diff --git a/buffer.c b/buffer.c
index 3e93a035..82835975 100644
--- a/buffer.c
+++ b/buffer.c
@@ -220,9 +220,12 @@ evbuffer_chain_insert(struct evbuffer *buf, struct evbuffer_chain *chain)
 	if (buf->first == NULL) {
 		buf->first = buf->last = chain;
 		buf->previous_to_last = NULL;
+		buf->last_with_data = chain;
 	} else {
 		/* the last chain is empty so we can just drop it */
 		if (buf->last->off == 0 && !CHAIN_PINNED(buf->last)) {
+			if (buf->last_with_data == buf->last)
+				buf->last_with_data = chain;
 			evbuffer_chain_free(buf->last);
 			buf->previous_to_last->next = chain;
 			buf->last = chain;
@@ -231,6 +234,8 @@ evbuffer_chain_insert(struct evbuffer *buf, struct evbuffer_chain *chain)
 			buf->last->next = chain;
 			buf->last = chain;
 		}
+		if (chain->off)
+			buf->last_with_data = chain;
 	}
 
 	buf->total_len += chain->off;
@@ -531,6 +536,22 @@ done:
 
 }
 
+static int
+advance_last_with_data(struct evbuffer *buf)
+{
+	int n = 0;
+	ASSERT_EVBUFFER_LOCKED(buf);
+
+	if (!buf->last_with_data)
+		return 0;
+
+	while (buf->last_with_data->next && buf->last_with_data->next->off) {
+		buf->last_with_data = buf->last_with_data->next;
+		++n;
+	}
+	return n;
+}
+
 int
 evbuffer_commit_space(struct evbuffer *buf,
     struct evbuffer_iovec *vec, int n_vecs)
@@ -578,6 +599,7 @@ evbuffer_commit_space(struct evbuffer *buf,
 	buf->total_len += added;
 	buf->n_add_for_cb += added;
 	result = 0;
+	advance_last_with_data(buf);
 	evbuffer_invoke_callbacks(buf);
 
 done:
@@ -590,6 +612,7 @@ done:
 		(dst)->first = NULL;		\
 		(dst)->last = NULL;		\
 		(dst)->previous_to_last = NULL; \
+		(dst)->last_with_data = NULL;	\
 		(dst)->total_len = 0;		\
 	} while (0)
 
@@ -598,6 +621,7 @@ done:
 		ASSERT_EVBUFFER_LOCKED(src);			   \
 		(dst)->first = (src)->first;			   \
 		(dst)->previous_to_last = (src)->previous_to_last; \
+		(dst)->last_with_data = (src)->last_with_data;	   \
 		(dst)->last = (src)->last;			   \
 		(dst)->total_len = (src)->total_len;		   \
 	} while (0)
@@ -608,6 +632,8 @@ done:
 		(dst)->last->next = (src)->first;			\
 		(dst)->previous_to_last = (src)->previous_to_last ?	\
 		    (src)->previous_to_last : (dst)->last;		\
+		if ((src)->last_with_data)				\
+			(dst)->last_with_data = (src)->last_with_data;	\
 		(dst)->last = (src)->last;				\
 		(dst)->total_len += (src)->total_len;			\
 	} while (0)
@@ -620,9 +646,10 @@ done:
 		(dst)->total_len += (src)->total_len;		   \
 		if ((dst)->previous_to_last == NULL)		   \
 			(dst)->previous_to_last = (src)->last;	   \
+		if ((dst)->last_with_data == NULL)		   \
+			(dst)->last_with_data = (src)->last_with_data; \
 	} while (0)
 
-
 int
 evbuffer_add_buffer(struct evbuffer *outbuf, struct evbuffer *inbuf)
 {
@@ -734,6 +761,8 @@ evbuffer_drain(struct evbuffer *buf, size_t len)
 		for (chain = buf->first; len >= chain->off; chain = next) {
 			next = chain->next;
 			len -= chain->off;
+			if (chain == buf->last_with_data)
+				buf->last_with_data = next;
 
 			if (len == 0 && CHAIN_PINNED_R(chain))
 				break;
@@ -789,6 +818,9 @@ evbuffer_remove(struct evbuffer *buf, void *data_out, size_t datlen)
 		data += chain->off;
 		datlen -= chain->off;
 
+		if (chain == buf->last_with_data)
+			buf->last_with_data = chain->next;
+
 		tmp = chain;
 		chain = chain->next;
 		evbuffer_chain_free(tmp);
@@ -855,6 +887,10 @@ evbuffer_remove_buffer(struct evbuffer *src, struct evbuffer *dst,
 
