diff --git a/http2/buffer.go b/http2/fixed_buffer.go
similarity index 50%
rename from http2/buffer.go
rename to http2/fixed_buffer.go
index 907e2984..47da0f0b 100644
--- a/http2/buffer.go
+++ b/http2/fixed_buffer.go
@@ -8,46 +8,41 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 )
 
-// buffer is an io.ReadWriteCloser backed by a fixed size buffer.
+// fixedBuffer is an io.ReadWriter backed by a fixed size buffer.
 // It never allocates, but moves old data as new data is written.
-type buffer struct {
-	buf    []byte
-	r, w   int
-	closed bool
-	err    error // err to return to reader
+type fixedBuffer struct {
+	buf  []byte
+	r, w int
 }
 
 var (
-	errReadEmpty   = errors.New("read from empty buffer")
-	errWriteClosed = errors.New("write on closed buffer")
-	errWriteFull   = errors.New("write on full buffer")
+	errReadEmpty = errors.New("read from empty fixedBuffer")
+	errWriteFull = errors.New("write on full fixedBuffer")
 )
 
 // Read copies bytes from the buffer into p.
 // It is an error to read when no data is available.
-func (b *buffer) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+func (b *fixedBuffer) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	if b.r == b.w {
+		return 0, errReadEmpty
+	}
 	n = copy(p, b.buf[b.r:b.w])
 	b.r += n
-	if b.closed && b.r == b.w {
-		err = b.err
-	} else if b.r == b.w && n == 0 {
-		err = errReadEmpty
+	if b.r == b.w {
+		b.r = 0
+		b.w = 0
 	}
-	return n, err
+	return n, nil
 }
 
 // Len returns the number of bytes of the unread portion of the buffer.
-func (b *buffer) Len() int {
+func (b *fixedBuffer) Len() int {
 	return b.w - b.r
 }
 
 // Write copies bytes from p into the buffer.
 // It is an error to write more data than the buffer can hold.
-func (b *buffer) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
-	if b.closed {
-		return 0, errWriteClosed
-	}
-
+func (b *fixedBuffer) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	// Slide existing data to beginning.
 	if b.r > 0 && len(p) > len(b.buf)-b.w {
 		copy(b.buf, b.buf[b.r:b.w])
@@ -63,13 +58,3 @@ func (b *buffer) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	}
 	return n, err
 }
-
-// Close marks the buffer as closed. Future calls to Write will
-// return an error. Future calls to Read, once the buffer is
-// empty, will return err.
-func (b *buffer) Close(err error) {
-	if !b.closed {
-		b.closed = true
-		b.err = err
-	}
-}
diff --git a/http2/buffer_test.go b/http2/fixed_buffer_test.go
similarity index 64%
rename from http2/buffer_test.go
rename to http2/fixed_buffer_test.go
index 9d7d98b5..f5432f8d 100644
--- a/http2/buffer_test.go
+++ b/http2/fixed_buffer_test.go
@@ -5,47 +5,36 @@
 package http2
 
 import (
-	"io"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 )
 
 var bufferReadTests = []struct {
-	buf      buffer
+	buf      fixedBuffer
 	read, wn int
 	werr     error
 	wp       []byte
-	wbuf     buffer
+	wbuf     fixedBuffer
 }{
 	{
-		buffer{[]byte{'a', 0}, 0, 1, false, nil},
+		fixedBuffer{[]byte{'a', 0}, 0, 1},
 		5, 1, nil, []byte{'a'},
-		buffer{[]byte{'a', 0}, 1, 1, false, nil},
+		fixedBuffer{[]byte{'a', 0}, 0, 0},
 	},
 	{
-		buffer{[]byte{'a', 0}, 0, 1, true, io.EOF},
-		5, 1, io.EOF, []byte{'a'},
-		buffer{[]byte{'a', 0}, 1, 1, true, io.EOF},
-	},
-	{
-		buffer{[]byte{0, 'a'}, 1, 2, false, nil},
+		fixedBuffer{[]byte{0, 'a'}, 1, 2},
 		5, 1, nil, []byte{'a'},
-		buffer{[]byte{0, 'a'}, 2, 2, false, nil},
+		fixedBuffer{[]byte{0, 'a'}, 0, 0},
 	},
 	{
-		buffer{[]byte{0, 'a'}, 1, 2, true, io.EOF},
-		5, 1, io.EOF, []byte{'a'},
-		buffer{[]byte{0, 'a'}, 2, 2, true, io.EOF},
+		fixedBuffer{[]byte{'a', 'b'}, 0, 2},
+		1, 1, nil, []byte{'a'},
+		fixedBuffer{[]byte{'a', 'b'}, 1, 2},
 	},
 	{
-		buffer{[]byte{}, 0, 0, false, nil},
+		fixedBuffer{[]byte{}, 0, 0},
 		5, 0, errReadEmpty, []byte{},
-		buffer{[]byte{}, 0, 0, false, nil},
-	},
-	{
-		buffer{[]byte{}, 0, 0, true, io.EOF},
-		5, 0, io.EOF, []byte{},
-		buffer{[]byte{}, 0, 0, true, io.EOF},
+		fixedBuffer{[]byte{}, 0, 0},
 	},
 }
 
