diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/ProtocolUtils.java b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/ProtocolUtils.java
index baa5bc176..2804a978a 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/ProtocolUtils.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/ProtocolUtils.java
@@ -67,21 +67,15 @@ public enum ProtocolUtils {
    */
   public static int readVarIntSafely(ByteBuf buf) {
     int i = 0;
-    int j = 0;
-    while (true) {
-      if (!buf.isReadable()) {
-        return Integer.MIN_VALUE;
-      }
+    int maxRead = Math.min(5, buf.readableBytes());
+    for (int j = 0; j < maxRead; j++) {
       int k = buf.readByte();
-      i |= (k & 0x7F) << j++ * 7;
-      if (j > 5) {
-        return Integer.MIN_VALUE;
-      }
+      i |= (k & 0x7F) << j * 7;
       if ((k & 0x80) != 128) {
-        break;
+        return i;
       }
     }
-    return i;
+    return Integer.MIN_VALUE;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/netty/MinecraftVarintFrameDecoder.java b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/netty/MinecraftVarintFrameDecoder.java
index 18e35898d..3415c12da 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/netty/MinecraftVarintFrameDecoder.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/netty/MinecraftVarintFrameDecoder.java
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ public class MinecraftVarintFrameDecoder extends ByteToMessageDecoder {
         if (in.isReadable(minimumRead)) {
           out.add(in.retainedSlice(varintEnd + 1, reader.readVarint));
           in.skipBytes(minimumRead);
-        } else {
-          return;
         }
       }
     } else if (reader.result == DecodeResult.TOO_BIG) {