diff --git a/modules/transport-netty4/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty4/Netty4Utils.java b/modules/transport-netty4/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty4/Netty4Utils.java
index 0f29bb0c139..0daf406aa11 100644
--- a/modules/transport-netty4/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty4/Netty4Utils.java
+++ b/modules/transport-netty4/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty4/Netty4Utils.java
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ public class Netty4Utils {
         final int readableBytes = buffer.readableBytes();
         if (readableBytes == 0) {
             return BytesArray.EMPTY;
+        } else if (buffer.hasArray()) {
+            return new BytesArray(buffer.array(), buffer.arrayOffset() + buffer.readerIndex(), readableBytes);
         } else {
             final ByteBuffer[] byteBuffers = buffer.nioBuffers();
             return BytesReference.fromByteBuffers(byteBuffers);
diff --git a/plugins/transport-nio/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/http/nio/ByteBufUtils.java b/plugins/transport-nio/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/http/nio/ByteBufUtils.java
index 6e041b354ec..2d7efaeb689 100644
--- a/plugins/transport-nio/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/http/nio/ByteBufUtils.java
+++ b/plugins/transport-nio/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/http/nio/ByteBufUtils.java
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ class ByteBufUtils {
         final int readableBytes = buffer.readableBytes();
         if (readableBytes == 0) {
             return BytesArray.EMPTY;
+        } else if (buffer.hasArray()) {
+            return new BytesArray(buffer.array(), buffer.arrayOffset() + buffer.readerIndex(), readableBytes);
         } else {
             final ByteBuffer[] byteBuffers = buffer.nioBuffers();
             return BytesReference.fromByteBuffers(byteBuffers);