diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufDecoder.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufDecoder.java
index 0b6218cb6b..5eb050637a 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufDecoder.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufDecoder.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package org.springframework.http.codec.protobuf;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
@@ -44,13 +45,17 @@ import org.springframework.util.MimeType;
  * A {@code Decoder} that reads {@link com.google.protobuf.Message}s
  * using <a href="https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/">Google Protocol Buffers</a>.
  *
- * Flux deserialized via
+ * <p>Flux deserialized via
  * {@link #decode(Publisher, ResolvableType, MimeType, Map)} are expected to use
  * <a href="https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/techniques?hl=en#streaming">delimited Protobuf messages</a>
  * with the size of each message specified before the message itself. Single values deserialized
  * via {@link #decodeToMono(Publisher, ResolvableType, MimeType, Map)} are expected to use
  * regular Protobuf message format (without the size prepended before the message).
  *
+ * <p>Notice that default instance of Protobuf message produces empty byte array, so
+ * {@code Mono.just(Msg.getDefaultInstance())} sent over the network will be deserialized
+ * as an empty {@link Mono}.
+ *
  * <p>To generate {@code Message} Java classes, you need to install the {@code protoc} binary.
  *
  * <p>This decoder requires Protobuf 3 or higher, and supports
@@ -108,7 +113,7 @@ public class ProtobufDecoder extends ProtobufCodecSupport implements Decoder<Mes
 			@Nullable MimeType mimeType, @Nullable Map<String, Object> hints) {
 
 		return Flux.from(inputStream)
-				.concatMap(new MessageDecoderFunction(elementType, this.maxMessageSize));
+				.flatMapIterable(new MessageDecoderFunction(elementType, this.maxMessageSize));
 	}
 
 	@Override
@@ -152,7 +157,7 @@ public class ProtobufDecoder extends ProtobufCodecSupport implements Decoder<Mes
 	}
 
 
-	private class MessageDecoderFunction implements Function<DataBuffer, Publisher<? extends Message>> {
+	private class MessageDecoderFunction implements Function<DataBuffer, Iterable<? extends Message>> {
 
 		private final ResolvableType elementType;
 
@@ -163,55 +168,59 @@ public class ProtobufDecoder extends ProtobufCodecSupport implements Decoder<Mes
 
 		private int messageBytesToRead;
 
+
 		public MessageDecoderFunction(ResolvableType elementType, int maxMessageSize) {
 			this.elementType = elementType;
 			this.maxMessageSize = maxMessageSize;
 		}
 
