diff --git a/spec-dtslint/operators/buffer-spec.ts b/spec-dtslint/operators/buffer-spec.ts
index 2d439a4834..d4b79e68de 100644
--- a/spec-dtslint/operators/buffer-spec.ts
+++ b/spec-dtslint/operators/buffer-spec.ts
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ it('should enforce types', () => {
   const o = of(1, 2, 3).pipe(buffer()); // $ExpectError
   const p = of(1, 2, 3).pipe(buffer(6)); // $ExpectError
 });
+
+it('should support Promises', () => {
+  const o = of(1, 2, 3).pipe(buffer(Promise.resolve('foo'))); // $ExpectType Observable<number[]>
+});
diff --git a/spec/operators/buffer-spec.ts b/spec/operators/buffer-spec.ts
index 9e4c94ca21..44a66bf006 100644
--- a/spec/operators/buffer-spec.ts
+++ b/spec/operators/buffer-spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { buffer, mergeMap, take, window, toArray } from 'rxjs/operators';
-import { EMPTY, NEVER, throwError, of, Subject } from 'rxjs';
+import { EMPTY, NEVER, throwError, of, Subject, interval } from 'rxjs';
 import { TestScheduler } from 'rxjs/testing';
 import { observableMatcher } from '../helpers/observableMatcher';
 import { expect } from 'chai';
@@ -324,6 +324,43 @@ describe('Observable.prototype.buffer', () => {
     expect(results).to.deep.equal([[1], [2], [], 'complete']);
   });
 
+  it('should buffer when Promise resolves', (done) => {
+    const e1 = interval(3).pipe(take(5));
+    const expected = [
+      [0, 1],
+      [2, 3, 4],
+    ];
+
+    e1.pipe(buffer(new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(() => resolve(), 8)))).subscribe({
+      next: (x) => {
+        expect(x).to.deep.equal(expected.shift());
+      },
+      error: () => done(new Error('should not be called')),
+      complete: () => {
+        expect(expected.length).to.equal(0);
+        done();
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should raise error when Promise rejects', (done) => {
+    const e1 = interval(1).pipe(take(5));
+    const error = new Error('err');
+
+    e1.pipe(buffer(Promise.reject(error))).subscribe({
+      next: () => {
+        done(new Error('should not be called'));
+      },
+      error: (err: any) => {
+        expect(err).to.be.an('error');
+        done();
+      },
+      complete: () => {
+        done(new Error('should not be called'));
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('equivalence with the window operator', () => {
     const cases = [
       {
diff --git a/src/internal/operators/buffer.ts b/src/internal/operators/buffer.ts
index a30b881786..2ca2fdecd1 100644
--- a/src/internal/operators/buffer.ts
+++ b/src/internal/operators/buffer.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-import { Observable } from '../Observable';
-import { OperatorFunction } from '../types';
+import { OperatorFunction, ObservableInput } from '../types';
 import { operate } from '../util/lift';
 import { noop } from '../util/noop';
 import { createOperatorSubscriber } from './OperatorSubscriber';
+import { innerFrom } from '../observable/innerFrom';
 
 /**
  * Buffers the source Observable values until `closingNotifier` emits.
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ import { createOperatorSubscriber } from './OperatorSubscriber';
  * ![](buffer.png)
  *
  * Buffers the incoming Observable values until the given `closingNotifier`
- * Observable emits a value, at which point it emits the buffer on the output
+ * `ObservableInput` (that internally gets converted to an Observable)
+ * emits a value, at which point it emits the buffer on the output
  * Observable and starts a new buffer internally, awaiting the next time
  * `closingNotifier` emits.
  *
@@ -36,12 +37,12 @@ import { createOperatorSubscriber } from './OperatorSubscriber';
  * @see {@link bufferWhen}
  * @see {@link window}
  *
- * @param {Observable<any>} closingNotifier An Observable that signals the
+ * @param closingNotifier An `ObservableInput` that signals the
  * buffer to be emitted on the output Observable.
  * @return A function that returns an Observable of buffers, which are arrays
  * of values.
  */
-export function buffer<T>(closingNotifier: Observable<any>): OperatorFunction<T, T[]> {
+export function buffer<T>(closingNotifier: ObservableInput<any>): OperatorFunction<T, T[]> {
   return operate((source, subscriber) => {
     // The current buffered values.
     let currentBuffer: T[] = [];
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ export function buffer<T>(closingNotifier: Observable<any>): OperatorFunction<T,
     );
 
     // Subscribe to the closing notifier.
-    closingNotifier.subscribe(
+    innerFrom(closingNotifier).subscribe(
       createOperatorSubscriber(
         subscriber,
         () => {