 	/* removes chains if possible */
 	while (chain->off <= datlen) {
+		/* We can't remove the last with data from src unless we
+		 * remove all chains, in which case we would have done the if
+		 * block above */
+		EVUTIL_ASSERT(chain != src->last_with_data);
 		nread += chain->off;
 		datlen -= chain->off;
 		previous_to_previous = previous;
@@ -871,6 +907,7 @@ evbuffer_remove_buffer(struct evbuffer *src, struct evbuffer *dst,
 		}
 		dst->previous_to_last = previous_to_previous;
 		dst->last = previous;
+		dst->last_with_data = dst->last;
 		previous->next = NULL;
 		src->first = chain;
 		if (src->first == src->last)
@@ -907,6 +944,7 @@ evbuffer_pullup(struct evbuffer *buf, ev_ssize_t size)
 	struct evbuffer_chain *chain, *next, *tmp;
 	unsigned char *buffer, *result = NULL;
 	ev_ssize_t remaining;
+	int removed_last_with_data = 0;
 
 	EVBUFFER_LOCK(buf);
 
@@ -976,6 +1014,8 @@ evbuffer_pullup(struct evbuffer *buf, ev_ssize_t size)
 		memcpy(buffer, chain->buffer + chain->misalign, chain->off);
 		size -= chain->off;
 		buffer += chain->off;
+		if (chain ==  buf->last_with_data)
+			removed_last_with_data = 1;
 
 		evbuffer_chain_free(chain);
 	}
@@ -994,6 +1034,13 @@ evbuffer_pullup(struct evbuffer *buf, ev_ssize_t size)
 
 	tmp->next = chain;
 
+	if (removed_last_with_data) {
+		int n;
+		buf->last_with_data = buf->first;
+		n = advance_last_with_data(buf);
+		EVUTIL_ASSERT(n == 0);
+	}
+
 	result = (tmp->buffer + tmp->misalign);
 
 done:
@@ -1382,6 +1429,11 @@ evbuffer_prepend(struct evbuffer *buf, const void *data, size_t datlen)
 	buf->first = tmp;
 	if (buf->previous_to_last == NULL)
 		buf->previous_to_last = tmp;
+	if (buf->last_with_data == NULL)
+		buf->last_with_data = tmp;
+	else if (chain && buf->last_with_data == chain && 0==chain->off)
+		buf->last_with_data = tmp;
+
 	tmp->next = chain;
 
 	tmp->off = datlen;
@@ -1465,6 +1517,8 @@ evbuffer_expand(struct evbuffer *buf, size_t datlen)
 	if (buf->previous_to_last)
 		buf->previous_to_last->next = tmp;
 	buf->last = tmp;
+	if (buf->last->off || buf->last_with_data == chain)
+		buf->last_with_data = tmp;
 
 	evbuffer_chain_free(chain);
 
@@ -1528,8 +1582,9 @@ _evbuffer_expand_fast(struct evbuffer *buf, size_t datlen)
 		if (buf->previous_to_last)
 			buf->previous_to_last->next = tmp;
 		buf->last = tmp;
+		if (chain == buf->last_with_data)
+			buf->last_with_data = tmp;
 		evbuffer_chain_free(chain);
-
 	} else {
 		/* Add a new chunk big enough to hold what won't fit
 		 * in chunk. */
diff --git a/evbuffer-internal.h b/evbuffer-internal.h
index 894dc2f1..ff599077 100644
--- a/evbuffer-internal.h
+++ b/evbuffer-internal.h
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ struct evbuffer {
 	 * repurposed accordingly. */
 	struct evbuffer_chain *previous_to_last;
 
+	/** The last chain that has any data in it.  If all chains in the
+	 * buffer are empty, points to the first chain */
+	struct evbuffer_chain *last_with_data;
+
 	/** Total amount of bytes stored in all chains.*/
 	size_t total_len;
 
diff --git a/test/regress_buffer.c b/test/regress_buffer.c
index a89b818a..d3db462e 100644
--- a/test/regress_buffer.c
+++ b/test/regress_buffer.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ _evbuffer_validate(struct evbuffer *buf)
 {
 	struct evbuffer_chain *chain, *previous = NULL;
 	size_t sum = 0;
+	int found_last_with_data = 0;
 
 	if (buf->first == NULL) {
 		tt_assert(buf->last == NULL);
@@ -81,6 +82,8 @@ _evbuffer_validate(struct evbuffer *buf)
 
 	chain = buf->first;
 	while (chain != NULL) {
+		if (chain == buf->last_with_data)
+			found_last_with_data = 1;
 		sum += chain->off;
 		if (chain->next == NULL) {
 			tt_assert(buf->previous_to_last == previous);
@@ -91,6 +94,23 @@ _evbuffer_validate(struct evbuffer *buf)
 		chain = chain->next;
 	}
 
