diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/CouchDB/HTTP/SocketClient.php b/lib/Doctrine/CouchDB/HTTP/SocketClient.php
index 6cdcecf..f4e01e4 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/CouchDB/HTTP/SocketClient.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/CouchDB/HTTP/SocketClient.php
@@ -288,14 +288,13 @@ public function request($method, $path, $data = null, $raw = false, array $heade
                     // are just footnotes, which are not relevant for us.
                     $bytesLeft = $bytesToRead;
                     while ($bytesLeft > 0) {
-                        $body .= $read = fread($this->connection, $bytesLeft + 2);
+                        $read = fread($this->connection, $bytesLeft + 2);
+                        // Chop off \r\n from the end.
+                        $body .= rtrim($read);
                         $bytesLeft -= strlen($read);
                     }
                 }
             } while ($bytesToRead > 0);
-
-            // Chop off \r\n from the end.
-            $body = substr($body, 0, -2);
         }
 
         // Reset the connection if the server asks for it.