diff --git a/common.go b/common.go
index bb5b08d3..4822db07 100644
--- a/common.go
+++ b/common.go
@@ -17,8 +17,112 @@ import (
 const maxVarIntPayload = 9
 
 // readElement reads the next sequence of bytes from r using little endian
-// depending on the concrete type of element pointed to.
+// depending on the concrete type of element pointed to.  It also accepts a
+// scratch buffer that is used for the primitive values rather than creating
+// a new buffer on every call.
 func readElement(r io.Reader, element interface{}) error {
+	var scratch [8]byte
+
+	// Attempt to read the element based on the concrete type via fast
+	// type assertions first.
+	switch e := element.(type) {
+	case *int32:
+		b := scratch[0:4]
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*e = int32(binary.LittleEndian.Uint32(b))
+		return nil
+
+	case *uint32:
+		b := scratch[0:4]
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*e = binary.LittleEndian.Uint32(b)
+		return nil
+
+	case *int64:
+		b := scratch[0:8]
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*e = int64(binary.LittleEndian.Uint64(b))
+		return nil
+
+	case *uint64:
+		b := scratch[0:8]
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*e = binary.LittleEndian.Uint64(b)
+		return nil
+
+	// Message header checksum.
+	case *[4]byte:
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, e[:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+
+	// Message header command.
+	case *[commandSize]uint8:
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, e[:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+
+	// IP address.
+	case *[16]byte:
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, e[:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+
+	case *ShaHash:
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, e[:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+
+	case *ServiceFlag:
+		b := scratch[0:8]
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*e = ServiceFlag(binary.LittleEndian.Uint64(b))
+		return nil
+
+	case *InvType:
+		b := scratch[0:4]
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*e = InvType(binary.LittleEndian.Uint32(b))
+		return nil
+
+	case *BitcoinNet:
+		b := scratch[0:4]
+		_, err := io.ReadFull(r, b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*e = BitcoinNet(binary.LittleEndian.Uint32(b))
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Fall back to the slower binary.Read if a fast path was not available
+	// above.
 	return binary.Read(r, binary.LittleEndian, element)
 }