundMessageHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelPipeline;
+import io.netty.channel.ChannelStateHandlerAdapter;
 
 /**
  * {@link ChannelInboundMessageHandler} which decodes from one message to an other message
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ import io.netty.channel.ChannelPipeline;
  *
  */
 public abstract class MessageToMessageDecoder<I>
-        extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter implements ChannelInboundMessageHandler<I> {
+        extends ChannelStateHandlerAdapter implements ChannelInboundMessageHandler<I> {
 
     private final Class<?>[] acceptedMsgTypes;
 
@@ -141,4 +141,9 @@ public abstract class MessageToMessageDecoder<I>
     protected void freeInboundMessage(I msg) throws Exception {
         ChannelHandlerUtil.freeMessage(msg);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void freeInboundBuffer(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
+        ctx.inboundMessageBuffer().free();
+    }
 }
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 7e7c8d37d7..1f0f2d09f3 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoder.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ReplayingDecoder.java
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ public abstract class ReplayingDecoder<S> extends ByteToMessageDecoder {
         replayable.terminate();
         ByteBuf in = cumulation;
         if (in.readable()) {
-            callDecode(ctx);
+            callDecode(ctx, in);
         }
 
         try {
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ public abstract class ReplayingDecoder<S> extends ByteToMessageDecoder {
     }
 
     @Override
-    protected void callDecode(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) {
+    protected void callDecode(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, ByteBuf buf) {
         boolean wasNull = false;
 
         ByteBuf in = cumulation;
diff --git a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/bootstrap/ServerBootstrap.java b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/bootstrap/ServerBootstrap.java
index 035b0695b2..68e8838ba2 100644
--- a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/bootstrap/ServerBootstrap.java
+++ b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/bootstrap/ServerBootstrap.java
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ import io.netty.channel.ChannelFuture;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelFutureListener;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
-import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundMessageHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelInitializer;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelOption;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelPipeline;
+import io.netty.channel.ChannelStateHandlerAdapter;
 import io.netty.channel.EventLoopGroup;
 import io.netty.channel.ServerChannel;
 import io.netty.channel.socket.SocketChannel;
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ public final class ServerBootstrap extends AbstractBootstrap<ServerBootstrap, Se
     }
 
     private static class ServerBootstrapAcceptor
-            extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter implements ChannelInboundMessageHandler<Channel> {
+            extends ChannelStateHandlerAdapter implements ChannelInboundMessageHandler<Channel> {
 
         private final EventLoopGroup childGroup;
         private final ChannelHandler childHandler;
@@ -281,6 +281,11 @@ public final class ServerBootstrap extends AbstractBootstrap<ServerBootstrap, Se
                 }
             }
         }
+
+        @Override
+        public void freeInboundBuffer(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
+            ctx.inboundMessageBuffer().free();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelInboundHandler.java b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelInboundHandler.java
index dd0d2fc30e..cbc5bd8d15 100644
--- a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelInboundHandler.java
+++ b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelInboundHandler.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import io.netty.buffer.Buf;
 /**
  * {@link ChannelStateHandler} which handles inbound data.
  */
-public interface ChannelInboundHandler extends ChannelStateHandler {
+interface ChannelInboundHandler extends ChannelStateHandler {
     /**
      * Return the {@link Buf} which will be used for inbound data for the given {@link ChannelHandlerContext}.
      */
diff --git a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter.java b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter.java
index ce9a5c4871..5af0aa0bbd 100644
--- a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter.java
+++ b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter.java
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ import io.netty.buffer.Buf;
 /**
  * Abstract base class for a {@link ChannelHandler} that handles inbound data.
  *
- * Most of the times you either want to extend {@link ChannelInboundByteHandlerAdapter} or
+ * Please either extend {@link ChannelInboundByteHandlerAdapter} or
  * {@link ChannelInboundMessageHandlerAdapter}.
  */
-public abstract class ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter
+abstract class ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter
         extends ChannelStateHandlerAdapter implements ChannelInboundHandler {
 
     /**
diff --git a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelOutboundHandler.java b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelOutboundHandler.java
index 44b1f9cb8f..c6207277e6 100644
--- a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelOutboundHandler.java
+++ b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelOutboundHandler.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import io.netty.buffer.Buf;
 /**
  * {@link ChannelOperationHandler} which handles outbound data.
  */
-public interface ChannelOutboundHandler extends ChannelOperationHandler {
+interface ChannelOutboundHandler extends ChannelOperationHandler {
     /**
      * Return the {@link Buf} which will be used for outbound data for the given {@link ChannelHandlerContext}.
      */
diff --git a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapter.java b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapter.java
index f43e3bfa07..fce8bbc13b 100644
--- a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapter.java
+++ b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapter.java
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ import io.netty.buffer.Buf;
 /**
  * Abstract base class for a {@link ChannelHandler} that handles outbound data.
  *
- * Most of the times you either want to extend {@link ChannelOutboundByteHandlerAdapter} or
+ * Please extend {@link ChannelOutboundByteHandlerAdapter} or
  * {@link ChannelOutboundMessageHandlerAdapter}.
  */
-public abstract class ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapter
+abstract class ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapter
         extends ChannelOperationHandlerAdapter implements ChannelOutboundHandler {
 
     /**
diff --git a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/AbstractEmbeddedChannel.java b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/AbstractEmbeddedChannel.java
index 9997058cfc..271dbc4c9a 100755
--- a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/AbstractEmbeddedChannel.java
+++ b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/AbstractEmbeddedChannel.java
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ import io.netty.channel.ChannelConfig;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelException;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
-import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundHandler;
-import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter;
-import io.netty.channel.ChannelOutboundHandler;
+import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundByteHandler;
+import io.netty.channel.ChannelInboundMessageHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelPipeline;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelPromise;
+import io.netty.channel.ChannelStateHandlerAdapter;
 import io.netty.channel.DefaultChannelConfig;
 import io.netty.channel.EventLoop;
 import io.netty.logging.InternalLogger;
@@ -80,8 +80,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractEmbeddedChannel<O> extends AbstractChannel {
                 break;
             }
             nHandlers ++;
-            p.addLast(h);
-            if (h instanceof ChannelInboundHandler || h instanceof ChannelOutboundHandler) {
+            ChannelHandlerContext ctx = p.addLast(h).context(h);
+
+            if (ctx.hasInboundByteBuffer() || ctx.hasOutboundByteBuffer()
+                    || ctx.hasInboundMessageBuffer() || ctx.hasOutboundMessageBuffer()) {
                 hasBuffer = true;
             }
         }
@@ -324,9 +326,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractEmbeddedChannel<O> extends AbstractChannel {
         }
     }
 
-    private final class LastInboundMessageHandler extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter {
+    private final class LastInboundMessageHandler extends ChannelStateHandlerAdapter
+            implements ChannelInboundMessageHandler<Object> {
         @Override
-        public Buf newInboundBuffer(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
+        public MessageBuf<Object> newInboundBuffer(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
             return lastInboundMessageBuffer;
         }
 
@@ -347,12 +350,18 @@ public abstract class AbstractEmbeddedChannel<O> extends AbstractChannel {
         }
     }
 
-    private final class LastInboundByteHandler extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter {
+    private final class LastInboundByteHandler extends ChannelStateHandlerAdapter
+            implements ChannelInboundByteHandler {
         @Override
-        public Buf newInboundBuffer(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
+        public ByteBuf newInboundBuffer(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
             return lastInboundByteBuffer;
         }
 
+        @Override
+        public void discardInboundReadBytes(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
+            // nothing
+        }
+
         @Override
         public void freeInboundBuffer(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
             // Do NOT free the buffer.