diff --git a/examples/test.py b/examples/test.py
index bab97c13..d0723f76 100644
--- a/examples/test.py
+++ b/examples/test.py
@@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ def app(environ, start_response):
         ('Content-Length', str(len(data)))
     ]
     start_response(status, response_headers)
-    return [data]
+    return iter([data])
diff --git a/gunicorn/http/parser.py b/gunicorn/http/parser.py
index b8c0e03c..a182bd2e 100644
--- a/gunicorn/http/parser.py
+++ b/gunicorn/http/parser.py
@@ -38,10 +38,11 @@ class Parser(object):
         """
 
         ld = len("\r\n\r\n")
-        i = buf.find("\r\n\r\n")
+        s = "".join(buf)
+        i = s.find("\r\n\r\n")
         if i != -1:
             if i > 0:
-                r = buf[:i]
+                r = s[:i]
             pos = i+ld
             return self.finalize_headers(headers, r, pos)
         return -1
@@ -144,10 +145,11 @@ class Parser(object):
         return False
         
     def read_chunk(self, data):
+        s = "".join(data)
         if not self.start_offset:
-            i = data.find("\r\n")
+            i = s.find("\r\n")
             if i != -1:
-                chunk = data[:i].strip().split(";", 1)
+                chunk = s[:i].strip().split(";", 1)
                 chunk_size = int(chunk.pop(0), 16)
                 self.start_offset = i+2
                 self.chunk_size = chunk_size
@@ -158,17 +160,18 @@ class Parser(object):
                 ret = '', data[:self.start_offset]
                 return ret
             else:
-                buf = data[self.start_offset:self.start_offset+self.chunk_size]
+                chunk = s[self.start_offset:self.start_offset+self.chunk_size]
                 end_offset = self.start_offset + self.chunk_size + 2
                 # we wait CRLF else return None
                 if len(data) >= end_offset:
-                    ret = buf, data[end_offset:]
+                    ret = chunk, data[end_offset:]
                     self.chunk_size = 0
                     return ret
         return '', data
         
     def trailing_header(self, data):
-        i = data.find("\r\n\r\n")
+        s = "".join(data)
+        i = s.find("\r\n\r\n")
         return (i != -1)
         
     def filter_body(self, data):
@@ -179,17 +182,15 @@ class Parser(object):
         dlen = len(data)
         chunk = ''
         if self.is_chunked:
-
             chunk, data = self.read_chunk(data)
-            
             if not chunk:
                 return '', data
         else:
             if self._content_len > 0:
                 nr = min(dlen, self._content_len)
-                chunk = data[:nr]
+                chunk = "".join(data[:nr])
                 self._content_len -= nr
-                data = ''
+                data = []
                 
         self.start_offset = 0
         return (chunk, data)
diff --git a/gunicorn/http/request.py b/gunicorn/http/request.py
index af93961b..7d720758 100644
--- a/gunicorn/http/request.py
+++ b/gunicorn/http/request.py
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ class Request(object):
     def read(self):
         environ = {}
         headers = []
-        buf = ""
         buf = read_partial(self.socket, CHUNK_SIZE)
         i = self.parser.filter_headers(headers, buf)
         if i == -1 and buf:
@@ -64,7 +63,8 @@ class Request(object):
                 if not data: break
                 buf += data
                 i = self.parser.filter_headers(headers, buf)
-                if i != -1: break
+                if i != -1:
+                    break            
 
         self.log.debug("%s", self.parser.status)
         self.log.debug("Headers:\n%s" % headers)
diff --git a/gunicorn/http/tee.py b/gunicorn/http/tee.py
index 8d90046c..05b25909 100644
--- a/gunicorn/http/tee.py
+++ b/gunicorn/http/tee.py
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ class TeeInput(object):
     def _tee(self, length):
         """ fetch partial body"""
         while True:
+            self.buf = read_partial(self.socket, length, self.buf)
+            
             chunk, self.buf = self.parser.filter_body(self.buf)
             if chunk:
                 fwrite(self.tmp, chunk)
@@ -137,8 +139,6 @@ class TeeInput(object):
             if self.parser.body_eof():
                 break
             
-            data = read_partial(self.socket, length)
-            self.buf += data       
         self._finalize()
         return ""
         
diff --git a/gunicorn/util.py b/gunicorn/util.py
index fbebb55e..bee0f2bc 100644
--- a/gunicorn/util.py
+++ b/gunicorn/util.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # This file is part of gunicorn released under the MIT license. 
 # See the NOTICE for more information.
 
+import array
 import ctypes
 import errno
 import fcntl
@@ -92,8 +93,13 @@ def close(sock):
     except socket.error:
         pass
   
-def read_partial(sock, length):
-    return sock.recv(length)
+def read_partial(sock, length, buf=None):
+    if not buf:
+        buf = array.array("c", '\0' * length)
+        l = sock.recv_into(buf, length)
+        return buf[:l]
+    return buf
+
 
 def write_chunk(sock, data):
     chunk = "".join(("%X\r\n" % len(data), data, "\r\n"))
diff --git a/tests/t.py b/tests/t.py
index 55c28cb8..41ebc2a6 100644
--- a/tests/t.py
+++ b/tests/t.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # This file is part of gunicorn released under the MIT license. 
 # See the NOTICE for more information.
 
+import array
 import os
 import tempfile
 
@@ -50,6 +51,13 @@ class FakeSocket(object):
     def recv(self, length=None):
         return self.tmp.read()
         
+    def recv_into(self, buf, length):
+        tmp_buffer = self.tmp.read(length)
+        v = len(tmp_buffer)
+        for i, c in enumerate(tmp_buffer):
+            buf[i] = c
+        return v
+        
     def send(self, data):
         self.tmp.write(data)
         self.tmp.flush()