diff --git a/sdk/azcore/policy_body_download.go b/sdk/azcore/policy_body_download.go
index fbed7ee33c60..7087242dc4b4 100644
--- a/sdk/azcore/policy_body_download.go
+++ b/sdk/azcore/policy_body_download.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 package azcore
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ type bodyDownloadPolicyOpValues struct {
 	skip bool
 }
 
-// nopClosingBytesReader is an io.ReadCloser around a byte slice.
+// nopClosingBytesReader is an io.ReadSeekCloser around a byte slice.
 // It also provides direct access to the byte slice.
 type nopClosingBytesReader struct {
 	s []byte
@@ -103,3 +104,23 @@ func (r *nopClosingBytesReader) Set(b []byte) {
 	r.s = b
 	r.i = 0
 }
+
+// Seek implements the io.Seeker interface.
+func (r *nopClosingBytesReader) Seek(offset int64, whence int) (int64, error) {
+	var i int64
+	switch whence {
+	case io.SeekStart:
+		i = offset
+	case io.SeekCurrent:
+		i = r.i + offset
+	case io.SeekEnd:
+		i = int64(len(r.s)) + offset
+	default:
+		return 0, errors.New("nopClosingBytesReader: invalid whence")
+	}
+	if i < 0 {
+		return 0, errors.New("nopClosingBytesReader: negative position")
+	}
+	r.i = i
+	return i, nil
+}
diff --git a/sdk/azcore/policy_body_download_test.go b/sdk/azcore/policy_body_download_test.go
index 22ec6bcc79f1..a3eda8433c85 100644
--- a/sdk/azcore/policy_body_download_test.go
+++ b/sdk/azcore/policy_body_download_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package azcore
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -28,11 +29,15 @@ func TestDownloadBody(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	if len(resp.payload()) == 0 {
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(payload) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("missing payload")
 	}
-	if string(resp.payload()) != message {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(resp.payload()))
+	if string(payload) != message {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(payload))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -52,8 +57,12 @@ func TestSkipBodyDownload(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	if len(resp.payload()) > 0 {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected download: %s", string(resp.payload()))
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if string(payload) != message {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected body: %s", string(payload))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -71,7 +80,11 @@ func TestDownloadBodyFail(t *testing.T) {
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("unexpected nil error")
 	}
-	if resp.payload() != nil {
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected an error")
+	}
+	if payload != nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected nil payload")
 	}
 }
@@ -93,11 +106,15 @@ func TestDownloadBodyWithRetryGet(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	if len(resp.payload()) == 0 {
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(payload) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("missing payload")
 	}
-	if string(resp.payload()) != message {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(resp.payload()))
+	if string(payload) != message {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(payload))
 	}
 	if r := srv.Requests(); r != 3 {
 		t.Fatalf("expected %d requests, got %d", 3, r)
@@ -121,11 +138,15 @@ func TestDownloadBodyWithRetryDelete(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	if len(resp.payload()) == 0 {
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(payload) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("missing payload")
 	}
-	if string(resp.payload()) != message {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(resp.payload()))
+	if string(payload) != message {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(payload))
 	}
 	if r := srv.Requests(); r != 3 {
 		t.Fatalf("expected %d requests, got %d", 3, r)
@@ -149,11 +170,15 @@ func TestDownloadBodyWithRetryPut(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	if len(resp.payload()) == 0 {
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(payload) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("missing payload")
 	}
-	if string(resp.payload()) != message {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(resp.payload()))
+	if string(payload) != message {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(payload))
 	}
 	if r := srv.Requests(); r != 3 {
 		t.Fatalf("expected %d requests, got %d", 3, r)
@@ -180,7 +205,11 @@ func TestDownloadBodyWithRetryPatch(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, ok := err.(*bodyDownloadError); !ok {
 		t.Fatal("expected *bodyDownloadError type")
 	}
-	if len(resp.payload()) != 0 {
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected an error")
+	}
+	if len(payload) != 0 {
 		t.Fatal("unexpected payload")
 	}
 	// should be only one request, no retires
@@ -206,10 +235,11 @@ func TestDownloadBodyWithRetryPost(t *testing.T) {
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("unexpected nil error")
 	}
-	if _, ok := err.(*bodyDownloadError); !ok {
-		t.Fatal("expected *bodyDownloadError type")
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected an error")
 	}
-	if len(resp.payload()) != 0 {
+	if len(payload) != 0 {
 		t.Fatal("unexpected payload")
 	}
 	// should be only one request, no retires
@@ -234,10 +264,64 @@ func TestSkipBodyDownloadWith400(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	if len(resp.payload()) == 0 {
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(payload) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("missing payload")
 	}
-	if string(resp.payload()) != message {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(resp.payload()))
+	if string(payload) != message {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %s", string(payload))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestReadBodyAfterSeek(t *testing.T) {
+	const message = "downloaded"
+	srv, close := mock.NewServer()
+	defer close()
+	srv.AppendResponse(mock.WithBody([]byte(message)))
+	srv.AppendResponse(mock.WithBody([]byte(message)))
+	// download policy is automatically added during pipeline construction
+	pl := NewPipeline(srv, NewRetryPolicy(testRetryOptions()))
+	req, err := NewRequest(context.Background(), http.MethodGet, srv.URL())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	resp, err := pl.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	payload, err := resp.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if string(payload) != message {
+		t.Fatal("incorrect payload")
+	}
+	nb, ok := resp.Body.(*nopClosingBytesReader)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected body type: %t", resp.Body)
+	}
+	i, err := nb.Seek(0, io.SeekStart)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if i != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("did not seek correctly")
+	}
+	i, err = nb.Seek(5, io.SeekCurrent)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if i != 5 {
+		t.Fatalf("did not seek correctly")
+	}
+	i, err = nb.Seek(5, io.SeekCurrent)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if i != 10 {
+		t.Fatalf("did not seek correctly")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/sdk/azcore/response.go b/sdk/azcore/response.go
index ef6f6dfd734b..dcff907e5eb2 100644
--- a/sdk/azcore/response.go
+++ b/sdk/azcore/response.go
@@ -26,15 +26,18 @@ type Response struct {
 	*http.Response
 }
 
