diff --git a/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/api/WebSocketPolicy.java b/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/api/WebSocketPolicy.java
index 0d2ebc78164..193b55cd3d0 100644
--- a/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/api/WebSocketPolicy.java
+++ b/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/api/WebSocketPolicy.java
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ public class WebSocketPolicy
     /**
      * The maximum allowed payload size (validated in both directions)
      * <p>
-     * Default: 65535 (64K)
+     * Default: 65536 (64K)
      */
-    private int maxPayloadSize = 65535;
+    private int maxPayloadSize = 65536;
 
     /**
      * The maximum size of a text message during parsing/generating.
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ public class WebSocketPolicy
     /**
      * Maximum Message Buffer size, which is also the max frame byte size.
      * <p>
-     * Default: 65535 (64 K)
+     * Default: 65536 (64 K)
      */
-    private int bufferSize = 65535;
+    private int bufferSize = 65536;
 
     /**
      * The time in ms (milliseconds) that a websocket may be idle before closing.
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ public class WebSocketPolicy
     public void assertValidPayloadLength(int payloadLength)
     {
         // validate to buffer sizes
-        if (payloadLength > bufferSize)
+        if (payloadLength > payloadLength)
         {
-            throw new MessageTooLargeException("Requested payload length [" + payloadLength + "] exceeds maximum size [" + bufferSize + "]");
+            throw new MessageTooLargeException("Requested payload length [" + payloadLength + "] exceeds maximum size [" + payloadLength + "]");
         }
     }
 
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@ public class WebSocketPolicy
 
     public void setMaxPayloadSize(int maxPayloadSize)
     {
+        if (maxPayloadSize < bufferSize)
+        {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Cannot have payload size be smaller than buffer size");
+        }
         this.maxPayloadSize = maxPayloadSize;
     }
 
diff --git a/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/parser/FrameParser.java b/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/parser/FrameParser.java
index ced5432d46c..a77d823d67e 100644
--- a/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/parser/FrameParser.java
+++ b/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/parser/FrameParser.java
@@ -229,6 +229,13 @@ public class FrameParser
                     }
                     else
                     {
+                        // special case for empty payloads (no more bytes left in buffer)
+                        if (payloadLength == 0)
+                        {
+                            state = State.START;
+                            return true;
+                        }
+
                         state = State.PAYLOAD;
                     }
 
@@ -248,6 +255,13 @@ public class FrameParser
                         }
                         else
                         {
+                            // special case for empty payloads (no more bytes left in buffer)
+                            if (payloadLength == 0)
+                            {
+                                state = State.START;
+                                return true;
+                            }
+
                             state = State.PAYLOAD;
                         }
                     }
@@ -260,6 +274,13 @@ public class FrameParser
                     if (buffer.remaining() >= 4)
                     {
                         buffer.get(m,0,4);
+                        // special case for empty payloads (no more bytes left in buffer)
+                        if (payloadLength == 0)
+                        {
+                            state = State.START;
+                            return true;
+                        }
+
                         state = State.PAYLOAD;
                     }
                     else
@@ -276,6 +297,13 @@ public class FrameParser
                     getFrame().getMask()[cursor] = b;
                     if (cursor == 0)
                     {
+                        // special case for empty payloads (no more bytes left in buffer)
+                        if (payloadLength == 0)
+                        {
+                            state = State.START;
+                            return true;
+                        }
+
                         state = State.PAYLOAD;
                     }
                     break;
@@ -310,6 +338,11 @@ public class FrameParser
      */
     public boolean parsePayload(ByteBuffer buffer)
     {
+        if (payloadLength == 0)
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+
         while (buffer.hasRemaining())
         {
             if (payload == null)
diff --git a/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/ab/TestABCase1_2.java b/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/ab/TestABCase1_2.java
index 32e493b4417..d926bd23f1e 100644
--- a/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/ab/TestABCase1_2.java
+++ b/jetty-websocket/websocket-core/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/ab/TestABCase1_2.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 package org.eclipse.jetty.websocket.ab;
 
-import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
 
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
@@ -542,6 +542,6 @@ public class TestABCase1_2
 
         WebSocketFrame pActual = capture.getFrames().get(0);
         Assert.assertThat("BinaryFrame.payloadLength",pActual.getPayloadLength(),is(0));
-        Assert.assertEquals("BinaryFrame.payload",0,pActual.getPayloadData().length);
+        Assert.assertNull("BinaryFrame.payload",pActual.getPayloadData());
     }
 }