diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoder.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoder.java
index 090adca2d0..d23da9b43d 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoder.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoder.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.core.codec.support;
 
+import java.nio.CharBuffer;
 import java.nio.charset.Charset;
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.MimeTypeUtils;
  * @author Sebastien Deleuze
  * @author Brian Clozel
  * @author Arjen Poutsma
+ * @author Mark Paluch
  * @see StringEncoder
  */
 public class StringDecoder extends AbstractDecoder<String> {
@@ -83,9 +85,8 @@ public class StringDecoder extends AbstractDecoder<String> {
 		}
 		Charset charset = getCharset(mimeType);
 		return inputFlux.map(content -> {
-			byte[] bytes = new byte[content.readableByteCount()];
-			content.read(bytes);
-			return new String(bytes, charset);
+			CharBuffer charBuffer = charset.decode(content.asByteBuffer());
+			return charBuffer.toString();
 		});
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoderTests.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoderTests.java
index 44af9239a5..b5f83fbc04 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoderTests.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoderTests.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 /**
  * @author Sebastien Deleuze
  * @author Brian Clozel
+ * @author Mark Paluch
  */
 public class StringDecoderTests extends AbstractAllocatingTestCase {
 
@@ -94,4 +95,13 @@ public class StringDecoderTests extends AbstractAllocatingTestCase {
 		assertEquals("foobar", result);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void decodeEmpty() throws InterruptedException {
+		Mono<DataBuffer> source = Mono.just(stringBuffer(""));
+		Flux<String> output =
+				this.decoder.decode(source, ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), null);
+		TestSubscriber<String> testSubscriber = new TestSubscriber<>();
+		testSubscriber.bindTo(output).assertValues("");
+	}
+
 }