-		// TODO Instead of the recursive call, loop over the current DataBuffer,
-		// produce a list of as many messages as are contained, and save any remaining bytes with flatMapIterable
+
 		@Override
-		public Publisher<? extends Message> apply(DataBuffer input) {
+		public Iterable<? extends Message> apply(DataBuffer input) {
 			try {
-				if (this.output == null) {
-					int firstByte = input.read();
-					if (firstByte == -1) {
-						return Flux.error(new DecodingException("Can't parse message size"));
+				List<Message> messages = new ArrayList<>();
+				int remainingBytesToRead;
+				int chunkBytesToRead;
+
+				do {
+					if (this.output == null) {
+						int firstByte = input.read();
+						if (firstByte == -1) {
+							throw new DecodingException("Can't parse message size");
+						}
+						this.messageBytesToRead = CodedInputStream.readRawVarint32(firstByte, input.asInputStream());
+						if (this.messageBytesToRead > this.maxMessageSize) {
+							throw new DecodingException(
+									"The number of bytes to read parsed in the incoming stream (" +
+											this.messageBytesToRead + ") exceeds the configured limit (" + this.maxMessageSize + ")");
+						}
+						this.output = input.factory().allocateBuffer(this.messageBytesToRead);
 					}
-					this.messageBytesToRead = CodedInputStream.readRawVarint32(firstByte, input.asInputStream());
-					if (this.messageBytesToRead > this.maxMessageSize) {
-						return Flux.error(new DecodingException(
-								"The number of bytes to read parsed in the incoming stream (" +
-								this.messageBytesToRead + ") exceeds the configured limit (" + this.maxMessageSize + ")"));
+
+					chunkBytesToRead = this.messageBytesToRead >= input.readableByteCount() ?
+							input.readableByteCount() : this.messageBytesToRead;
+					remainingBytesToRead = input.readableByteCount() - chunkBytesToRead;
+
+					byte[] bytesToWrite = new byte[chunkBytesToRead];
+					input.read(bytesToWrite, 0, chunkBytesToRead);
+					this.output.write(bytesToWrite);
+					this.messageBytesToRead -= chunkBytesToRead;
+
+					if (this.messageBytesToRead == 0) {
+						Message.Builder builder = getMessageBuilder(this.elementType.toClass());
+						builder.mergeFrom(CodedInputStream.newInstance(this.output.asByteBuffer()), extensionRegistry);
+						messages.add(builder.build());
+						DataBufferUtils.release(this.output);
+						this.output = null;
 					}
-					this.output = input.factory().allocateBuffer(this.messageBytesToRead);
-				}
-				int chunkBytesToRead = this.messageBytesToRead >= input.readableByteCount() ?
-						input.readableByteCount() : this.messageBytesToRead;
-				int remainingBytesToRead = input.readableByteCount() - chunkBytesToRead;
-				this.output.write(input.slice(input.readPosition(), chunkBytesToRead));
-				this.messageBytesToRead -= chunkBytesToRead;
-				Message message = null;
-				if (this.messageBytesToRead == 0) {
-					Message.Builder builder = getMessageBuilder(this.elementType.toClass());
-					builder.mergeFrom(CodedInputStream.newInstance(this.output.asByteBuffer()), extensionRegistry);
-					message = builder.build();
-					DataBufferUtils.release(this.output);
-					this.output = null;
-				}
-				if (remainingBytesToRead > 0) {
-					return Mono.justOrEmpty(message).concatWith(
-							apply(input.slice(input.readPosition() + chunkBytesToRead, remainingBytesToRead)));
-				}
-				else {
-					return Mono.justOrEmpty(message);
-				}
+				} while (remainingBytesToRead > 0);
+				return messages;
 			}
 			catch (IOException ex) {
-				return Flux.error(new DecodingException("I/O error while parsing input stream", ex));
+				throw new DecodingException("I/O error while parsing input stream", ex);
 			}
 			catch (Exception ex) {
-				return Flux.error(new DecodingException("Could not read Protobuf message: " + ex.getMessage(), ex));
+				throw new DecodingException("Could not read Protobuf message: " + ex.getMessage(), ex);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufEncoder.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufEncoder.java
index b32f792f6e..b70f2fc520 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufEncoder.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufEncoder.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.MimeType;
  * An {@code Encoder} that writes {@link com.google.protobuf.Message}s
  * using <a href="https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/">Google Protocol Buffers</a>.
  *
- * Flux are serialized using
+ * <p>Flux are serialized using
  * <a href="https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/techniques?hl=en#streaming">delimited Protobuf messages</a>
  * with the size of each message specified before the message itself. Single values are
  * serialized using regular Protobuf message format (without the size prepended before the message).
diff --git a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufDecoderTests.java b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufDecoderTests.java
index 55a3018f89..d1118aa142 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufDecoderTests.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/codec/protobuf/ProtobufDecoderTests.java
@@ -16,12 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.http.codec.protobuf;
 
-import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.io.OutputStream;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.List;
 
 import com.google.protobuf.Message;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -47,8 +42,6 @@ import static org.springframework.core.ResolvableType.forClass;
 
 /**
  * Unit tests for {@link ProtobufDecoder}.
- * TODO Make tests more readable
- * TODO Add a test where an input DataBuffer is larger than a message
  *
  * @author Sebastien Deleuze
  */
@@ -56,7 +49,13 @@ public class ProtobufDecoderTests extends AbstractDataBufferAllocatingTestCase {
 
 	private final static MimeType PROTOBUF_MIME_TYPE = new MimeType("application", "x-protobuf");
 
-	private final Msg testMsg = Msg.newBuilder().setFoo("Foo").setBlah(SecondMsg.newBuilder().setBlah(123).build()).build();
+	private final SecondMsg secondMsg = SecondMsg.newBuilder().setBlah(123).build();
+
+	private final Msg testMsg = Msg.newBuilder().setFoo("Foo").setBlah(secondMsg).build();
+
+	private final SecondMsg secondMsg2 = SecondMsg.newBuilder().setBlah(456).build();
+
+	private final Msg testMsg2 = Msg.newBuilder().setFoo("Bar").setBlah(secondMsg2).build();
 
 	private ProtobufDecoder decoder;
 
