diff --git a/src/buf/buf_impl.rs b/src/buf/buf_impl.rs
index a33c8a42d..a87bf3304 100644
--- a/src/buf/buf_impl.rs
+++ b/src/buf/buf_impl.rs
@@ -125,8 +125,9 @@ pub trait Buf {
     /// # Implementer notes
     ///
     /// This function should never panic. Once the end of the buffer is reached,
-    /// i.e., `Buf::remaining` returns 0, calls to `chunk()` should return an
-    /// empty slice.
+    /// i.e., `Buf::remaining` returns 0, calls to `chunk()` must return an
+    /// empty slice. If there is remaining data, calls must return a slice with at
+    /// least 1 byte.
     // The `chunk` method was previously called `bytes`. This alias makes the rename
     // more easily discoverable.
     #[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(alias = "bytes"))]
@@ -285,7 +286,7 @@ pub trait Buf {
     ///
     /// This function panics if there is no more remaining data in `self`.
     fn get_u8(&mut self) -> u8 {
-        assert!(self.remaining() >= 1);
+        assert!(self.chunk().len() >= 1);
         let ret = self.chunk()[0];
         self.advance(1);
         ret
@@ -308,7 +309,7 @@ pub trait Buf {
     ///
     /// This function panics if there is no more remaining data in `self`.
     fn get_i8(&mut self) -> i8 {
-        assert!(self.remaining() >= 1);
+        assert!(self.chunk().len() >= 1);
         let ret = self.chunk()[0] as i8;
         self.advance(1);
         ret