diff --git a/Lib/_pyio.py b/Lib/_pyio.py
index 023478aa78c6a0..baa797972faa4d 100644
--- a/Lib/_pyio.py
+++ b/Lib/_pyio.py
@@ -1062,6 +1062,9 @@ def _read_unlocked(self, n=None):
                 if chunk is None:
                     return buf[pos:] or None
                 else:
+                    # Avoid slice + copy if there is no data in buf
+                    if not buf:
+                        return chunk
                     return buf[pos:] + chunk
             chunks = [buf[pos:]]  # Strip the consumed bytes.
             current_size = 0
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-01-29-00-00-01.gh-issue-129005.aV_3O8.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-01-29-00-00-01.gh-issue-129005.aV_3O8.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..48ee57109be2ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-01-29-00-00-01.gh-issue-129005.aV_3O8.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+:mod:`!_pyio`: Remove an unnecessary copy when ``_pyio.BufferedReader.read()``
+is called to read all data from a file and has no data already in buffer.