diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client3/internal/package.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client3/internal/package.scala
index 352c5b301f..b1c601a711 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client3/internal/package.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client3/internal/package.scala
@@ -80,13 +80,9 @@ package object internal {
 
   implicit class RichByteBuffer(byteBuffer: ByteBuffer) {
     def safeRead(): Array[Byte] = {
-      if (byteBuffer.hasArray) {
-        byteBuffer.array()
-      } else {
-        val array = new Array[Byte](byteBuffer.remaining())
-        byteBuffer.get(array)
-        array
-      }
+      val array = new Array[Byte](byteBuffer.remaining())
+      byteBuffer.get(array)
+      array
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/httpclient-backend/src/main/scala/sttp/client3/httpclient/WebSocketImpl.scala b/httpclient-backend/src/main/scala/sttp/client3/httpclient/WebSocketImpl.scala
index 9791dd5a69..bf38b736cd 100644
--- a/httpclient-backend/src/main/scala/sttp/client3/httpclient/WebSocketImpl.scala
+++ b/httpclient-backend/src/main/scala/sttp/client3/httpclient/WebSocketImpl.scala
@@ -105,12 +105,12 @@ private[httpclient] class AddToQueueListener[F[_]](
   }
 
   override def onPing(webSocket: JWebSocket, message: ByteBuffer): CompletionStage[_] = {
-    onFrame(WebSocketFrame.Ping(message.array()))
+    onFrame(WebSocketFrame.Ping(message.safeRead()))
     null
   }
 
   override def onPong(webSocket: JWebSocket, message: ByteBuffer): CompletionStage[_] = {
-    onFrame(WebSocketFrame.Pong(message.array()))
+    onFrame(WebSocketFrame.Pong(message.safeRead()))
     null
   }