diff --git a/futures-io/src/lib.rs b/futures-io/src/lib.rs
index da4b886aad..00af7d5374 100644
--- a/futures-io/src/lib.rs
+++ b/futures-io/src/lib.rs
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ mod if_std {
         /// `cx.waker().wake_by_ref()`) to receive a notification when the object becomes
         /// readable or is closed.
         /// By default, this method delegates to using `poll_read` on the first
-        /// buffer in `bufs`. Objects which support vectored IO should override
-        /// this method.
+        /// nonempty buffer in `bufs`, or an empty one if none exists. Objects which
+        /// support vectored IO should override this method.
         ///
         /// # Implementation
         ///
@@ -115,12 +115,13 @@ mod if_std {
         fn poll_read_vectored(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>, bufs: &mut [IoSliceMut<'_>])
             -> Poll<Result<usize>>
         {
-            if let Some(first_iovec) = bufs.get_mut(0) {
-                self.poll_read(cx, &mut **first_iovec)
-            } else {
-                // `bufs` is empty.
-                Poll::Ready(Ok(0))
+            for b in bufs {
+                if !b.is_empty() {
+                    return self.poll_read(cx, b);
+                }
             }
+
+            self.poll_read(cx, &mut [])
         }
     }
 
@@ -164,8 +165,8 @@ mod if_std {
         /// writable or is closed.
         ///
         /// By default, this method delegates to using `poll_write` on the first
-        /// buffer in `bufs`. Objects which support vectored IO should override
-        /// this method.
+        /// nonempty buffer in `bufs`, or an empty one if none exists. Objects which
+        /// support vectored IO should override this method.
         ///
         /// # Implementation
         ///
@@ -176,12 +177,13 @@ mod if_std {
         fn poll_write_vectored(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>, bufs: &[IoSlice<'_>])
             -> Poll<Result<usize>>
         {
-            if let Some(first_iovec) = bufs.get(0) {
-                self.poll_write(cx, &**first_iovec)
-            } else {
-                // `bufs` is empty.
-                Poll::Ready(Ok(0))
+            for b in bufs {
+                if !b.is_empty() {
+                    return self.poll_write(cx, b);
+                }
             }
+
+            self.poll_write(cx, &[])
         }
 
         /// Attempt to flush the object, ensuring that any buffered data reach
diff --git a/futures/tests/io_read.rs b/futures/tests/io_read.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f99c4edbb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/futures/tests/io_read.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+use futures::io::AsyncRead;
+use futures_test::task::panic_context;
+use std::io;
+use std::pin::Pin;
+use std::task::{Context, Poll};
+
+struct MockReader {
+    fun: Box<dyn FnMut(&mut [u8]) -> Poll<io::Result<usize>>>,
+}
+
+impl MockReader {
+    pub fn new(fun: impl FnMut(&mut [u8]) -> Poll<io::Result<usize>> + 'static) -> Self {
+        MockReader { fun: Box::new(fun) }
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsyncRead for MockReader {
+    fn poll_read(
+        self: Pin<&mut Self>,
+        _cx: &mut Context<'_>,
+        buf: &mut [u8]
+    ) -> Poll<io::Result<usize>> {
+        (self.get_mut().fun)(buf)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Verifies that the default implementation of `poll_read_vectored`
+/// calls `poll_read` with an empty slice if no buffers are provided.
+#[test]
+fn read_vectored_no_buffers() {
+    let mut reader = MockReader::new(|buf| {
+        assert_eq!(buf, b"");
+        Err(io::ErrorKind::BrokenPipe.into()).into()
+    });
+    let cx = &mut panic_context();
+    let bufs = &mut [];
+
+    let res = Pin::new(&mut reader).poll_read_vectored(cx, bufs);
+    let res = res.map_err(|e| e.kind());
+    assert_eq!(res, Poll::Ready(Err(io::ErrorKind::BrokenPipe)))
+}
+
+/// Verifies that the default implementation of `poll_read_vectored`
+/// calls `poll_read` with the first non-empty buffer.
+#[test]
+fn read_vectored_first_non_empty() {
+    let mut reader = MockReader::new(|buf| {
+        assert_eq!(buf.len(), 4);
+        buf.copy_from_slice(b"four");
+        Poll::Ready(Ok(4))
+    });
+    let cx = &mut panic_context();
+    let mut buf = [0; 4];
+    let bufs = &mut [
+        io::IoSliceMut::new(&mut []), 
+        io::IoSliceMut::new(&mut []),
+        io::IoSliceMut::new(&mut buf),
+    ];
+
+    let res = Pin::new(&mut reader).poll_read_vectored(cx, bufs);
+    let res = res.map_err(|e| e.kind());
+    assert_eq!(res, Poll::Ready(Ok(4)));
+    assert_eq!(buf, b"four"[..]);
+}
+
diff --git a/futures/tests/io_write.rs b/futures/tests/io_write.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b96344446c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/futures/tests/io_write.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+use futures::io::AsyncWrite;
+use futures_test::task::panic_context;
+use std::io;
+use std::pin::Pin;
+use std::task::{Context, Poll};
+
+struct MockWriter {
+    fun: Box<dyn FnMut(&[u8]) -> Poll<io::Result<usize>>>,
+}
+
+impl MockWriter {
+    pub fn new(fun: impl FnMut(&[u8]) -> Poll<io::Result<usize>> + 'static) -> Self {
+        MockWriter { fun: Box::new(fun) }
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsyncWrite for MockWriter {
+    fn poll_write(
+        self: Pin<&mut Self>,
+        _cx: &mut Context<'_>,
+        buf: &[u8],
+    ) -> Poll<io::Result<usize>> {
+        (self.get_mut().fun)(buf)
+    }
+
+    fn poll_flush(self: Pin<&mut Self>, _cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<io::Result<()>> {
+        panic!()
+    }
+
+    fn poll_close(self: Pin<&mut Self>, _cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<io::Result<()>> {
+        panic!()
+    }
+}
+
+/// Verifies that the default implementation of `poll_write_vectored`
+/// calls `poll_write` with an empty slice if no buffers are provided.
+#[test]
+fn write_vectored_no_buffers() {
+    let mut writer = MockWriter::new(|buf| {
+        assert_eq!(buf, b"");
+        Err(io::ErrorKind::BrokenPipe.into()).into()
+    });
+    let cx = &mut panic_context();
+    let bufs = &mut [];
+
+    let res = Pin::new(&mut writer).poll_write_vectored(cx, bufs);
+    let res = res.map_err(|e| e.kind());
+    assert_eq!(res, Poll::Ready(Err(io::ErrorKind::BrokenPipe)))
+}
+
+/// Verifies that the default implementation of `poll_write_vectored`
+/// calls `poll_write` with the first non-empty buffer.
+#[test]
+fn write_vectored_first_non_empty() {
+    let mut writer = MockWriter::new(|buf| {
+        assert_eq!(buf, b"four");
+        Poll::Ready(Ok(4))
+    });
+    let cx = &mut panic_context();
+    let bufs = &mut [
+        io::IoSlice::new(&[]), 
+        io::IoSlice::new(&[]),
+        io::IoSlice::new(b"four")
+    ];
+
+    let res = Pin::new(&mut writer).poll_write_vectored(cx, bufs);
+    let res = res.map_err(|e| e.kind());
+    assert_eq!(res, Poll::Ready(Ok(4)));
+}
+