diff --git a/lib/_stream_readable.js b/lib/_stream_readable.js
index 5a375321615a7f..ab47830767c525 100644
--- a/lib/_stream_readable.js
+++ b/lib/_stream_readable.js
@@ -836,6 +836,8 @@ function fromList(n, state) {
     // read it all, truncate the array.
     if (stringMode)
       ret = list.join('');
+    else if (list.length === 1)
+      ret = list[0];
     else
       ret = Buffer.concat(list, length);
     list.length = 0;