@@ -72,64 +61,50 @@ func TestBufferRead(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 var bufferWriteTests = []struct {
-	buf       buffer
+	buf       fixedBuffer
 	write, wn int
 	werr      error
-	wbuf      buffer
+	wbuf      fixedBuffer
 }{
 	{
-		buf: buffer{
+		buf: fixedBuffer{
 			buf: []byte{},
 		},
-		wbuf: buffer{
+		wbuf: fixedBuffer{
 			buf: []byte{},
 		},
 	},
 	{
-		buf: buffer{
+		buf: fixedBuffer{
 			buf: []byte{1, 'a'},
 		},
 		write: 1,
 		wn:    1,
-		wbuf: buffer{
+		wbuf: fixedBuffer{
 			buf: []byte{0, 'a'},
 			w:   1,
 		},
 	},
 	{
-		buf: buffer{
+		buf: fixedBuffer{
 			buf: []byte{'a', 1},
 			r:   1,
 			w:   1,
 		},
 		write: 2,
 		wn:    2,
-		wbuf: buffer{
+		wbuf: fixedBuffer{
 			buf: []byte{0, 0},
 			w:   2,
 		},
 	},
 	{
-		buf: buffer{
-			buf:    []byte{},
-			r:      1,
-			closed: true,
-		},
-		write: 5,
-		werr:  errWriteClosed,
-		wbuf: buffer{
-			buf:    []byte{},
-			r:      1,
-			closed: true,
-		},
-	},
-	{
-		buf: buffer{
+		buf: fixedBuffer{
 			buf: []byte{},
 		},
 		write: 5,
 		werr:  errWriteFull,
-		wbuf: buffer{
+		wbuf: fixedBuffer{
 			buf: []byte{},
 		},
 	},
diff --git a/http2/pipe.go b/http2/pipe.go
index 51699dcc..72a1fdc9 100644
--- a/http2/pipe.go
+++ b/http2/pipe.go
@@ -5,38 +5,78 @@
 package http2
 
 import (
+	"errors"
+	"io"
 	"sync"
 )
 
+// pipe is a goroutine-safe io.Reader/io.Writer pair.  It's like
+// io.Pipe except there are no PipeReader/PipeWriter halves, and the
+// underlying buffer is an interface. (io.Pipe is always unbuffered)
 type pipe struct {
-	b buffer
-	c sync.Cond
-	m sync.Mutex
+	mu  sync.Mutex
+	c   sync.Cond // c.L must point to
+	b   pipeBuffer
+	err error // read error once empty. non-nil means closed.
+}
+
+type pipeBuffer interface {
+	Len() int
+	io.Writer
+	io.Reader
 }
 
 // Read waits until data is available and copies bytes
 // from the buffer into p.
-func (r *pipe) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
-	r.c.L.Lock()
-	defer r.c.L.Unlock()
-	for r.b.Len() == 0 && !r.b.closed {
-		r.c.Wait()
+func (p *pipe) Read(d []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
+	if p.c.L == nil {
+		p.c.L = &p.mu
+	}
+	for {
+		if p.b.Len() > 0 {
+			return p.b.Read(d)
+		}
+		if p.err != nil {
+			return 0, p.err
+		}
+		p.c.Wait()
 	}
-	return r.b.Read(p)
 }
 
+var errClosedPipeWrite = errors.New("write on closed buffer")
+
 // Write copies bytes from p into the buffer and wakes a reader.
 // It is an error to write more data than the buffer can hold.
-func (w *pipe) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
-	w.c.L.Lock()
-	defer w.c.L.Unlock()
-	defer w.c.Signal()
-	return w.b.Write(p)
+func (p *pipe) Write(d []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
+	if p.c.L == nil {
+		p.c.L = &p.mu
+	}
+	defer p.c.Signal()
+	if p.err != nil {
+		return 0, errClosedPipeWrite
+	}
+	return p.b.Write(d)
 }
 
