diff --git a/extmod/machine_uart.c b/extmod/machine_uart.c
index b62f5a49c465..77d5ec01f4a8 100644
--- a/extmod/machine_uart.c
+++ b/extmod/machine_uart.c
@@ -140,10 +140,10 @@ static const mp_rom_map_elem_t machine_uart_locals_dict_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_deinit), MP_ROM_PTR(&machine_uart_deinit_obj) },
 
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_flush), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_flush_obj) },
-    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_read), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_read_obj) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_read), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_read1_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_readline), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_unbuffered_readline_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_readinto), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_readinto_obj) },
-    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_write), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_write_obj) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_write), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_write1_obj) },
 
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_any), MP_ROM_PTR(&machine_uart_any_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_txdone), MP_ROM_PTR(&machine_uart_txdone_obj) },
diff --git a/ports/cc3200/mods/pybuart.c b/ports/cc3200/mods/pybuart.c
index eb2b3754f747..5b71f02e29f8 100644
--- a/ports/cc3200/mods/pybuart.c
+++ b/ports/cc3200/mods/pybuart.c
@@ -579,13 +579,13 @@ static const mp_rom_map_elem_t pyb_uart_locals_dict_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_txdone),      MP_ROM_PTR(&machine_uart_txdone_obj) },
 
     /// \method read([nbytes])
-    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_read),        MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_read_obj) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_read),        MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_read1_obj) },
     /// \method readline()
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_readline),    MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_unbuffered_readline_obj) },
     /// \method readinto(buf[, nbytes])
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_readinto),    MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_readinto_obj) },
     /// \method write(buf)
-    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_write),       MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_write_obj) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_write),       MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_write1_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_flush),       MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_stream_flush_obj) },
 
     // class constants
diff --git a/ports/esp32/machine_uart.c b/ports/esp32/machine_uart.c
index c4dab2cae5c8..6617b80d0485 100644
--- a/ports/esp32/machine_uart.c
+++ b/ports/esp32/machine_uart.c
@@ -628,19 +628,18 @@ static mp_uint_t mp_machine_uart_read(mp_obj_t self_in, void *buf_in, mp_uint_t
         return 0;
     }
 
-    TickType_t time_to_wait;
-    if (self->timeout == 0) {
-        time_to_wait = 0;
-    } else {
-        time_to_wait = pdMS_TO_TICKS(self->timeout);
-    }
+    TickType_t time_to_wait = self->timeout > 0 ? pdMS_TO_TICKS(self->timeout) : 0;
 
-    bool release_gil = time_to_wait > 0;
+    bool release_gil = (self->timeout + self->timeout_char) > 0;
     if (release_gil) {
         MP_THREAD_GIL_EXIT();
     }
 
-    int bytes_read = uart_read_bytes(self->uart_num, buf_in, size, time_to_wait);
+    int bytes_read = uart_read_bytes(self->uart_num, buf_in, 1, time_to_wait);
+    if (size > 1 && bytes_read != 0) {
+        time_to_wait = self->timeout_char > 0 ? pdMS_TO_TICKS(self->timeout_char) : 0;
+        bytes_read += uart_read_bytes(self->uart_num, buf_in + 1, size - 1, time_to_wait);
+    }
 
     if (release_gil) {
         MP_THREAD_GIL_ENTER();
diff --git a/py/stream.c b/py/stream.c
index d7a8881e1a32..3964f3d24c54 100644
--- a/py/stream.c
+++ b/py/stream.c
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ static mp_obj_t stream_readinto(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
     }
 
     int error;
-    mp_uint_t out_sz = mp_stream_read_exactly(args[0], bufinfo.buf, len, &error);
+    mp_uint_t out_sz = mp_stream_rw(args[0], bufinfo.buf, len, &error, MP_STREAM_RW_READ | MP_STREAM_RW_ONCE);
     if (error != 0) {
         if (mp_is_nonblocking_error(error)) {
             return mp_const_none;