diff --git a/include/lwmqtt.h b/include/lwmqtt.h
index bad8263..b28b485 100644
--- a/include/lwmqtt.h
+++ b/include/lwmqtt.h
@@ -79,10 +79,10 @@ typedef struct {
 typedef struct lwmqtt_client_t lwmqtt_client_t;
 
 /**
- * The callback used to read from a network object. It may set read to zero if no data is available.
+ * The callback used to read from a network object.
  *
- * The callback is expected to read the exact amount of bytes requested. It should wait up to the specified
- * timeout to read the requested data from the network.
+ * The callbacks is expected to read up to the amount of bytes in to the passed buffer. It should block the specified
+ * timeout and wait for more incoming data. It may set read to zero if no data is has been read.
  */
 typedef lwmqtt_err_t (*lwmqtt_network_read_t)(lwmqtt_client_t *c, void *ref, unsigned char *buf, int len, int *read,
                                               unsigned int timeout);
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ typedef lwmqtt_err_t (*lwmqtt_network_read_t)(lwmqtt_client_t *c, void *ref, uns
 /**
  * The callback used to write to a network object.
  *
- * The callback is expected to write the exact amount of bytes requested. If should wait up to the specified
- * timeout to read write the specified data to the network.
+ * The callback is expected to write up to the amount of bytes from the passed buffer. It should wait up to the
+ * specified timeout to write the specified data to the network.
  */
 typedef lwmqtt_err_t (*lwmqtt_network_write_t)(lwmqtt_client_t *c, void *ref, unsigned char *buf, int len, int *sent,
                                                unsigned int timeout);
diff --git a/src/client.c b/src/client.c
index f178639..5db66a8 100644
--- a/src/client.c
+++ b/src/client.c
@@ -52,15 +52,75 @@ static unsigned short lwmqtt_get_next_packet_id(lwmqtt_client_t *c) {
   return c->next_packet_id = (unsigned short)((c->next_packet_id == 65535) ? 1 : c->next_packet_id + 1);
 }
 
+static lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_read_from_network(lwmqtt_client_t *c, int offset, int len) {
+  // check read buffer capacity
+  if (c->read_buf_size < offset + len) {
+    return LWMQTT_BUFFER_TOO_SHORT;
+  }
+
+  // prepare counter
+  int read = 0;
+
+  // read while data is missing
+  while (read < len) {
+    // get remaining time
+    unsigned int remaining_time = c->timer_get(c, c->command_timer);
+
+    // check timeout
+    if (remaining_time <= 0) {
+      return LWMQTT_NOT_ENOUGH_DATA;
+    }
+
+    // read
+    int partial_read = 0;
+    lwmqtt_err_t err =
+        c->network_read(c, c->network, c->read_buf + offset + read, len - read, &partial_read, remaining_time);
+    if (err != LWMQTT_SUCCESS) {
+      return err;
+    }
+
+    // increment counter
+    read += partial_read;
+  }
+
+  return LWMQTT_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_write_to_network(lwmqtt_client_t *c, int offset, int len) {
+  // prepare counter
+  int written = 0;
+
+  // write while data is left
+  while (written < len) {
+    // get remaining time
+    unsigned int remaining_time = c->timer_get(c, c->command_timer);
+
+    // check timeout
+    if (remaining_time <= 0) {
+      return LWMQTT_NOT_ENOUGH_DATA;
+    }
+
+    // read
+    int partial_write = 0;
+    lwmqtt_err_t err =
+        c->network_write(c, c->network, c->write_buf + offset + written, len - written, &partial_write, remaining_time);
+    if (err != LWMQTT_SUCCESS) {
+      return err;
+    }
+
+    // increment counter
+    written += partial_write;
+  }
+
+  return LWMQTT_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 static lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_read_packet_in_buffer(lwmqtt_client_t *c, int *read, lwmqtt_packet_type_t *packet_type) {
   // read header byte
-  int partial_read = 0;
-  lwmqtt_err_t err = c->network_read(c, c->network, c->read_buf, 1, &partial_read, c->timer_get(c, c->command_timer));
+  lwmqtt_err_t err = lwmqtt_read_from_network(c, 0, 1);
   if (err != LWMQTT_SUCCESS) {
-    return err;
-  } else if (partial_read == 0) {
     *packet_type = LWMQTT_NO_PACKET;
-    return LWMQTT_SUCCESS;
+    return err;
   }
 
