diff --git a/lib/_stream_readable.js b/lib/_stream_readable.js
index 8c5081f3b26..416706363ad 100644
--- a/lib/_stream_readable.js
+++ b/lib/_stream_readable.js
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ Readable.prototype.read = function(n) {
   else
     ret = null;
 
-  if (ret === null || (!state.objectMode && ret.length === 0)) {
+  if (ret === null) {
     state.needReadable = true;
     n = 0;
   }