diff --git a/nse_nsock.cc b/nse_nsock.cc
index 4cc06b5ed..25131bd64 100644
--- a/nse_nsock.cc
+++ b/nse_nsock.cc
@@ -635,17 +635,23 @@ static void receive_callback (nsock_pool nsp, nsock_event nse, void *udata)
   assert(nse_type(nse) == NSE_TYPE_READ);
   if (nse_status(nse) == NSE_STATUS_SUCCESS)
   {
-    assert(lua_status(L) == LUA_YIELD);
     int len;
     const char *str = nse_readbuf(nse, &len);
     trace(nse_iod(nse), hexify((const unsigned char *) str, len).c_str(), FROM);
     lua_pushboolean(L, true);
     lua_pushlstring(L, str, len);
-    nse_restore(L, 2);
+    // since r39036, read event can succeed immediately if there's pending SSL data
+    if(lua_status(L) == LUA_YIELD)
+      nse_restore(L, 2);
+    else
+      nu->action = NU_ACTION_IMMEDIATE;
+    return;
   }
   else if (lua_status(L) == LUA_OK && nse_status(nse) == NSE_STATUS_EOF) {
     // since r39028, read event can fail immediately if the socket is EOF.
     trace(nse_iod(nse), nu->action, "EOF");
+    lua_pushnil(L);
+    lua_pushliteral(L, "EOF");
     nu->action = NU_ACTION_IMMEDIATE;
     return;
   }
@@ -658,10 +664,11 @@ static int l_receive (lua_State *L)
   nsock_pool nsp = get_pool(L);
   nse_nsock_udata *nu = check_nsock_udata(L, 1, true);
   NSOCK_UDATA_ENSURE_OPEN(L, nu);
+  int oldtop = lua_gettop(L);
   nsock_read(nsp, nu->nsiod, receive_callback, nu->timeout, nu);
   if (nu->action == NU_ACTION_IMMEDIATE) {
     // Immediate return
-    return nseU_safeerror(L, "EOF");
+    return lua_gettop(L) - oldtop;
   }
   return yield(L, nu, "RECEIVE", FROM, 0, NULL);
 }
@@ -671,11 +678,12 @@ static int l_receive_lines (lua_State *L)
   nsock_pool nsp = get_pool(L);
   nse_nsock_udata *nu = check_nsock_udata(L, 1, true);
   NSOCK_UDATA_ENSURE_OPEN(L, nu);
+  int oldtop = lua_gettop(L);
   nsock_readlines(nsp, nu->nsiod, receive_callback, nu->timeout, nu,
       luaL_checkinteger(L, 2));
   if (nu->action == NU_ACTION_IMMEDIATE) {
     // Immediate return
-    return nseU_safeerror(L, "EOF");
+    return lua_gettop(L) - oldtop;
   }
   return yield(L, nu, "RECEIVE LINES", FROM, 0, NULL);
 }
@@ -685,11 +693,12 @@ static int l_receive_bytes (lua_State *L)
   nsock_pool nsp = get_pool(L);
   nse_nsock_udata *nu = check_nsock_udata(L, 1, true);
   NSOCK_UDATA_ENSURE_OPEN(L, nu);
+  int oldtop = lua_gettop(L);
   nsock_readbytes(nsp, nu->nsiod, receive_callback, nu->timeout, nu,
       luaL_checkinteger(L, 2));
   if (nu->action == NU_ACTION_IMMEDIATE) {
     // Immediate return
-    return nseU_safeerror(L, "EOF");
+    return lua_gettop(L) - oldtop;
   }
   return yield(L, nu, "RECEIVE BYTES", FROM, 0, NULL);
 }
@@ -754,10 +763,11 @@ static int receive_buf (lua_State *L, int status, lua_KContext ctx)
   else
   {
     lua_pop(L, 2); /* pop 2 results */
+    int oldtop = lua_gettop(L);
     nsock_read(nsp, nu->nsiod, receive_callback, nu->timeout, nu);
     if (nu->action == NU_ACTION_IMMEDIATE) {
       // Immediate return
-      return nseU_safeerror(L, "EOF");
+      return lua_gettop(L) - oldtop;
     }
     return yield(L, nu, "RECEIVE BUF", FROM, 0, receive_buf);
   }