diff --git a/src/main/java/software/amazon/eventstream/MessageDecoder.java b/src/main/java/software/amazon/eventstream/MessageDecoder.java
index a9701f1..e6d1d64 100644
--- a/src/main/java/software/amazon/eventstream/MessageDecoder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/software/amazon/eventstream/MessageDecoder.java
@@ -25,17 +25,17 @@
  * messages. Instances of this class are not thread-safe.
  */
 public final class MessageDecoder {
-
-    /**
-     * Initial buffer size is 2MB. Will grow as needed to accommodate larger messages.
-     */
-    private static final int INITIAL_BUFFER_SIZE = 2048 * 1024;
+    private static final int INITIAL_BUFFER_SIZE = 1024 * 1024;
+    private static final int BUFFER_SHRINK_COUNT = 100;
 
     private final Consumer<Message> messageConsumer;
     private List<Message> bufferedOutput;
     private ByteBuffer buf;
     private Prelude currentPrelude;
 
+    // tracks how many times the buffer was bigger than it needed to be
+    private int countOversized = 0;
+
     /**
      * Creates a {@code MessageDecoder} instance that will buffer messages internally as they are decoded. Decoded
      * messages can be obtained by calling {@link #getDecodedMessages()}.
@@ -115,10 +115,17 @@ public MessageDecoder feed(ByteBuffer byteBuffer) {
                 if (readView.remaining() >= 15) {
                     currentPrelude = Prelude.decode(readView.duplicate());
                     if (buf.capacity() < currentPrelude.getTotalLength()) {
-                        // Don't have enough capacity to hold this message, grow the buffer
-                        buf = ByteBuffer.allocate(currentPrelude.getTotalLength());
+                        int new_size = Integer.highestOneBit(currentPrelude.getTotalLength()) << 1;
+                        // System.out.println("increasing buffer from " + buf.capacity() + " to " + new_size + " to accomodate " + currentPrelude.getTotalLength());
+                        // System.out.flush();
+                        buf = ByteBuffer.allocate(new_size);
                         buf.put(readView);
                         readView = updateReadView();
+                        countOversized = 0;
+                    } else if (currentPrelude.getTotalLength() < buf.capacity() / 2) {
+                        countOversized++;
+                    } else {
+                        countOversized = 0;
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -134,8 +141,22 @@ public MessageDecoder feed(ByteBuffer byteBuffer) {
 
                 // If we have enough data to decode the message do so and reset the buffer for the next message
                 if (readView.remaining() >= currentPrelude.getTotalLength()) {
+                    if (currentPrelude.getTotalLength() < buf.capacity() / 2) {
+                        countOversized++;
+                    } else {
+                        countOversized = 0;
+                    }
                     messageConsumer.accept(Message.decode(currentPrelude, readView));
-                    buf.clear();
+
+                    if (countOversized >= BUFFER_SHRINK_COUNT) {
+                        countOversized = 0;
+                        int new_size = buf.capacity() / 2;
+                        // System.out.println("decreasing buffer capacity from " + buf.capacity() + " to " + new_size);
+                        // System.out.flush();
+                        buf = ByteBuffer.allocate(new_size);
+                    } else {
+                        buf.clear();
+                    }
                     currentPrelude = null;
                 }
             }