diff --git a/alsaaudio.c b/alsaaudio.c
index 75e628b..c0051ae 100644
--- a/alsaaudio.c
+++ b/alsaaudio.c
@@ -1051,6 +1051,7 @@ alsapcm_read(alsapcm_t *self, PyObject *args)
 {
 	int res;
 	int size = self->framesize * self->periodsize;
+	int sizeout;
 	PyObject *buffer_obj, *tuple_obj, *res_obj;
 	char *buffer;
 
@@ -1106,16 +1107,20 @@ alsapcm_read(alsapcm_t *self, PyObject *args)
 	}
 
 	if (res <= 0) {
+		sizeout = 0;
+	} else {
+		sizeout = res * self->framesize;
+	}
+	
 #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
 		/* If the following fails, it will free the object */
-		if (_PyString_Resize(&buffer_obj, 0))
+		if (_PyString_Resize(&buffer_obj, sizeout))
 			return NULL;
 #else
 		/* If the following fails, it will free the object */
-		if (_PyBytes_Resize(&buffer_obj, 0))
+		if (_PyBytes_Resize(&buffer_obj, sizeout))
 			return NULL;
 #endif
-	}
 
 	res_obj = PyLong_FromLong(res);
 	if (!res_obj) {