-func (c *pipe) Close(err error) {
-	c.c.L.Lock()
-	defer c.c.L.Unlock()
-	defer c.c.Signal()
-	c.b.Close(err)
+// CloseWithError causes Reads to wake up and return the
+// provided err after all data has been read.
+//
+// The error must be non-nil.
+func (p *pipe) CloseWithError(err error) {
+	if err == nil {
+		panic("CloseWithError must be non-nil")
+	}
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
+	if p.c.L == nil {
+		p.c.L = &p.mu
+	}
+	defer p.c.Signal()
+	if p.err == nil {
+		p.err = err
+	}
 }
diff --git a/http2/pipe_test.go b/http2/pipe_test.go
index 5283b66c..002ce05e 100644
--- a/http2/pipe_test.go
+++ b/http2/pipe_test.go
@@ -5,17 +5,18 @@
 package http2
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"testing"
 )
 
 func TestPipeClose(t *testing.T) {
 	var p pipe
-	p.c.L = &p.m
+	p.b = new(bytes.Buffer)
 	a := errors.New("a")
 	b := errors.New("b")
-	p.Close(a)
-	p.Close(b)
+	p.CloseWithError(a)
+	p.CloseWithError(b)
 	_, err := p.Read(make([]byte, 1))
 	if err != a {
 		t.Errorf("err = %v want %v", err, a)
diff --git a/http2/server.go b/http2/server.go
index ba408fe7..5fb92cde 100644
--- a/http2/server.go
+++ b/http2/server.go
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ const (
 var (
 	errClientDisconnected = errors.New("client disconnected")
 	errClosedBody         = errors.New("body closed by handler")
+	errHandlerComplete    = errors.New("http2: request body closed due to handler exiting")
 	errStreamClosed       = errors.New("http2: stream closed")
 )
 
@@ -872,7 +873,7 @@ func (sc *serverConn) wroteFrame(res frameWriteResult) {
 			errCancel := StreamError{st.id, ErrCodeCancel}
 			sc.resetStream(errCancel)
 		case stateHalfClosedRemote:
-			sc.closeStream(st, nil)
+			sc.closeStream(st, errHandlerComplete)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1142,7 +1143,7 @@ func (sc *serverConn) closeStream(st *stream, err error) {
 	}
 	delete(sc.streams, st.id)
 	if p := st.body; p != nil {
-		p.Close(err)
+		p.CloseWithError(err)
 	}
 	st.cw.Close() // signals Handler's CloseNotifier, unblocks writes, etc
 	sc.writeSched.forgetStream(st.id)
@@ -1246,7 +1247,7 @@ func (sc *serverConn) processData(f *DataFrame) error {
 
 	// Sender sending more than they'd declared?
 	if st.declBodyBytes != -1 && st.bodyBytes+int64(len(data)) > st.declBodyBytes {
-		st.body.Close(fmt.Errorf("sender tried to send more than declared Content-Length of %d bytes", st.declBodyBytes))
+		st.body.CloseWithError(fmt.Errorf("sender tried to send more than declared Content-Length of %d bytes", st.declBodyBytes))
 		return StreamError{id, ErrCodeStreamClosed}
 	}
 	if len(data) > 0 {
@@ -1266,10 +1267,10 @@ func (sc *serverConn) processData(f *DataFrame) error {
 	}
 	if f.StreamEnded() {
 		if st.declBodyBytes != -1 && st.declBodyBytes != st.bodyBytes {
-			st.body.Close(fmt.Errorf("request declared a Content-Length of %d but only wrote %d bytes",
+			st.body.CloseWithError(fmt.Errorf("request declared a Content-Length of %d but only wrote %d bytes",
 				st.declBodyBytes, st.bodyBytes))
 		} else {
-			st.body.Close(io.EOF)
+			st.body.CloseWithError(io.EOF)
 		}
 		st.state = stateHalfClosedRemote
 	}
@@ -1493,9 +1494,8 @@ func (sc *serverConn) newWriterAndRequest() (*responseWriter, *http.Request, err
 	}
 	if bodyOpen {
 		body.pipe = &pipe{
-			b: buffer{buf: make([]byte, initialWindowSize)}, // TODO: share/remove XXX
+			b: &fixedBuffer{buf: make([]byte, initialWindowSize)}, // TODO: share/remove XXX
 		}
-		body.pipe.c.L = &body.pipe.m
 
 		if vv, ok := rp.header["Content-Length"]; ok {
 			req.ContentLength, _ = strconv.ParseInt(vv[0], 10, 64)
@@ -1655,7 +1655,7 @@ type requestBody struct {
 
 func (b *requestBody) Close() error {
 	if b.pipe != nil {
-		b.pipe.Close(errClosedBody)
+		b.pipe.CloseWithError(errClosedBody)
 	}
 	b.closed = true
 	return nil