diff --git a/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_core.go b/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_core.go
index 47f8f4c592..d22c3e04e0 100644
--- a/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_core.go
+++ b/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_core.go
@@ -251,15 +251,6 @@ func releaseRequestBuf(bp *[]byte) {
 	requestBufPool.Put(bp)
 }
 
-func (c *IggyTcpClient) read(expectedSize int) (int, []byte, error) {
-	buffer := make([]byte, expectedSize)
-	n, err := c.readInto(buffer)
-	if err != nil {
-		return n, buffer[:n], err
-	}
-	return n, buffer, nil
-}
-
 // readInto reads exactly len(buf) bytes from the connection into buf.
 func (c *IggyTcpClient) readInto(buf []byte) (int, error) {
 	var totalRead int
@@ -290,17 +281,21 @@ func (c *IggyTcpClient) write(payload []byte) (int, error) {
 // do sends the command and returns the response body. Commands implementing
 // the appender interface encode directly into a pooled buffer.
 func (c *IggyTcpClient) do(ctx context.Context, cmd command.Command) ([]byte, error) {
+	return c.doInto(ctx, cmd, nil)
+}
+
+func (c *IggyTcpClient) doInto(ctx context.Context, cmd command.Command, buf []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	bp := acquireRequestBuf()
-	buf, err := encodeWireRequest(*bp, cmd)
+	wire, err := encodeWireRequest(*bp, cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		releaseRequestBuf(bp)
-		return nil, err
+		return buf, err
 	}
-	*bp = buf
+	*bp = wire
 
-	resp, err := c.sendWireAndFetchResponse(ctx, buf)
+	buf, err = c.sendWireAndFetchResponseInto(ctx, wire, buf)
 	releaseRequestBuf(bp)
-	return resp, err
+	return buf, err
 }
 
 // encodeWireRequest writes the wire-format request (4-byte length, 4-byte
@@ -331,23 +326,26 @@ func encodeWireRequest(buf []byte, cmd command.Command) ([]byte, error) {
 // sendWireAndFetchResponse sends a pre-built wire payload (length header,
 // command code, body) and returns the response body.
 func (c *IggyTcpClient) sendWireAndFetchResponse(ctx context.Context, wirePayload []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	return c.sendWireAndFetchResponseInto(ctx, wirePayload, nil)
+}
+
+func (c *IggyTcpClient) sendWireAndFetchResponseInto(ctx context.Context, wirePayload, buf []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	if ctx == nil {
-		return nil, ierror.ErrNilContext
+		return buf, ierror.ErrNilContext
 	}
 	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return buf, err
 	}
 
 	c.mtx.Lock()
 	defer c.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return buf, err
 	}
 
-	// fast path for non-cancellable ctx.
 	if ctx.Done() == nil {
-		return c.sendLocked(wirePayload)
+		return c.sendLockedInto(wirePayload, buf)
 	}
 
 	conn := c.conn
@@ -366,9 +364,8 @@ func (c *IggyTcpClient) sendWireAndFetchResponse(ctx context.Context, wirePayloa
 	})
 	defer stop()
 
-	result, err := c.sendLocked(wirePayload)
+	result, err := c.sendLockedInto(wirePayload, buf)
 
-	// clear the deadline of connection.
 	deadlineMu.Lock()
 	cleared = true
 	_ = conn.SetDeadline(time.Time{})
@@ -376,40 +373,44 @@ func (c *IggyTcpClient) sendWireAndFetchResponse(ctx context.Context, wirePayloa
 
 	if err != nil {
 		if ctxErr := ctx.Err(); ctxErr != nil {
-			return nil, ctxErr
+			return result, ctxErr
 		}
-		return nil, err
+		return result, err
 	}
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-func (c *IggyTcpClient) sendLocked(wirePayload []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+func (c *IggyTcpClient) sendLockedInto(wirePayload, buf []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	if _, err := c.write(wirePayload); err != nil {
 		c.invalidateConnLocked()
-		return nil, err
+		return buf, err
 	}
 
 	if _, err := c.readInto(c.respHeader[:]); err != nil {
 		c.invalidateConnLocked()
-		return nil, err
+		return buf, err
 	}
 
 	if status := ierror.Code(binary.LittleEndian.Uint32(c.respHeader[0:4])); status != 0 {
-		return nil, ierror.FromCode(status)
+		return buf, ierror.FromCode(status)
 	}
 
 	length := int(binary.LittleEndian.Uint32(c.respHeader[4:]))
 	if length <= 1 {
-		return []byte{}, nil
+		return buf[:0], nil
 	}
 