-func (r *Response) payload() []byte {
-	if r.Body == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
+func (r *Response) payload() ([]byte, error) {
 	// r.Body won't be a nopClosingBytesReader if downloading was skipped
 	if buf, ok := r.Body.(*nopClosingBytesReader); ok {
-		return buf.Bytes()
+		return buf.Bytes(), nil
 	}
-	return nil
+	bytesBody, err := ioutil.ReadAll(r.Body)
+	r.Body.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	r.Body = &nopClosingBytesReader{s: bytesBody, i: 0}
+	return bytesBody, nil
 }
 
 // HasStatusCode returns true if the Response's status code is one of the specified values.
@@ -52,10 +55,14 @@ func (r *Response) HasStatusCode(statusCodes ...int) bool {
 
 // UnmarshalAsByteArray will base-64 decode the received payload and place the result into the value pointed to by v.
 func (r *Response) UnmarshalAsByteArray(v **[]byte, format Base64Encoding) error {
-	if len(r.payload()) == 0 {
+	p, err := r.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if len(p) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
-	payload := string(r.payload())
+	payload := string(p)
 	if payload[0] == '"' {
 		// remove surrounding quotes
 		payload = payload[1 : len(payload)-1]
@@ -84,12 +91,19 @@ func (r *Response) UnmarshalAsByteArray(v **[]byte, format Base64Encoding) error
 // UnmarshalAsJSON calls json.Unmarshal() to unmarshal the received payload into the value pointed to by v.
 // If no payload was received a RequestError is returned.  If json.Unmarshal fails a UnmarshalError is returned.
 func (r *Response) UnmarshalAsJSON(v interface{}) error {
+	payload, err := r.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// TODO: verify early exit is correct
-	if len(r.payload()) == 0 {
+	if len(payload) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
-	r.removeBOM()
-	err := json.Unmarshal(r.payload(), v)
+	err = r.removeBOM()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = json.Unmarshal(payload, v)
 	if err != nil {
 		err = fmt.Errorf("unmarshalling type %s: %w", reflect.TypeOf(v).Elem().Name(), err)
 	}
@@ -99,12 +113,19 @@ func (r *Response) UnmarshalAsJSON(v interface{}) error {
 // UnmarshalAsXML calls xml.Unmarshal() to unmarshal the received payload into the value pointed to by v.
 // If no payload was received a RequestError is returned.  If xml.Unmarshal fails a UnmarshalError is returned.
 func (r *Response) UnmarshalAsXML(v interface{}) error {
+	payload, err := r.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// TODO: verify early exit is correct
-	if len(r.payload()) == 0 {
+	if len(payload) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
-	r.removeBOM()
-	err := xml.Unmarshal(r.payload(), v)
+	err = r.removeBOM()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = xml.Unmarshal(payload, v)
 	if err != nil {
 		err = fmt.Errorf("unmarshalling type %s: %w", reflect.TypeOf(v).Elem().Name(), err)
 	}
@@ -120,12 +141,17 @@ func (r *Response) Drain() {
 }
 
 // removeBOM removes any byte-order mark prefix from the payload if present.
-func (r *Response) removeBOM() {
+func (r *Response) removeBOM() error {
+	payload, err := r.payload()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// UTF8
-	trimmed := bytes.TrimPrefix(r.payload(), []byte("\xef\xbb\xbf"))
-	if len(trimmed) < len(r.payload()) {
+	trimmed := bytes.TrimPrefix(payload, []byte("\xef\xbb\xbf"))
+	if len(trimmed) < len(payload) {
 		r.Body.(*nopClosingBytesReader).Set(trimmed)
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // helper to reduce nil Response checks
diff --git a/sdk/azcore/response_test.go b/sdk/azcore/response_test.go
index 254811cf98f4..ff5713e54c24 100644
--- a/sdk/azcore/response_test.go
+++ b/sdk/azcore/response_test.go
@@ -83,6 +83,32 @@ func TestResponseUnmarshalJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestResponseUnmarshalJSONskipDownload(t *testing.T) {
+	srv, close := mock.NewServer()
+	defer close()
+	srv.SetResponse(mock.WithBody([]byte(`{ "someInt": 1, "someString": "s" }`)))
+	pl := NewPipeline(srv)
+	req, err := NewRequest(context.Background(), http.MethodGet, srv.URL())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	req.SkipBodyDownload()
+	resp, err := pl.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !resp.HasStatusCode(http.StatusOK) {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected status code: %d", resp.StatusCode)
+	}
+	var tx testJSON
+	if err := resp.UnmarshalAsJSON(&tx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error unmarshalling: %v", err)
+	}
+	if tx.SomeInt != 1 || tx.SomeString != "s" {
+		t.Fatal("unexpected value")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestResponseUnmarshalJSONNoBody(t *testing.T) {
 	srv, close := mock.NewServer()
 	defer close()