diff --git a/lib/buffer.js b/lib/buffer.js
index eff91be2882630..dd08c9a13f38f1 100644
--- a/lib/buffer.js
+++ b/lib/buffer.js
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ Object.setPrototypeOf(SlowBuffer, Uint8Array);
 
 
 function allocate(size) {
-  if (size === 0) {
-    return createBuffer(size);
+  if (size <= 0) {
+    return createBuffer(0);
   }
   if (size < (Buffer.poolSize >>> 1)) {
     if (size > (poolSize - poolOffset))