diff --git a/runtime/src/network/tokio.rs b/runtime/src/network/tokio.rs
index b42ed2f954..fdcc1cb375 100644
--- a/runtime/src/network/tokio.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/network/tokio.rs
@@ -29,23 +29,129 @@ impl crate::Sink for Sink {
 }
 
 /// Implementation of [crate::Stream] for the [tokio] runtime.
+///
+/// # Buffering
+///
+/// This stream uses a read buffer to reduce syscall overhead.
+/// Multiple small reads can be satisfied from the buffer without
+/// additional network operations.
 pub struct Stream {
     read_timeout: Duration,
     stream: OwnedReadHalf,
+    /// Internal buffer for batching reads.
+    buffer: Vec<u8>,
+    /// Start position of valid data in the buffer.
+    start: usize,
+    /// End position of valid data in the buffer (exclusive).
+    end: usize,
+}
+
+impl Stream {
+    /// Returns the number of buffered bytes available.
+    #[inline]
+    const fn buffered(&self) -> usize {
+        self.end - self.start
+    }
+
+    /// Moves any remaining data to the front of the buffer.
+    #[inline]
+    fn compact(&mut self) {
+        if self.start == 0 {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let remaining = self.end - self.start;
+        if remaining > 0 {
+            self.buffer.copy_within(self.start..self.end, 0);
+        }
+        self.start = 0;
+        self.end = remaining;
+    }
+
+    /// Reads at least `min_bytes` into the internal buffer, up to available capacity.
+    /// Returns the total number of bytes read, or an error.
+    async fn fill_buffer(&mut self, min_bytes: usize) -> Result<usize, Error> {
+        // Compact first to maximize space for reading
+        self.compact();
+
+        // Use a single deadline for the entire operation to prevent slow-drip attacks
+        let deadline = tokio::time::Instant::now() + self.read_timeout;
+        let target = self.end + min_bytes;
+
+        // Read at least min_bytes more, up to buffer capacity
+        while self.end < target {
+            // Compute the remaining time and check if we've timed out
+            let remaining_time = deadline.saturating_duration_since(tokio::time::Instant::now());
+            if remaining_time.is_zero() {
+                return Err(Error::Timeout);
+            }
+
+            // Read up to the remaining time
+            let bytes_read = timeout(
+                remaining_time,
+                self.stream.read(&mut self.buffer[self.end..]),
+            )
+            .await
+            .map_err(|_| Error::Timeout)?
+            .map_err(|_| Error::RecvFailed)?;
+            if bytes_read == 0 {
+                return Err(Error::RecvFailed); // EOF
+            }
+
+            self.end += bytes_read;
+        }
+
+        Ok(self.end - self.start)
+    }
+
+    /// Copies bytes from the internal buffer to the output.
+    /// Returns the number of bytes copied.
+    #[inline]
+    fn copy_from_buffer(&mut self, output: &mut [u8]) -> usize {
+        let to_copy = output.len().min(self.buffered());
+        output[..to_copy].copy_from_slice(&self.buffer[self.start..self.start + to_copy]);
+        self.start += to_copy;
+        to_copy
+    }
 }
 
 impl crate::Stream for Stream {
     async fn recv(&mut self, buf: impl Into<StableBuf> + Send) -> Result<StableBuf, Error> {
         let mut buf = buf.into();
-        if buf.is_empty() {
+        let needed = buf.len();
+        if needed == 0 {
             return Ok(buf);
         }
+        let mut filled = 0;
 
-        // Time out if we take too long to read
-        timeout(self.read_timeout, self.stream.read_exact(buf.as_mut()))
+        // First, drain any buffered data
+        if self.buffered() > 0 {
+            filled = self.copy_from_buffer(&mut buf.as_mut()[..needed]);
+            if filled == needed {
+                return Ok(buf);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Need more data. If the remaining request is large (>= buffer capacity),
+        // read directly into the output buffer to avoid extra copies.
+        let remaining = needed - filled;
+        if remaining >= self.buffer.len() {
+            // Read directly into output buffer
+            timeout(
+                self.read_timeout,
+                self.stream.read_exact(&mut buf.as_mut()[filled..]),
+            )
             .await
             .map_err(|_| Error::Timeout)?
             .map_err(|_| Error::RecvFailed)?;
+            return Ok(buf);
+        }
+
+        // For smaller remaining requests, fill the buffer with at least
+        // the remaining bytes needed (but opportunistically read more),
+        // then copy out what we need.
+        self.fill_buffer(remaining).await?;
+        self.copy_from_buffer(&mut buf.as_mut()[filled..needed]);
 