-	_, buffer, err := c.read(length)
-	if err != nil {
+	if cap(buf) < length {
+		buf = make([]byte, length)
+	}
+	buf = buf[:length]
+
+	if _, err := c.readInto(buf); err != nil {
 		c.invalidateConnLocked()
-		return nil, err
+		return buf, err
 	}
 
-	return buffer, nil
+	return buf, nil
 }
 
 // invalidateConnLocked closes the connection and marks it as disconnected
diff --git a/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_core_test.go b/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_core_test.go
index d992010bf9..2a8014274b 100644
--- a/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_core_test.go
+++ b/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_core_test.go
@@ -254,6 +254,36 @@ func TestSendAndFetchResponse_SuccessWithBody(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestSendAndFetchResponse_EmptyBodyAfterNonEmpty guards against a regression
+// where sendLockedInto returned the buffer unchanged (still holding prior data)
+// when the server replied with length <= 1, causing callers to deserialize stale
+// content as ghost messages.
+func TestSendAndFetchResponse_EmptyBodyAfterNonEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	c, serverConn := newTestClient(t)
+
+	body := []byte("stale data that must not leak")
+
+	// First call: server returns a non-empty body.
+	go serverRespond(t, serverConn, 0, body)
+	first, err := c.sendWireAndFetchResponse(context.Background(), emptyWireReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("first call: unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(first, body) {
+		t.Fatalf("first call: got %q, want %q", first, body)
+	}
+
+	// Second call: server returns an empty body (length == 0).
+	go serverRespond(t, serverConn, 0, nil)
+	second, err := c.sendWireAndFetchResponse(context.Background(), emptyWireReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second call: unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(second) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("second call: got %d bytes (%q), want empty — stale buffer leaked", len(second), second)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestNewIggyTcpClient_StoresProvidedLogger(t *testing.T) {
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	logger := slog.New(slog.NewTextHandler(&buf, &slog.HandlerOptions{
diff --git a/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_messaging.go b/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_messaging.go
index 710cb5b0b4..90a3885953 100644
--- a/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_messaging.go
+++ b/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_messaging.go
@@ -60,7 +60,24 @@ func (c *IggyTcpClient) PollMessages(
 	autoCommit bool,
 	partitionId *uint32,
 ) (*iggcon.PolledMessage, error) {
-	buffer, err := c.do(ctx, &command.PollMessages{
+	polled, _, err := c.PollMessagesInto(ctx, streamId, topicId, consumer, strategy, count, autoCommit, partitionId, nil)
+	return polled, err
+}
+
+// Payload and UserHeaders in the returned messages alias buf; copy out bytes
+// you need before the next call.
+func (c *IggyTcpClient) PollMessagesInto(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	streamId iggcon.Identifier,
+	topicId iggcon.Identifier,
+	consumer iggcon.Consumer,
+	strategy iggcon.PollingStrategy,
+	count uint32,
+	autoCommit bool,
+	partitionId *uint32,
+	buf []byte,
+) (*iggcon.PolledMessage, []byte, error) {
+	buf, err := c.doInto(ctx, &command.PollMessages{
 		StreamId:    streamId,
 		TopicId:     topicId,
 		Consumer:    consumer,
@@ -68,10 +85,11 @@ func (c *IggyTcpClient) PollMessages(
 		Strategy:    strategy,
 		Count:       count,
 		PartitionId: partitionId,
-	})
+	}, buf)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, buf, err
 	}
 
