diff --git a/lib/ione/byte_buffer.rb b/lib/ione/byte_buffer.rb
index 503fc02..6744ca9 100644
--- a/lib/ione/byte_buffer.rb
+++ b/lib/ione/byte_buffer.rb
@@ -253,22 +253,35 @@ def update(location, bytes)
     # in situations where a loop wants to offer some bytes but can't be sure
     # how many will be accepted — for example when writing to a socket.
     #
+    # By providing the readonly argument, the peek is even cheaper in that it
+    # only considers the read buffer. In this mode, the method returns nil
+    # to signify that the read buffer is empty. With just a single reader,
+    # like the IO reactor, where reads only happen in one thread, this means
+    # that `cheap_peek(true)` can be called without holding a lock to protect
+    # against concurrent writes
+    #
     # @example feeding bytes to a socket
     #   while true
     #     _, writables, _ = IO.select(nil, sockets)
     #     if writables
     #       writables.each do |io|
-    #         n = io.write_nonblock(buffer.cheap_peek)
+    #         bytes = buffer.cheap_peek(true)
+    #         unless bytes
+    #           bytes = buffer_lock.synchronize { buffer.cheap_peak }
+    #         end
+    #         n = io.write_nonblock(bytes)
     #         buffer.discard(n)
     #       end
     #     end
     #
-    # @return [String] some bytes from the start of the buffer
-    def cheap_peek
-      if @offset >= @read_buffer.bytesize
-        swap_buffers
+    # @param [Boolean] readonly to specify to only look at the read buffer
+    # @return [String, nil] some bytes from the start of the buffer, or nil when read buffer empty in readonly mode
+    def cheap_peek(readonly = false)
+      has_read_buffer = @offset < @read_buffer.bytesize
+      if has_read_buffer || !readonly
+        swap_buffers unless has_read_buffer
+        @read_buffer[@offset, @read_buffer.bytesize - @offset]
       end
-      @read_buffer[@offset, @read_buffer.bytesize - @offset]
     end
 
     def eql?(other)
diff --git a/lib/ione/io/base_connection.rb b/lib/ione/io/base_connection.rb
index da65f2e..c69c400 100644
--- a/lib/ione/io/base_connection.rb
+++ b/lib/ione/io/base_connection.rb
@@ -163,18 +163,29 @@ def write(bytes=nil)
       def flush
         should_close = false
         if @state == CONNECTED_STATE || @state == DRAINING_STATE
-          @lock.lock
-          begin
-            if @writable
-              bytes_written = @io.write_nonblock(@write_buffer.cheap_peek)
-              @write_buffer.discard(bytes_written)
+          bytes = @write_buffer.cheap_peek(true)
+          unless bytes
+            @lock.lock
+            begin
+              if @writable
+                bytes = @write_buffer.cheap_peek
+              end
+            ensure
+              @lock.unlock
             end
-            @writable = !@write_buffer.empty?
-            if @state == DRAINING_STATE && !@writable
-              should_close = true
+          end
+          if bytes
+            bytes_written = @io.write_nonblock(bytes)
+            @lock.lock
+            begin
+              @write_buffer.discard(bytes_written)
+              @writable = !@write_buffer.empty?
+              if @state == DRAINING_STATE && !@writable
+                should_close = true
+              end
+            ensure
+              @lock.unlock
             end
-          ensure
-            @lock.unlock
           end
           close if should_close
         end
diff --git a/spec/ione/byte_buffer_spec.rb b/spec/ione/byte_buffer_spec.rb
index ad16afd..835a726 100644
--- a/spec/ione/byte_buffer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ione/byte_buffer_spec.rb
@@ -330,6 +330,28 @@ module Ione
         x.bytesize.should be <= buffer.bytesize
         buffer.to_str.should start_with(x)
       end
+
+      it 'considers contents in the write when read buffer consumed' do
+        buffer.append('foo')
+        buffer.append('bar')
+        buffer.read_byte
+        buffer.discard(5)
+        buffer.append('hello')
+        x = buffer.cheap_peek
+        x.bytesize.should be > 0
+        x.bytesize.should be <= buffer.bytesize
+        buffer.to_str.should start_with(x)
+      end
+
+      it 'returns nil in readonly mode when read buffer is consumed' do
+        buffer.append('foo')
+        buffer.append('bar')
+        buffer.read_byte
+        buffer.discard(5)
+        buffer.append('hello')
+        x = buffer.cheap_peek(true)
+        x.should be_nil
+      end
     end
 
     describe '#getbyte' do