diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/NioSocketWriter.java b/org.springframework.integration.ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/NioSocketWriter.java
index ceca448b79..b559c8d08e 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/NioSocketWriter.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/NioSocketWriter.java
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ public class NioSocketWriter extends AbstractSocketWriter {
 	protected ByteBuffer getBuffer() throws InterruptedException  {
 		ByteBuffer buffer = this.buffers.poll();
 		if (buffer != null) {
+			buffer.clear();
 			return buffer;
 		}
 		synchronized (buffers) {
@@ -109,11 +110,6 @@ public class NioSocketWriter extends AbstractSocketWriter {
 				bufferCount++;
 				return ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(this.sendBufferSize);
 			}
-			// another thread may have returned one while we were sync'd
-			buffer = this.buffers.poll();
-			if (buffer != null) {
-				return buffer;
-			}
 		}
 		buffer = this.buffers.take();
 		buffer.clear();