-	return binaryserialization.DeserializeFetchMessagesResponse(buffer, c.MessageCompression)
+	polled, err := binaryserialization.DeserializeFetchMessagesResponse(buf, c.MessageCompression)
+	return polled, buf, err
 }
diff --git a/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_messaging_test.go b/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_messaging_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..64c616be63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/foreign/go/client/tcp/tcp_messaging_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+// Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+// or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+// distributed with this work for additional information
+// regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+// to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+// "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+// with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+// specific language governing permissions and limitations
+// under the License.
+
+package tcp
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"testing"
+	"unsafe"
+
+	iggcon "github.com/apache/iggy/foreign/go/contracts"
+)
+
+// buildPolledMessageResponse returns a valid PollMessages response body
+// containing a single message with the given payload.
+func buildPolledMessageResponse(payload []byte) []byte {
+	hdr := iggcon.MessageHeader{PayloadLength: uint32(len(payload))}
+	hdrBytes := hdr.ToBytes()
+
+	// [partitionId:4][currentOffset:8][messageCount:4][header:64][payload:N]
+	buf := make([]byte, 4+8+4+len(hdrBytes)+len(payload))
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(buf[0:4], 1)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint64(buf[4:12], 0)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(buf[12:16], 1)
+	copy(buf[16:], hdrBytes)
+	copy(buf[16+len(hdrBytes):], payload)
+	return buf
+}
+
+func basePtr(b []byte) uintptr {
+	if len(b) == 0 {
+		return 0
+	}
+	return uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&b[0]))
+}
+
+func TestPollMessagesInto_given_repeated_polls_when_payload_size_is_constant_should_reuse_buffer(t *testing.T) {
+	c, serverConn := newTestClient(t)
+
+	payload := []byte("hello iggy")
+	responseBody := buildPolledMessageResponse(payload)
+
+	streamId, _ := iggcon.NewIdentifier(uint32(1))
+	topicId, _ := iggcon.NewIdentifier(uint32(1))
+	consumerId, _ := iggcon.NewIdentifier(uint32(1))
+
+	var buf []byte
+	var firstPtr uintptr
+
+	for i := range 3 {
+		go serverRespond(t, serverConn, 0, responseBody)
+
+		var polled *iggcon.PolledMessage
+		var err error
+		polled, buf, err = c.PollMessagesInto(
+			context.Background(),
+			streamId,
+			topicId,
+			iggcon.NewSingleConsumer(consumerId),
+			iggcon.NextPollingStrategy(),
+			1,
+			false,
+			nil,
+			buf,
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("poll %d: unexpected error: %v", i, err)
+		}
+		if len(polled.Messages) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("poll %d: expected 1 message, got %d", i, len(polled.Messages))
+		}
+		if string(polled.Messages[0].Payload) != string(payload) {
+			t.Errorf("poll %d: got payload %q, want %q", i, polled.Messages[0].Payload, payload)
+		}
+
+		ptr := basePtr(buf)
+		if i == 0 {
+			firstPtr = ptr
+		} else if ptr != firstPtr {
+			t.Errorf("poll %d: buffer reallocated (addr changed from %x to %x)", i, firstPtr, ptr)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/foreign/go/contracts/client.go b/foreign/go/contracts/client.go
index 144cc17e3e..198a88c1fb 100644
--- a/foreign/go/contracts/client.go
+++ b/foreign/go/contracts/client.go
@@ -114,6 +114,20 @@ type Client interface {
 		partitionId *uint32,
 	) (*PolledMessage, error)
 
+	// Payload and UserHeaders in the returned messages alias buf; copy out bytes
+	// you need before calling PollMessagesInto again.
+	PollMessagesInto(
+		ctx context.Context,
+		streamId Identifier,
+		topicId Identifier,
+		consumer Consumer,
+		strategy PollingStrategy,
+		count uint32,
+		autoCommit bool,
+		partitionId *uint32,
+		buf []byte,
+	) (*PolledMessage, []byte, error)
+
 	// StoreConsumerOffset store the consumer offset for a specific consumer or consumer group for the given stream and topic by unique IDs or names.
 	// Authentication is required, and the permission to poll the messages.
 	StoreConsumerOffset(