diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 34ed9fbae2c42..d9b2b88f1798c 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
     "tfexec",
     "tfstate",
     "unconvert",
+    "webrtc",
     "xerrors",
     "yamux"
   ]
diff --git a/peer/channel.go b/peer/channel.go
index b01154bcfaa25..d1f4930fe31f7 100644
--- a/peer/channel.go
+++ b/peer/channel.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package peer
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"context"
 	"io"
 	"net"
@@ -78,7 +79,8 @@ type Channel struct {
 	dc   *webrtc.DataChannel
 	// This field can be nil. It becomes set after the DataChannel
 	// has been opened and is detached.
-	rwc datachannel.ReadWriteCloser
+	rwc    datachannel.ReadWriteCloser
+	reader io.Reader
 
 	closed     chan struct{}
 	closeMutex sync.Mutex
@@ -130,6 +132,21 @@ func (c *Channel) init() {
 			_ = c.closeWithError(xerrors.Errorf("detach: %w", err))
 			return
 		}
+		// pion/webrtc will return an io.ErrShortBuffer when a read
+		// is triggerred with a buffer size less than the chunks written.
+		//
+		// This makes sense when considering UDP connections, because
+		// bufferring of data that has no transmit guarantees is likely
+		// to cause unexpected behavior.
+		//
+		// When ordered, this adds a bufio.Reader. This ensures additional
+		// data on TCP-like connections can be read in parts, while still
+		// being bufferred.
+		if c.opts.Unordered {
+			c.reader = c.rwc
+		} else {
+			c.reader = bufio.NewReader(c.rwc)
+		}
 		close(c.opened)
 	})
 
@@ -181,7 +198,7 @@ func (c *Channel) Read(bytes []byte) (int, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	bytesRead, err := c.rwc.Read(bytes)
+	bytesRead, err := c.reader.Read(bytes)
 	if err != nil {
 		if c.isClosed() {
 			return 0, c.closeError
diff --git a/peer/conn_test.go b/peer/conn_test.go
index 519e5f3b743db..644390ba2ea68 100644
--- a/peer/conn_test.go
+++ b/peer/conn_test.go
@@ -267,6 +267,27 @@ func TestConn(t *testing.T) {
 		_, err := client.Ping()
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 	})
+
+	t.Run("ShortBuffer", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		client, server, _ := createPair(t)
+		exchange(client, server)
+		go func() {
+			channel, err := client.Dial(context.Background(), "test", nil)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = channel.Write([]byte{1, 2})
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+		}()
+		channel, err := server.Accept(context.Background())
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		data := make([]byte, 1)
+		_, err = channel.Read(data)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Equal(t, uint8(0x1), data[0])
+		_, err = channel.Read(data)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Equal(t, uint8(0x2), data[0])
+	})
 }
 
 func createPair(t *testing.T) (client *peer.Conn, server *peer.Conn, wan *vnet.Router) {