   // detect packet type
@@ -78,12 +138,9 @@ static lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_read_packet_in_buffer(lwmqtt_client_t *c, int *read,
     len++;
 
     // read next byte
-    partial_read = 0;
-    err = c->network_read(c, c->network, c->read_buf + len, 1, &partial_read, c->timer_get(c, c->command_timer));
+    err = lwmqtt_read_from_network(c, len, 1);
     if (err != LWMQTT_SUCCESS) {
       return err;
-    } else if (partial_read != 1) {
-      return LWMQTT_NOT_ENOUGH_DATA;
     }
 
     // attempt to detect remaining length
@@ -97,18 +154,9 @@ static lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_read_packet_in_buffer(lwmqtt_client_t *c, int *read,
 
   // read the rest of the buffer if needed
   if (rem_len > 0) {
-    // check read buffer capacity
-    if (c->read_buf_size < 1 + len + rem_len) {
-      return LWMQTT_BUFFER_TOO_SHORT;
-    }
-
-    partial_read = 0;
-    err = c->network_read(c, c->network, c->read_buf + 1 + len, rem_len, &partial_read,
-                          c->timer_get(c, c->command_timer));
+    err = lwmqtt_read_from_network(c, 1 + len, rem_len);
     if (err != LWMQTT_SUCCESS) {
       return err;
-    } else if (partial_read != rem_len) {
-      return LWMQTT_NOT_ENOUGH_DATA;
     }
   }
 
@@ -120,17 +168,11 @@ static lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_read_packet_in_buffer(lwmqtt_client_t *c, int *read,
 
 static lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_send_packet_in_buffer(lwmqtt_client_t *c, int length) {
   // write to network
-  int sent = 0;
-  lwmqtt_err_t err = c->network_write(c, c->network, c->write_buf, length, &sent, c->timer_get(c, c->command_timer));
+  lwmqtt_err_t err = lwmqtt_write_to_network(c, 0, length);
   if (err != LWMQTT_SUCCESS) {
     return err;
   }
 
-  // check length
-  if (sent != length) {
-    return LWMQTT_NOT_ENOUGH_DATA;
-  }
-
   // reset keep alive timer
   c->timer_set(c, c->keep_alive_timer, c->keep_alive_interval * 1000);
 
diff --git a/src/os/unix.c b/src/os/unix.c
index 6b50fc6..3b8386f 100644
--- a/src/os/unix.c
+++ b/src/os/unix.c
@@ -134,25 +134,15 @@ lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_unix_network_read(lwmqtt_client_t *client, void *ref, unsign
     return LWMQTT_NETWORK_READ_ERROR;
   }
 
-  // loop until buffer is full
-  while (*read < len) {
-    // read from socket
-    int bytes = (int)recv(n->socket, &buffer[*read], (size_t)(len - *read), 0);
-    if (bytes < 0) {
-      // finish current loop on timeout
-      if (errno == EAGAIN) {
-        break;
-      }
-
-      return LWMQTT_NETWORK_READ_ERROR;
-    } else if (bytes == 0) {
-      // finish if no more data
-      break;
-    } else
-      // increment counter
-      *read += bytes;
+  // read from socket
+  int bytes = (int)recv(n->socket, &buffer[*read], (size_t)(len - *read), 0);
+  if (bytes < 0 && errno != EAGAIN) {
+    return LWMQTT_NETWORK_READ_ERROR;
   }
 
+  // increment counter
+  *read += bytes;
+
   return LWMQTT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -168,17 +158,14 @@ lwmqtt_err_t lwmqtt_unix_network_write(lwmqtt_client_t *client, void *ref, unsig
     return LWMQTT_NETWORK_WRITE_ERR;
   }
 
-  // loop until all bytes haven been writen
-  while (*sent < len) {
-    // write to socket
-    int bytes = (int)send(n->socket, buffer, (size_t)len, 0);
-    if (bytes < 0) {
-      return LWMQTT_NETWORK_WRITE_ERR;
-    } else {
-      // increment counter
-      *sent += bytes;
-    }
+  // write to socket
+  int bytes = (int)send(n->socket, buffer, (size_t)len, 0);
+  if (bytes < 0 && errno != EAGAIN) {
+    return LWMQTT_NETWORK_WRITE_ERR;
   }
 
+  // increment counter
+  *sent += bytes;
+
   return LWMQTT_SUCCESS;
 }