diff --git a/vm/src/stdlib/io.rs b/vm/src/stdlib/io.rs
index 18112ecb95..a2acff91de 100644
--- a/vm/src/stdlib/io.rs
+++ b/vm/src/stdlib/io.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ use crate::pyobject::{
 use crate::vm::VirtualMachine;
 
 fn byte_count(bytes: OptionalOption<i64>) -> i64 {
-    bytes.flatten().unwrap_or(-1 as i64)
+    bytes.flatten().unwrap_or(-1)
 }
 fn os_err(vm: &VirtualMachine, err: io::Error) -> PyBaseExceptionRef {
     #[cfg(any(not(target_arch = "wasm32"), target_os = "wasi"))]
@@ -83,28 +83,32 @@ impl BufferedIO {
     }
 
     //Read k bytes from the object and return.
-    fn read(&mut self, bytes: i64) -> Option<Vec<u8>> {
-        let mut buffer = Vec::new();
-
+    fn read(&mut self, bytes: Option<i64>) -> Option<Vec<u8>> {
         //for a defined number of bytes, i.e. bytes != -1
-        if bytes >= 0 {
-            let mut handle = self.cursor.clone().take(bytes as u64);
-            //read handle into buffer
-
-            if handle.read_to_end(&mut buffer).is_err() {
-                return None;
+        match bytes.and_then(|v| v.to_usize()) {
+            Some(bytes) => {
+                let mut buffer = unsafe {
+                    // Do not move or edit any part of this block without a safety validation.
+                    // `set_len` is guaranteed to be safe only when the new length is less than or equal to the capacity
+                    let mut buffer = Vec::with_capacity(bytes);
+                    buffer.set_len(bytes);
+                    buffer
+                };
+                //read handle into buffer
+                self.cursor
+                    .read_exact(&mut buffer)
+                    .map_or(None, |_| Some(buffer))
             }
-            //the take above consumes the struct value
-            //we add this back in with the takes into_inner method
-            self.cursor = handle.into_inner();
-        } else {
-            //read handle into buffer
-            if self.cursor.read_to_end(&mut buffer).is_err() {
-                return None;
+            None => {
+                let mut buffer = Vec::new();
+                //read handle into buffer
+                if self.cursor.read_to_end(&mut buffer).is_err() {
+                    None
+                } else {
+                    Some(buffer)
+                }
             }
-        };
-
-        Some(buffer)
+        }
     }
 
     fn tell(&self) -> u64 {
@@ -209,7 +213,7 @@ impl PyStringIORef {
     //If k is undefined || k == -1, then we read all bytes until the end of the file.
     //This also increments the stream position by the value of k
     fn read(self, bytes: OptionalOption<i64>, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult {
-        let data = match self.buffer(vm)?.read(byte_count(bytes)) {
+        let data = match self.buffer(vm)?.read(bytes.flatten()) {
             Some(value) => value,
             None => Vec::new(),
         };
@@ -263,11 +267,12 @@ fn string_io_new(
     _args: StringIOArgs,
     vm: &VirtualMachine,
 ) -> PyResult<PyStringIORef> {
-    let flatten = object.flatten();
-    let input = flatten.map_or_else(Vec::new, |v| objstr::borrow_value(&v).as_bytes().to_vec());
+    let raw_bytes = object
+        .flatten()
+        .map_or_else(Vec::new, |v| objstr::borrow_value(&v).as_bytes().to_vec());
 
     PyStringIO {
-        buffer: PyRwLock::new(BufferedIO::new(Cursor::new(input))),
+        buffer: PyRwLock::new(BufferedIO::new(Cursor::new(raw_bytes))),
         closed: AtomicCell::new(false),
     }
     .into_ref_with_type(vm, cls)
@@ -312,7 +317,7 @@ impl PyBytesIORef {
     //If k is undefined || k == -1, then we read all bytes until the end of the file.
     //This also increments the stream position by the value of k
     fn read(self, bytes: OptionalOption<i64>, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult {
-        match self.buffer(vm)?.read(byte_count(bytes)) {
+        match self.buffer(vm)?.read(bytes.flatten()) {
             Some(value) => Ok(vm.ctx.new_bytes(value)),
             None => Err(vm.new_value_error("Error Retrieving Value".to_owned())),
         }
@@ -363,10 +368,9 @@ fn bytes_io_new(
     object: OptionalArg<Option<PyBytesRef>>,
     vm: &VirtualMachine,
 ) -> PyResult<PyBytesIORef> {
-    let raw_bytes = match object {
-        OptionalArg::Present(Some(ref input)) => input.get_value().to_vec(),
-        _ => vec![],
-    };
+    let raw_bytes = object
+        .flatten()
+        .map_or_else(Vec::new, |input| input.get_value().to_vec());
 
     PyBytesIO {
         buffer: PyRwLock::new(BufferedIO::new(Cursor::new(raw_bytes))),
@@ -1446,7 +1450,7 @@ mod tests {
             cursor: Cursor::new(data.clone()),
         };
 
-        assert_eq!(buffered.read(bytes).unwrap(), data);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.read(Some(bytes)).unwrap(), data);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -1458,7 +1462,7 @@ mod tests {
         };
 
         assert_eq!(buffered.seek(SeekFrom::Start(count)).unwrap(), count);
-        assert_eq!(buffered.read(count.clone() as i64).unwrap(), vec![3, 4]);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.read(Some(count as i64)).unwrap(), vec![3, 4]);
     }
 
     #[test]