         Ok(buf)
     }
@@ -83,6 +189,9 @@ impl crate::Listener for Listener {
             Stream {
                 read_timeout: self.cfg.read_timeout,
                 stream,
+                buffer: vec![0u8; self.cfg.read_buffer_size],
+                start: 0,
+                end: 0,
             },
         ))
     }
@@ -110,6 +219,11 @@ pub struct Config {
     read_timeout: Duration,
     /// Write timeout for connections, after which the connection will be closed
     write_timeout: Duration,
+    /// Size of the read buffer for batching network reads.
+    ///
+    /// A larger buffer reduces syscall overhead by reading more data per call,
+    /// but uses more memory per connection. Defaults to 64 KB.
+    read_buffer_size: usize,
 }
 
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "iouring-network", allow(dead_code))]
@@ -130,6 +244,11 @@ impl Config {
         self.write_timeout = write_timeout;
         self
     }
+    /// See [Config]
+    pub const fn with_read_buffer_size(mut self, read_buffer_size: usize) -> Self {
+        self.read_buffer_size = read_buffer_size;
+        self
+    }
 
     // Getters
     /// See [Config]
@@ -144,6 +263,10 @@ impl Config {
     pub const fn write_timeout(&self) -> Duration {
         self.write_timeout
     }
+    /// See [Config]
+    pub const fn read_buffer_size(&self) -> usize {
+        self.read_buffer_size
+    }
 }
 
 impl Default for Config {
@@ -152,6 +275,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             tcp_nodelay: None,
             read_timeout: Duration::from_secs(60),
             write_timeout: Duration::from_secs(30),
+            read_buffer_size: 64 * 1024, // 64 KB
         }
     }
 }
@@ -213,6 +337,9 @@ impl crate::Network for Network {
             Stream {
                 read_timeout: self.cfg.read_timeout,
                 stream,
+                buffer: vec![0u8; self.cfg.read_buffer_size],
+                start: 0,
+                end: 0,
             },
         ))
     }
@@ -220,9 +347,12 @@ impl crate::Network for Network {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-    use crate::network::{tests, tokio as TokioNetwork};
+    use crate::{
+        network::{tests, tokio as TokioNetwork},
+        Listener as _, Network as _, Sink as _, Stream as _,
+    };
     use commonware_macros::test_group;
-    use std::time::Duration;
+    use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_trait() {
@@ -248,4 +378,46 @@ mod tests {
         })
         .await;
     }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_small_send_read_quickly() {
+        // Use a long read timeout to ensure we're not just waiting for timeout
+        let read_timeout = Duration::from_secs(30);
+        let network = TokioNetwork::Network::from(
+            TokioNetwork::Config::default()
+                .with_read_timeout(read_timeout)
+                .with_write_timeout(Duration::from_secs(5)),
+        );
+
+        // Bind a listener
+        let mut listener = network.bind("127.0.0.1:0".parse().unwrap()).await.unwrap();
+        let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+
+        // Spawn a task to accept and read
+        let reader = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let (_addr, _sink, mut stream) = listener.accept().await.unwrap();
+
+            // Read a small message (much smaller than the 64KB buffer)
+            let start = Instant::now();
+            let buf = stream.recv(vec![0u8; 10]).await.unwrap();
+            let elapsed = start.elapsed();
+
+            (buf, elapsed)
+        });
+
+        // Connect and send a small message
+        let (mut sink, _stream) = network.dial(addr).await.unwrap();
+        let msg = vec![1u8, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10];
+        sink.send(msg.clone()).await.unwrap();
+
+        // Wait for the reader to complete
+        let (received, elapsed) = reader.await.unwrap();
+
+        // Verify we got the right data
+        assert_eq!(received.as_ref(), &msg[..]);
+
+        // Verify it completed quickly (well under the read timeout)
+        // Should complete in milliseconds, not seconds
+        assert!(elapsed < read_timeout);
+    }
 }