diff --git a/sqlx-postgres-protocol/benches/decode.rs b/sqlx-postgres-protocol/benches/decode.rs
index 93fb775a..e39bd279 100644
--- a/sqlx-postgres-protocol/benches/decode.rs
+++ b/sqlx-postgres-protocol/benches/decode.rs
@@ -3,17 +3,30 @@ extern crate criterion;
 
 use bytes::Bytes;
 use criterion::{black_box, Criterion};
-use sqlx_postgres_protocol::{Decode, Response};
+use sqlx_postgres_protocol::{Decode, ParameterStatus, BackendKeyData, Response};
 
 fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
-    // NOTE: This is sans header (for direct decoding)
     const NOTICE_RESPONSE: &[u8]  = b"SNOTICE\0VNOTICE\0C42710\0Mextension \"uuid-ossp\" already exists, skipping\0Fextension.c\0L1656\0RCreateExtension\0\0";
+    const PARAM_STATUS: &[u8] = b"session_authorization\0postgres\0";
+    const BACKEND_KEY_DATA: &[u8] = b"\0\0'\xc6\x89R\xc5+";
 
     c.bench_function("decode Response", |b| {
         b.iter(|| {
             let _ = Response::decode(black_box(Bytes::from_static(NOTICE_RESPONSE))).unwrap();
         })
     });
+
+    c.bench_function("decode BackendKeyData", |b| {
+        b.iter(|| {
+            let _ = BackendKeyData::decode(black_box(Bytes::from_static(BACKEND_KEY_DATA))).unwrap();
+        })
+    });
+
+    c.bench_function("decode ParameterStatus", |b| {
+        b.iter(|| {
+            let _ = ParameterStatus::decode(black_box(Bytes::from_static(PARAM_STATUS))).unwrap();
+        })
+    });
 }
 
 criterion_group!(benches, criterion_benchmark);
diff --git a/sqlx-postgres-protocol/benches/encode.rs b/sqlx-postgres-protocol/benches/encode.rs
index d0cbdb07..aa88bd94 100644
--- a/sqlx-postgres-protocol/benches/encode.rs
+++ b/sqlx-postgres-protocol/benches/encode.rs
@@ -5,11 +5,10 @@ use criterion::Criterion;
 use sqlx_postgres_protocol::{Encode, PasswordMessage, Response, Severity, StartupMessage};
 
 fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
-    c.bench_function("encode Response(Builder)", |b| {
+    c.bench_function("encode Response::builder()", |b| {
         let mut dst = Vec::new();
         b.iter(|| {
-            dst.truncate(0);
-
+            dst.clear();
             Response::builder()
                 .severity(Severity::Notice)
                 .code("42710")
@@ -22,11 +21,10 @@ fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
         })
     });
 
-    c.bench_function("encode Password(Cleartext)", |b| {
+    c.bench_function("encode PasswordMessage::cleartext", |b| {
         let mut dst = Vec::new();
         b.iter(|| {
-            dst.truncate(0);
-
+            dst.clear();
             PasswordMessage::cleartext("8e323AMF9YSE9zftFnuhQcvhz7Vf342W4cWU")
                 .encode(&mut dst)
                 .unwrap();
@@ -36,11 +34,15 @@ fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
     c.bench_function("encode StartupMessage", |b| {
         let mut dst = Vec::new();
         b.iter(|| {
-            dst.truncate(0);
-
+            dst.clear();
             StartupMessage::builder()
                 .param("user", "postgres")
                 .param("database", "postgres")
+                .param("DateStyle", "ISO, MDY")
+                .param("IntervalStyle", "iso_8601")
+                .param("TimeZone", "UTC")
+                .param("extra_float_digits", "3")
+                .param("client_encoding", "UTF-8")
                 .build()
                 .encode(&mut dst)
                 .unwrap();
@@ -50,8 +52,7 @@ fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
     c.bench_function("encode Password(MD5)", |b| {
         let mut dst = Vec::new();
         b.iter(|| {
-            dst.truncate(0);
-
+            dst.clear();
             PasswordMessage::md5(
                 "8e323AMF9YSE9zftFnuhQcvhz7Vf342W4cWU",
                 "postgres",
diff --git a/sqlx-postgres/src/connection/mod.rs b/sqlx-postgres/src/connection/mod.rs
index 21b55136..a450e413 100644
--- a/sqlx-postgres/src/connection/mod.rs
+++ b/sqlx-postgres/src/connection/mod.rs
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ async fn receiver(
     mut reader: ReadHalf<TcpStream>,
     mut sender: mpsc::UnboundedSender<Message>,
 ) -> io::Result<()> {
-    let mut rbuf = BytesMut::with_capacity(0);
+    let mut rbuf = BytesMut::with_capacity(1024);
     let mut len = 0;
 
     loop {