diff --git a/jetty-core/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/GZIPContentDecoder.java b/jetty-core/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/GZIPContentDecoder.java
index a03b8f7430c..45c41eda497 100644
--- a/jetty-core/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/GZIPContentDecoder.java
+++ b/jetty-core/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/GZIPContentDecoder.java
@@ -422,6 +422,9 @@ public class GZIPContentDecoder implements Destroyable
      */
     public RetainableByteBuffer acquire(int capacity)
     {
+        // Zero-capacity buffers aren't released, they MUST NOT come from the pool.
+        if (capacity == 0)
+            return RetainableByteBuffer.EMPTY;
         return _pool.acquire(capacity, false);
     }
 }
diff --git a/jetty-core/jetty-io/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/io/RetainableByteBuffer.java b/jetty-core/jetty-io/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/io/RetainableByteBuffer.java
index f59a7e6bdda..e1098d5191d 100644
--- a/jetty-core/jetty-io/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/io/RetainableByteBuffer.java
+++ b/jetty-core/jetty-io/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/io/RetainableByteBuffer.java
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ import org.eclipse.jetty.util.BufferUtil;
  */
 public interface RetainableByteBuffer extends Retainable
 {
+    /**
+     * A Zero-capacity, non-retainable {@code RetainableByteBuffer}.
+     */
+    public static RetainableByteBuffer EMPTY = wrap(BufferUtil.EMPTY_BUFFER);
+
     /**
      * <p>Returns a non-retainable {@code RetainableByteBuffer} that wraps
      * the given {@code ByteBuffer}.</p>