diff --git a/lib/openssl/buffering.rb b/lib/openssl/buffering.rb
index d47e1082e..9570f14f3 100644
--- a/lib/openssl/buffering.rb
+++ b/lib/openssl/buffering.rb
@@ -93,9 +93,7 @@ def consume_rbuff(size=nil)
       nil
     else
       size = @rbuffer.size unless size
-      ret = @rbuffer[0, size]
-      @rbuffer[0, size] = ""
-      ret
+      @rbuffer.slice!(0, size)
     end
   end
 
@@ -106,8 +104,7 @@ def consume_rbuff(size=nil)
   #
   # Get the next 8bit byte from `ssl`.  Returns `nil` on EOF
   def getbyte
-    byte = read(1)
-    byte && byte.unpack1("C")
+    read(1)&.ord
   end
 
   ##