diff --git a/gunicorn/http/message.py b/gunicorn/http/message.py
index 7168aaa5..6379a05a 100644
--- a/gunicorn/http/message.py
+++ b/gunicorn/http/message.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class Request(Message):
             idx = buf.getvalue().find("\r\n")
         self.parse_request_line(buf.getvalue()[:idx])
         rest = buf.getvalue()[idx+2:] # Skip \r\n
-        buf.truncate(0)
+        buf = StringIO()
         buf.write(rest)
        
         
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ class Request(Message):
         self.headers = self.parse_headers(buf.getvalue()[:idx])
 
         ret = buf.getvalue()[idx+4:]
-        buf.truncate(0)
+        buf = StringIO()
         return ret
     
     def parse_request_line(self, line):