diff --git a/src/mainloop.c b/src/mainloop.c
index 5d216f0..391bda1 100644
--- a/src/mainloop.c
+++ b/src/mainloop.c
@@ -497,13 +497,7 @@ static void cbbuf(struct clientparam *param, int side, unsigned char **buf, unsi
    relay can use it: the client's fiber gave up its stack. The next read
    makes it again. */
 static void cbbufdrop(struct cbmap *m, int side){
-	struct clientparam *param = m->param;
-	unsigned char **own = side? &param->srvbufdata : &param->clibufdata;
-	unsigned char **buf = side? &param->srvbuf : &param->clibuf;
-
-	if(!m->abandoned || !*own || *buf != *own || (side? param->srvinbuf : param->cliinbuf)) return;
-	free(*own);
-	*own = *buf = NULL;
+	if(m->abandoned) bufdrop(m->param, side? SERVER : CLIENT);
 }
 
 /* what a way has buffered and in its pipe: none once it is not moving */
diff --git a/src/proxy.h b/src/proxy.h
index 858e8cb..64846e4 100644
--- a/src/proxy.h
+++ b/src/proxy.h
@@ -361,6 +361,7 @@ int paramstr(unsigned char *field, size_t size, const unsigned char *s);
 #define PARAMSTR(p, f, s) paramstr((p)->f, sizeof((p)->f), (const unsigned char *)(s))
 void bufrelease(struct clientparam * param, DIRECTION which);
 int bufget(struct clientparam * param, DIRECTION which);
+void bufdrop(struct clientparam * param, DIRECTION which);
 int bufalloc(struct clientparam * param);
 void buffree(struct clientparam * param);
 
diff --git a/src/sockgetchar.c b/src/sockgetchar.c
index 2dd5744..5f27cb5 100644
--- a/src/sockgetchar.c
+++ b/src/sockgetchar.c
@@ -102,6 +102,20 @@ void buffree(struct clientparam * param){
 	param->clibufdata = param->srvbufdata = NULL;
 }
 
+/* An empty own buffer let go, while the connection's last mapping has
+   no use for it, its direction spliced; bufget() makes it again. */
+void bufdrop(struct clientparam * param, DIRECTION which){
+	unsigned char **own = which? &param->srvbufdata : &param->clibufdata;
+	unsigned char **buf = which? &param->srvbuf : &param->clibuf;
+	unsigned *in = which? &param->srvinbuf : &param->cliinbuf;
+	unsigned *off = which? &param->srvoffset : &param->clioffset;
+
+	if(!*own || *buf != *own || *in != *off) return;
+	free(*own);
+	*own = *buf = NULL;
+	*in = *off = 0;
+}
+
 /* Starts an empty buffer over from its beginning, and goes back to the
    connection's own buffer if a filter needed a bigger one. Does nothing
    while anything is left unread. */
diff --git a/src/sockmap.c b/src/sockmap.c
index 8ce6599..d6ce27c 100644
--- a/src/sockmap.c
+++ b/src/sockmap.c
@@ -378,6 +378,12 @@ log("done send to client from buf");
 		splicesrv = wantbufsrv = streaksrv = 0;
 		if(param->srvinbuf < SRVROOM) TOSERVERBUF = 1;
 	}
+	/* the connection's last mapping: a direction spliced has no use for
+	   its buffer while it is empty */
+	if(param->maptail){
+		if(splicecli && !wantbufcli && !draincli && !inclientbuf) bufdrop(param, CLIENT);
+		if(splicesrv && !wantbufsrv && !drainsrv && !inserverbuf) bufdrop(param, SERVER);
+	}
 	{
 		/* each direction goes through its pipe if spliced, through its
 		   buffer otherwise; what was in the buffer before is sent first */
@@ -597,6 +603,8 @@ log("done read from server to pipe\n");
 #ifdef WITHLOG
 log("read from client to buf");
 #endif
+			/* let go while spliced: made again */
+			if(!param->clibuf && bufget(param, CLIENT)) RETURN(21);
 			/* no address: it would overwrite the client's with what a
 			   stream socket gives, an empty one for a Unix socket */
 			res = param->srv->so._recvfrom(param->sostate, param->clisock, (char *)param->clibuf + param->cliinbuf, (int)MIN((uint64_t)CLIROOM - param->cliinbuf, fromclient-inclientbuf), 0, NULL, NULL);
@@ -654,6 +662,7 @@ log("done read from client to buf");
 #ifdef WITHLOG
 log("read from server to buf");
 #endif
+			if(!param->srvbuf && bufget(param, SERVER)) RETURN(21);
 			res = param->srv->so._recvfrom(param->sostate, param->remsock, (char *)param->srvbuf + param->srvinbuf, (int)MIN((uint64_t)SRVROOM - param->srvinbuf, fromserver-inserverbuf), 0, NULL, NULL);
 			if(res <= 0) {
 				FROMSERVER = 0;
@@ -1009,6 +1018,9 @@ log("timeout");
 
 CLEANRET:
 
+ /* what comes after a mapping finds the buffers there */
+ if(((!param->clibuf && bufget(param, CLIENT)) || (!param->srvbuf && bufget(param, SERVER))) && !res) res = 21;
+
 #ifdef WITHSPLICE
  /* empty pipes stay with the connection for its next mapping; one still
     holding data, left by an error or a timeout, cannot be used again */