@@ -82,51 +81,59 @@ public class ProtobufDecoderTests extends AbstractDataBufferAllocatingTestCase {
 
 	@Test
 	public void decodeToMono() {
-		byte[] body = this.testMsg.toByteArray();
-		Flux<DataBuffer> source = Flux.just(this.bufferFactory.wrap(body));
+		DataBuffer data = this.bufferFactory.wrap(testMsg.toByteArray());
 		ResolvableType elementType = forClass(Msg.class);
-		Mono<Message> mono = this.decoder.decodeToMono(source, elementType, null,
-				emptyMap());
+
+		Mono<Message> mono = this.decoder.decodeToMono(Flux.just(data), elementType, null, emptyMap());
 
 		StepVerifier.create(mono)
-				.expectNext(this.testMsg)
+				.expectNext(testMsg)
+				.verifyComplete();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void decodeToMonoWithLargerDataBuffer() {
+		DataBuffer buffer = this.bufferFactory.allocateBuffer(1024);
+		buffer.write(testMsg.toByteArray());
+		ResolvableType elementType = forClass(Msg.class);
+
+		Mono<Message> mono = this.decoder.decodeToMono(Flux.just(buffer), elementType, null, emptyMap());
+
+		StepVerifier.create(mono)
+				.expectNext(testMsg)
 				.verifyComplete();
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void decodeChunksToMono() {
-		byte[] body = this.testMsg.toByteArray();
-		List<DataBuffer> chunks = new ArrayList<>();
-		chunks.add(this.bufferFactory.wrap(Arrays.copyOfRange(body, 0, 4)));
-		chunks.add(this.bufferFactory.wrap(Arrays.copyOfRange(body, 4, body.length)));
-		Flux<DataBuffer> source = Flux.fromIterable(chunks);
+		DataBuffer buffer = this.bufferFactory.wrap(testMsg.toByteArray());
+		Flux<DataBuffer> chunks = Flux.just(
+				buffer.slice(0, 4),
+				buffer.slice(4, buffer.readableByteCount() - 4));
+		DataBufferUtils.retain(buffer);
 		ResolvableType elementType = forClass(Msg.class);
-		Mono<Message> mono = this.decoder.decodeToMono(source, elementType, null,
+
+		Mono<Message> mono = this.decoder.decodeToMono(chunks, elementType, null,
 				emptyMap());
 
 		StepVerifier.create(mono)
-				.expectNext(this.testMsg)
+				.expectNext(testMsg)
 				.verifyComplete();
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void decode() throws IOException {
-		Msg testMsg2 = Msg.newBuilder().setFoo("Bar").setBlah(SecondMsg.newBuilder().setBlah(456).build()).build();
-
 		DataBuffer buffer = bufferFactory.allocateBuffer();
-		OutputStream outputStream = buffer.asOutputStream();
-		this.testMsg.writeDelimitedTo(outputStream);
-
+		testMsg.writeDelimitedTo(buffer.asOutputStream());
 		DataBuffer buffer2 = bufferFactory.allocateBuffer();
-		OutputStream outputStream2 = buffer2.asOutputStream();
-		testMsg2.writeDelimitedTo(outputStream2);
-
+		testMsg2.writeDelimitedTo(buffer2.asOutputStream());
 		Flux<DataBuffer> source = Flux.just(buffer, buffer2);
 		ResolvableType elementType = forClass(Msg.class);
+
 		Flux<Message> messages = this.decoder.decode(source, elementType, null, emptyMap());
 
 		StepVerifier.create(messages)
-				.expectNext(this.testMsg)
+				.expectNext(testMsg)
 				.expectNext(testMsg2)
 				.verifyComplete();
 
@@ -135,42 +142,50 @@ public class ProtobufDecoderTests extends AbstractDataBufferAllocatingTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void decodeChunks() throws IOException {
-		Msg testMsg2 = Msg.newBuilder().setFoo("Bar").setBlah(SecondMsg.newBuilder().setBlah(456).build()).build();
-		List<DataBuffer> chunks = new ArrayList<>();
+	public void decodeSplitChunks() throws IOException {
+		DataBuffer buffer = bufferFactory.allocateBuffer();
+		testMsg.writeDelimitedTo(buffer.asOutputStream());
+		DataBuffer buffer2 = bufferFactory.allocateBuffer();
+		testMsg2.writeDelimitedTo(buffer2.asOutputStream());
+		Flux<DataBuffer> chunks = Flux.just(
+				buffer.slice(0, 4),
+				buffer.slice(4, buffer.readableByteCount() - 4),
+				buffer2.slice(0, 2),
+				buffer2.slice(2, buffer2.readableByteCount() - 2));
 
