diff --git a/lib/server.js b/lib/server.js
index 32ff5eff..0194d1bd 100644
--- a/lib/server.js
+++ b/lib/server.js
@@ -271,29 +271,16 @@ Server.prototype.onWebSocket = function(req, socket){
 
 var policy = readFileSync(__dirname + '/transports/flashsocket.xml');
 
-Server.prototype.handleSocket = function (socket) {
-  var chunks = ''
-    , buffer = false
-
-  socket.on('data', function onData (data) {
-    if (!buffer && 60 == data[0]) {
-      buffer = true;
-    } else {
-      socket.removeListener('data', onData);
-      return;
-    }
-
-    if (chunks.length < 23) {
-      chunks += data.toString('ascii');
-    }
-
-    if (chunks.length >= 23) {
-      if ('<policy-file-request/>\0' == chunks.substr(0, 23)) {
+Server.prototype.handleSocket = function(socket){
+  socket.on('data', function onData(data){
+    // no need for buffering as node will discard subsequent packets
+    // since they constitute a malformed HTTP request
+    if (60 == data[0] && 23 == data.length) {
+      var str = data.slice(0, 23).toString();
+      if ('<policy-file-request/>\0' == str) {
         socket.end(policy);
-      } else {
-        chunks = null;
-        socket.removeListener('data', onData);
       }
     }
+    socket.removeListener('data', onData);
   });
 };