+	if (buf->first)
+		tt_assert(buf->last_with_data);
+	if (buf->last_with_data) {
+		tt_assert(found_last_with_data);
+		chain = buf->last_with_data;
+		if (chain->off == 0 || buf->total_len == 0) {
+			tt_assert(chain->off == 0)
+			tt_assert(chain == buf->first);
+			tt_assert(buf->total_len == 0);
+		}
+		chain = chain->next;
+		while (chain != NULL) {
+			tt_assert(chain->off == 0);
+			chain = chain->next;
+		}
+	}
+
 	tt_assert(sum == buf->total_len);
 	return 1;
  end:
@@ -239,8 +259,10 @@ test_evbuffer_reserve2(void *ptr)
 	cp = v[0].iov_base;
 	remaining = v[0].iov_len - 512;
 	v[0].iov_len = 512;
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 	tt_int_op(0, ==, evbuffer_commit_space(buf, v, 1));
 	tt_int_op(evbuffer_get_length(buf), ==, 512);
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 
 	/* Ask for another same-chunk request, in an existing chunk. Use 8
 	 * bytes of it. */
@@ -253,6 +275,7 @@ test_evbuffer_reserve2(void *ptr)
 	tt_int_op(0, ==, evbuffer_commit_space(buf, v, 1));
 	tt_int_op(evbuffer_get_length(buf), ==, 520);
 	remaining -= 8;
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 
 	/* Now ask for a request that will be split. Use only one byte of it,
 	   though. */
@@ -268,6 +291,7 @@ test_evbuffer_reserve2(void *ptr)
 	tt_int_op(0, ==, evbuffer_commit_space(buf, v, 1));
 	tt_int_op(evbuffer_get_length(buf), ==, 521);
 	remaining -= 1;
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 
 	/* Now ask for a request that will be split. Use some of the first
 	 * part and some of the second. */
@@ -283,7 +307,7 @@ test_evbuffer_reserve2(void *ptr)
 	v[1].iov_len = 60;
 	tt_int_op(0, ==, evbuffer_commit_space(buf, v, 2));
 	tt_int_op(evbuffer_get_length(buf), ==, 981);
-
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 
 	/* Now peek to make sure stuff got made how we like. */
 	memset(v,0,sizeof(v));
@@ -358,6 +382,7 @@ test_evbuffer_reference(void *ptr)
 
 	tt_assert(!memcmp(evbuffer_pullup(dst, strlen(data)),
 			  data, strlen(data)));
+	evbuffer_validate(dst);
 
  end:
 	evbuffer_free(dst);
@@ -394,6 +419,7 @@ test_evbuffer_add_file(void *ptr)
 	if (memcmp(compare, data, strlen(data)))
 		tt_abort_msg("Data from add_file differs.");
 
+	evbuffer_validate(src);
  end:
 	EVUTIL_CLOSESOCKET(pair[0]);
 	EVUTIL_CLOSESOCKET(pair[1]);
@@ -711,6 +737,7 @@ test_evbuffer_ptr_set(void *ptr)
 	v[0].iov_len = 5000;
 	memset(v[0].iov_base, 1, v[0].iov_len);
 	evbuffer_commit_space(buf, v, 1);
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 
 	evbuffer_reserve_space(buf, 4000, v, 1);
 	v[0].iov_len = 4000;
@@ -721,6 +748,7 @@ test_evbuffer_ptr_set(void *ptr)
 	v[0].iov_len = 3000;
 	memset(v[0].iov_base, 3, v[0].iov_len);
 	evbuffer_commit_space(buf, v, 1);
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 
 	tt_int_op(evbuffer_get_length(buf), ==, 12000);
 
@@ -867,7 +895,9 @@ test_evbuffer_callbacks(void *ptr)
 	evbuffer_add_printf(buf, "This will not.");
 	tt_str_op(evbuffer_pullup(buf, -1), ==, "This will not.");
 
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 	evbuffer_drain(buf, evbuffer_get_length(buf));
+	evbuffer_validate(buf);
 
 #if 0
 	/* Now let's try a suspended callback. */
@@ -938,6 +968,7 @@ test_evbuffer_add_reference(void *ptr)
 	/* Make sure that prepending does not meddle with immutable data */
 	tt_int_op(evbuffer_prepend(buf1, "I have ", 7), ==, 0);
 	tt_int_op(memcmp(chunk1, "If you", 6), ==, 0);
+	evbuffer_validate(buf1);
 
 	/* Make sure that when the chunk is over, the callback is invoked. */
 	evbuffer_drain(buf1, 7); /* Remove prepended stuff. */
@@ -949,6 +980,7 @@ test_evbuffer_add_reference(void *ptr)
 	tt_assert(ref_done_cb_called_with_data == chunk1);
 	tt_assert(ref_done_cb_called_with_len == len1);
 	tt_int_op(ref_done_cb_called_count, ==, 1);
+	evbuffer_validate(buf1);
 
 	/* Drain some of the remaining chunk, then add it to another buffer */
 	evbuffer_drain(buf1, 6); /* Remove the ", you ". */
@@ -964,6 +996,7 @@ test_evbuffer_add_reference(void *ptr)
 	evbuffer_drain(buf2, evbuffer_get_length(buf2));
 	tt_int_op(ref_done_cb_called_count, ==, 2);
 	tt_assert(ref_done_cb_called_with == (void*)222);
+	evbuffer_validate(buf2);
 
 	/* Now add more stuff to buf1 and make sure that it gets removed on
 	 * free. */