diff --git a/conn_linux.go b/conn_linux.go
index 61af3a2..61aa592 100644
--- a/conn_linux.go
+++ b/conn_linux.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ type socket interface {
 	SetWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error
 	SetSockoptSockFprog(level, opt int, fprog *unix.SockFprog) error
 	SetSockoptInt(level, opt, value int) error
+	GetSockoptInt(level, opt int) (int, error)
 }
 
 // dial is the entry point for Dial.  dial opens a netlink socket using
@@ -276,21 +277,67 @@ func (c *conn) SetWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 // SetReadBuffer sets the size of the operating system's receive buffer
 // associated with the Conn.
 func (c *conn) SetReadBuffer(bytes int) error {
-	return os.NewSyscallError("setsockopt", c.s.SetSockoptInt(
+	// First try SO_RCVBUFFORCE. Given necessary permissions this syscall ignores limits.
+	err := os.NewSyscallError("setsockopt", c.s.SetSockoptInt(
 		unix.SOL_SOCKET,
-		unix.SO_RCVBUF,
+		unix.SO_RCVBUFFORCE,
 		bytes,
 	))
+	if err != nil {
+		// If SO_SNDBUFFORCE fails, try SO_RCVBUF
+		err = os.NewSyscallError("setsockopt", c.s.SetSockoptInt(
+			unix.SOL_SOCKET,
+			unix.SO_RCVBUF,
+			bytes,
+		))
+	}
+	return err
 }
 
 // SetReadBuffer sets the size of the operating system's transmit buffer
 // associated with the Conn.
 func (c *conn) SetWriteBuffer(bytes int) error {
-	return os.NewSyscallError("setsockopt", c.s.SetSockoptInt(
+	// First try SO_SNDBUFFORCE. Given necessary permissions this syscall ignores limits.
+	err := os.NewSyscallError("setsockopt", c.s.SetSockoptInt(
 		unix.SOL_SOCKET,
-		unix.SO_SNDBUF,
+		unix.SO_SNDBUFFORCE,
 		bytes,
 	))
+	if err != nil {
+		// If SO_SNDBUFFORCE fails, try SO_SNDBUF
+		err = os.NewSyscallError("setsockopt", c.s.SetSockoptInt(
+			unix.SOL_SOCKET,
+			unix.SO_SNDBUF,
+			bytes,
+		))
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+// GetReadBuffer retrieves the size of the operating system's receive buffer
+// associated with the Conn.
+func (c *conn) GetReadBuffer() (int, error) {
+	value, err := c.s.GetSockoptInt(
+		unix.SOL_SOCKET,
+		unix.SO_RCVBUF,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, os.NewSyscallError("getsockopt", err)
+	}
+	return value, nil
+}
+
+// GetWriteBuffer retrieves the size of the operating system's transmit buffer
+// associated with the Conn.
+func (c *conn) GetWriteBuffer() (int, error) {
+	value, err := c.s.GetSockoptInt(
+		unix.SOL_SOCKET,
+		unix.SO_SNDBUF,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, os.NewSyscallError("getsockopt", err)
+	}
+	return value, nil
 }
 
 // linuxOption converts a ConnOption to its Linux value.
@@ -597,6 +644,21 @@ func (s *sysSocket) SetSockoptInt(level, opt, value int) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+func (s *sysSocket) GetSockoptInt(level, opt int) (int, error) {
+	var (
+		value int
+		err   error
+	)
+	doErr := s.control(func(fd int) {
+		value, err = unix.GetsockoptInt(fd, level, opt)
+	})
+	if doErr != nil {
+		return 0, doErr
+	}
+
+	return value, err
+}
+
 func (s *sysSocket) SetSockoptSockFprog(level, opt int, fprog *unix.SockFprog) error {
 	var err error
 	doErr := s.control(func(fd int) {
diff --git a/conn_linux_test.go b/conn_linux_test.go
index 17d1ed9..b3a2264 100644
--- a/conn_linux_test.go
+++ b/conn_linux_test.go
@@ -449,12 +449,12 @@ func TestLinuxConnSetBuffers(t *testing.T) {
 	want := []setSockopt{
 		{
 			level: unix.SOL_SOCKET,
-			opt:   unix.SO_RCVBUF,
+			opt:   unix.SO_RCVBUFFORCE,
 			value: n,
 		},
 		{
 			level: unix.SOL_SOCKET,
-			opt:   unix.SO_SNDBUF,
+			opt:   unix.SO_SNDBUFFORCE,
 			value: n,
 		},
 	}
@@ -679,6 +679,16 @@ func (s *testSocket) SetSockoptInt(level, opt, value int) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (s *testSocket) GetSockoptInt(level, opt int) (int, error) {
+	for i := len(s.setSockopt)-1; i >= 0; i-- {
+		if s.setSockopt[i].level == level && s.setSockopt[i].opt == opt {
+			return s.setSockopt[i].value, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return 0, errors.New("getsockopt without preceding setsockopt")
+}
+
 func (s *testSocket) SetSockoptSockFprog(_, _ int, _ *unix.SockFprog) error {
 	panic("netlink: testSocket.SetSockoptSockFprog not currently implemented")
 }