diff --git a/driver-core/src/main/com/mongodb/connection/netty/NettyStream.java b/driver-core/src/main/com/mongodb/connection/netty/NettyStream.java
index 4549249002d..07384c5b8d1 100644
--- a/driver-core/src/main/com/mongodb/connection/netty/NettyStream.java
+++ b/driver-core/src/main/com/mongodb/connection/netty/NettyStream.java
@@ -246,21 +246,29 @@ public void readAsync(final int numBytes, final AsyncCompletionHandler<ByteBuf>
         readAsync(numBytes, handler, 0);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @param additionalTimeout Must be equal to {@link #NO_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT} when the method is called by a Netty channel handler.
-     *                          A timeout is scheduled only by the public read methods. Taking into account that concurrent pending readers
-     *                          are not allowed, there must not be a situation when threads attempt to schedule a timeout
-     *                          before the previous one is removed or completed.
-     */
     private void readAsync(final int numBytes, final AsyncCompletionHandler<ByteBuf> handler, final int additionalTimeout) {
-        scheduleReadTimeout(additionalTimeout);
+        readAsync(numBytes, handler, additionalTimeout, null);
+    }
+
+    private void readAsync(final PendingReader pendingReader) {
+        readAsync(pendingReader.numBytes, pendingReader.handler, 0, pendingReader);
+    }
+
+    private void readAsync(final int numBytes, final AsyncCompletionHandler<ByteBuf> handler, final int additionalTimeout,
+                           final PendingReader pendingReaderToUse) {
         ByteBuf buffer = null;
         Throwable exceptionResult = null;
+        TimeoutHandle preparedTimeoutHandle = null;
         synchronized (this) {
             exceptionResult = pendingException;
             if (exceptionResult == null) {
                 if (!hasBytesAvailable(numBytes)) {
-                    pendingReader = new PendingReader(numBytes, handler);
+                    if (pendingReaderToUse == null) {
+                        preparedTimeoutHandle = prepareTimeout(additionalTimeout);
+                        pendingReader = new PendingReader(numBytes, handler, preparedTimeoutHandle);
+                    } else {
+                        pendingReader = pendingReaderToUse;
+                    }
                 } else {
                     CompositeByteBuf composite = allocator.compositeBuffer(pendingInboundBuffers.size());
                     int bytesNeeded = numBytes;
@@ -284,12 +292,21 @@ private void readAsync(final int numBytes, final AsyncCompletionHandler<ByteBuf>
                 }
             }
         }
+
+        if (preparedTimeoutHandle != null) {
+            preparedTimeoutHandle.scheduleTimeout();
+        }
+
         if (exceptionResult != null) {
-            disableReadTimeout();
+            if (pendingReaderToUse != null) {
+                pendingReaderToUse.timeoutHandle.cancel();
+            }
             handler.failed(exceptionResult);
         }
         if (buffer != null) {
-            disableReadTimeout();
+            if (pendingReaderToUse != null) {
+                pendingReaderToUse.timeoutHandle.cancel();
+            }
             handler.completed(buffer);
         }
     }
@@ -320,8 +337,7 @@ private void handleReadResponse(final io.netty.buffer.ByteBuf buffer, final Thro
         }
 
         if (localPendingReader != null) {
-            //if there is a pending reader, then the reader has scheduled a timeout and we should not attempt to schedule another one
-            readAsync(localPendingReader.numBytes, localPendingReader.handler, NO_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT);
+            readAsync(localPendingReader);
         }
     }
 
@@ -397,10 +413,12 @@ public void exceptionCaught(final ChannelHandlerContext ctx, final Throwable t)
     private static final class PendingReader {
         private final int numBytes;
         private final AsyncCompletionHandler<ByteBuf> handler;
+        private final TimeoutHandle timeoutHandle;
 
-        private PendingReader(final int numBytes, final AsyncCompletionHandler<ByteBuf> handler) {
+        private PendingReader(final int numBytes, final AsyncCompletionHandler<ByteBuf> handler, final TimeoutHandle timeoutHandle) {
             this.numBytes = numBytes;
             this.handler = handler;
+            this.timeoutHandle = timeoutHandle;
         }
     }
 
@@ -485,9 +503,6 @@ public void operationComplete(final ChannelFuture future) {
     }
 
     private void scheduleReadTimeout(final int additionalTimeout) {
-        if (additionalTimeout == NO_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT) {
-            return;
-        }
         adjustTimeout(false, additionalTimeout);
     }
 
@@ -509,4 +524,46 @@ private void adjustTimeout(final boolean disable, final int additionalTimeout) {
                 }
             }
     }
+
+    private TimeoutHandle prepareTimeout(final int additionalTimeout) {
+        return new SimpleTimeoutHandle(additionalTimeout);
+    }
+
+    private final class SimpleTimeoutHandle implements TimeoutHandle {
+        private final int additionalTimeout;
+
+        private boolean cancelled = false;
+        private boolean scheduled = false;
+
+        private SimpleTimeoutHandle(final int additionalTimeout) {
+            this.additionalTimeout = additionalTimeout;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public synchronized void scheduleTimeout() {
+            assert !scheduled : "Attempted to schedule an already scheduled timeout";
+
+            if (!cancelled) {
+                scheduleReadTimeout(additionalTimeout);
+                scheduled = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public synchronized void cancel() {
+            assert !cancelled : "Attempted to cancel an already cancelled timeout";
+
+            if (scheduled) {
+                disableReadTimeout();
+                scheduled = false;
+            }
+            cancelled = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private interface TimeoutHandle {
+        void scheduleTimeout();
+
+        void cancel();
+    }
 }