diff --git a/python-packages/smithy-http/smithy_http/aio/crt.py b/python-packages/smithy-http/smithy_http/aio/crt.py
index 500d932d9..b064bab5c 100644
--- a/python-packages/smithy-http/smithy_http/aio/crt.py
+++ b/python-packages/smithy-http/smithy_http/aio/crt.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
     HAS_CRT = False  # type: ignore
 
 from smithy_core import interfaces as core_interfaces
+from smithy_core.aio.types import AsyncBytesReader
 from smithy_core.exceptions import MissingDependencyException
 
 from .. import Field, Fields
@@ -187,6 +188,7 @@ def __init__(
         self._tls_ctx = crt_io.ClientTlsContext(crt_io.TlsContextOptions())
         self._socket_options = crt_io.SocketOptions()
         self._connections: ConnectionPoolDict = {}
+        self._async_reads: set[asyncio.Task[Any]] = set()
 
     async def send(
         self,
@@ -293,12 +295,42 @@ async def _marshal_request(
 
         path = self._render_path(request.destination)
         headers = crt_http.HttpHeaders(headers_list)
-        body = BytesIO(await request.consume_body_async())
+
+        body = request.body
+        if isinstance(body, bytes | bytearray):
+            # If the body is already directly in memory, wrap in a BytesIO to hand
+            # off to CRT.
+            crt_body = BytesIO(body)
+        else:
+            # If the body is async, or potentially very large, start up a task to read
+            # it into the BytesIO object that CRT needs. By using asyncio.create_task
+            # we'll start the coroutine without having to explicitly await it.
+            crt_body = BytesIO()
+            if not isinstance(body, AsyncIterable):
+                # If the body isn't already an async iterable, wrap it in one. Objects
+                # with read methods will be read in chunks so as not to exhaust memory.
+                body = AsyncBytesReader(body)
+
+            # Start the read task in the background.
+            read_task = asyncio.create_task(self._consume_body_async(body, crt_body))
+
+            # Keep track of the read task so that it doesn't get garbage colllected,
+            # and stop tracking it once it's done.
+            self._async_reads.add(read_task)
+            read_task.add_done_callback(self._async_reads.discard)
 
         crt_request = crt_http.HttpRequest(
             method=request.method,
             path=path,
             headers=headers,
-            body_stream=body,
+            body_stream=crt_body,
         )
         return crt_request
+
+    async def _consume_body_async(
+        self, source: AsyncIterable[bytes], dest: BytesIO
+    ) -> None:
+        async for chunk in source:
+            dest.write(chunk)
+        # Should we call close here? Or will that make the crt unable to read the last
+        # chunk?