-		ByteArrayOutputStream outputStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-		this.testMsg.writeDelimitedTo(outputStream);
-		byte[] byteArray = outputStream.toByteArray();
-		ByteArrayOutputStream outputStream2 = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-		testMsg2.writeDelimitedTo(outputStream2);
-		byte[] byteArray2 = outputStream2.toByteArray();
-
-		chunks.add(this.bufferFactory.wrap(Arrays.copyOfRange(byteArray, 0, 4)));
-		byte[] chunk2 = Arrays.copyOfRange(byteArray, 4, byteArray.length);
-		byte[] chunk3 = Arrays.copyOfRange(byteArray2, 0, 4);
-		byte[] combined = new byte[chunk2.length + chunk3.length];
-		for (int i = 0; i < combined.length; ++i)
-		{
-			combined[i] = i < chunk2.length ? chunk2[i] : chunk3[i - chunk2.length];
-		}
-		chunks.add(this.bufferFactory.wrap(combined));
-		chunks.add(this.bufferFactory.wrap(Arrays.copyOfRange(byteArray2, 4, byteArray2.length)));
-
-		Flux<DataBuffer> source = Flux.fromIterable(chunks);
 		ResolvableType elementType = forClass(Msg.class);
-		Flux<Message> messages = this.decoder.decode(source, elementType, null, emptyMap());
+		Flux<Message> messages = this.decoder.decode(chunks, elementType, null, emptyMap());
 
 		StepVerifier.create(messages)
-				.expectNext(this.testMsg)
+				.expectNext(testMsg)
 				.expectNext(testMsg2)
 				.verifyComplete();
+
+		DataBufferUtils.release(buffer);
+		DataBufferUtils.release(buffer2);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void decodeMergedChunks() throws IOException {
+		DataBuffer buffer = bufferFactory.allocateBuffer();
+		testMsg.writeDelimitedTo(buffer.asOutputStream());
+		testMsg.writeDelimitedTo(buffer.asOutputStream());
+
+		ResolvableType elementType = forClass(Msg.class);
+		Flux<Message> messages = this.decoder.decode(Mono.just(buffer), elementType, null, emptyMap());
+
+		StepVerifier.create(messages)
+				.expectNext(testMsg)
+				.expectNext(testMsg)
+				.verifyComplete();
+
+		DataBufferUtils.release(buffer);
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void exceedMaxSize() {
 		this.decoder.setMaxMessageSize(1);
-		byte[] body = this.testMsg.toByteArray();
+		byte[] body = testMsg.toByteArray();
 		Flux<DataBuffer> source = Flux.just(this.bufferFactory.wrap(body));
 		ResolvableType elementType = forClass(Msg.class);
 		Flux<Message> messages = this.decoder.decode(source, elementType, null,
diff --git a/spring-webflux/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/result/method/annotation/ProtobufIntegrationTests.java b/spring-webflux/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/result/method/annotation/ProtobufIntegrationTests.java
index 60a0d9c3df..f542bea978 100644
--- a/spring-webflux/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/result/method/annotation/ProtobufIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-webflux/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/result/method/annotation/ProtobufIntegrationTests.java
@@ -129,6 +129,17 @@ public class ProtobufIntegrationTests extends AbstractRequestMappingIntegrationT
 				.verifyComplete();
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void defaultInstance() {
+		Mono<Msg> result = this.webClient.get()
+				.uri("/default-instance")
+				.retrieve()
+				.bodyToMono(Msg.class);
+
+		StepVerifier.create(result)
+				.verifyComplete();
+	}
+
 	@RestController
 	@SuppressWarnings("unused")
 	static class ProtobufController {
@@ -153,6 +164,11 @@ public class ProtobufIntegrationTests extends AbstractRequestMappingIntegrationT
 			return Mono.empty();
 		}
 
+		@GetMapping("default-instance")
+		Mono<Msg> defaultInstance() {
+			return Mono.just(Msg.getDefaultInstance());
+		}
+
 	}
 
 	@Configuration