diff --git a/lib/_stream_readable.js b/lib/_stream_readable.js
index 1830eea66decc9..1a111ed0f47141 100644
--- a/lib/_stream_readable.js
+++ b/lib/_stream_readable.js
@@ -383,17 +383,9 @@ function howMuchToRead(n, state) {
     else
       return state.length;
   }
-  // If we're asking for more than the current hwm, then raise the hwm.
-  if (n > state.highWaterMark)
-    state.highWaterMark = computeNewHighWaterMark(n);
   if (n <= state.length)
     return n;
-  // Don't have enough
-  if (!state.ended) {
-    state.needReadable = true;
-    return 0;
-  }
-  return state.length;
+  return state.ended ? state.length : 0;
 }
 
 // You can override either this method, or the async _read(n) below.
@@ -409,6 +401,10 @@ Readable.prototype.read = function(n) {
   const state = this._readableState;
   const nOrig = n;
 
+  // If we're asking for more than the current hwm, then raise the hwm.
+  if (n > state.highWaterMark)
+    state.highWaterMark = computeNewHighWaterMark(n);
+
   if (n !== 0)
     state.emittedReadable = false;