diff --git a/include/qpdf/Buffer.hh b/include/qpdf/Buffer.hh
index c0669c6c..d0e6eda0 100644
--- a/include/qpdf/Buffer.hh
+++ b/include/qpdf/Buffer.hh
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <memory>
+#include <string>
 
 class Buffer
 {
@@ -35,11 +36,15 @@ class Buffer
     // object is destroyed.
     QPDF_DLL
     Buffer(size_t size);
+    QPDF_DLL
+    Buffer(std::string&& content);
 
     // Create a Buffer object whose memory is owned by the caller and will not be freed when the
     // Buffer is destroyed.
     QPDF_DLL
     Buffer(unsigned char* buf, size_t size);
+    QPDF_DLL
+    Buffer(std::string& content);
 
     [[deprecated("Move Buffer or use Buffer::copy instead")]] QPDF_DLL Buffer(Buffer const&);
     [[deprecated("Move Buffer or use Buffer::copy instead")]] QPDF_DLL Buffer&
@@ -75,8 +80,10 @@ class Buffer
 
       private:
         Members(size_t size, unsigned char* buf, bool own_memory);
+        Members(std::string&& content);
         Members(Members const&) = delete;
 
+        std::string str;
         bool own_memory;
         size_t size;
         unsigned char* buf;
diff --git a/include/qpdf/Pl_Buffer.hh b/include/qpdf/Pl_Buffer.hh
index 5030e10e..5def8b4f 100644
--- a/include/qpdf/Pl_Buffer.hh
+++ b/include/qpdf/Pl_Buffer.hh
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 #include <qpdf/PointerHolder.hh> // unused -- remove in qpdf 12 (see #785)
 
 #include <memory>
-#include <vector>
+#include <string>
 
 class QPDF_DLL_CLASS Pl_Buffer: public Pipeline
 {
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ class QPDF_DLL_CLASS Pl_Buffer: public Pipeline
     QPDF_DLL
     void getMallocBuffer(unsigned char** buf, size_t* len);
 
+    // Same as getBuffer but returns the result as a string.
+    QPDF_DLL
+    std::string getString();
+
   private:
     class QPDF_DLL_PRIVATE Members
     {
@@ -78,7 +82,7 @@ class QPDF_DLL_CLASS Pl_Buffer: public Pipeline
         Members(Members const&) = delete;
 
         bool ready{true};
-        std::vector<unsigned char> data;
+        std::string data;
     };
 
     std::shared_ptr<Members> m;
diff --git a/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh b/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
index 2ca6005c..ffe07559 100644
--- a/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
+++ b/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
@@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ class QPDF
         Pipeline*& pipeline,
         QPDFObjGen const& og,
         QPDFObjectHandle& stream_dict,
-        std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Pipeline>>& heap);
+        std::unique_ptr<Pipeline>& heap);
 
     // Methods to support object copying
     void reserveObjects(QPDFObjectHandle foreign, ObjCopier& obj_copier, bool top);
diff --git a/libqpdf/Buffer.cc b/libqpdf/Buffer.cc
index 3dddd5db..20453a40 100644
--- a/libqpdf/Buffer.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/Buffer.cc
@@ -27,6 +27,14 @@ Buffer::Members::Members(size_t size, unsigned char* buf, bool own_memory) :
     }
 }
 
+Buffer::Members::Members(std::string&& content) :
+    str(std::move(content)),
+    own_memory(false),
+    size(str.size()),
+    buf(reinterpret_cast<unsigned char*>(str.data()))
+{
+}
+
 Buffer::Members::~Members()
 {
     if (this->own_memory) {
@@ -44,11 +52,21 @@ Buffer::Buffer(size_t size) :
 {
 }
 
+Buffer::Buffer(std::string&& content) :
+    m(new Members(std::move(content)))
+{
+}
+
 Buffer::Buffer(unsigned char* buf, size_t size) :
     m(new Members(size, buf, false))
 {
 }
 
+Buffer::Buffer(std::string& content) :
+    m(new Members(content.size(), reinterpret_cast<unsigned char*>(content.data()), false))
+{
+}
+
 Buffer::Buffer(Buffer const& rhs)
 {
     assert(test_mode);
diff --git a/libqpdf/Pl_Buffer.cc b/libqpdf/Pl_Buffer.cc
index 766c04b5..9994bedd 100644
--- a/libqpdf/Pl_Buffer.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/Pl_Buffer.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Pl_Buffer::~Pl_Buffer() // NOLINT (modernize-use-equals-default)
 void
 Pl_Buffer::write(unsigned char const* buf, size_t len)
 {
-    m->data.insert(m->data.end(), buf, buf + len);
+    m->data.append(reinterpret_cast<char const*>(buf), len);
     m->ready = false;
 
     if (getNext(true)) {
@@ -42,17 +42,22 @@ Pl_Buffer::getBuffer()
     if (!m->ready) {
         throw std::logic_error("Pl_Buffer::getBuffer() called when not ready");
     }
-
-    auto size = m->data.size();
-    auto* b = new Buffer(size);
-    if (size > 0) {
-        unsigned char* p = b->getBuffer();
-        memcpy(p, m->data.data(), size);
-    }
+    auto* b = new Buffer(std::move(m->data));
     m->data.clear();
     return b;
 }
 
+std::string
+Pl_Buffer::getString()
+{
+    if (!m->ready) {
+        throw std::logic_error("Pl_Buffer::getString() called when not ready");
+    }
+    auto s = std::move(m->data);
+    m->data.clear();
+    return s;
+}
+
 std::shared_ptr<Buffer>
 Pl_Buffer::getBufferSharedPointer()
 {
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDF.cc b/libqpdf/QPDF.cc
index 473cf5f0..f6badc35 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDF.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDF.cc
@@ -2413,29 +2413,23 @@ QPDF::pipeStreamData(
     bool suppress_warnings,
     bool will_retry)
 {
-    std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Pipeline>> to_delete;
+    std::unique_ptr<Pipeline> to_delete;
     if (encp->encrypted) {
         decryptStream(encp, file, qpdf_for_warning, pipeline, og, stream_dict, to_delete);
     }
 
     bool attempted_finish = false;
-    bool success = false;
     try {
         file->seek(offset, SEEK_SET);
-        char buf[10240];
-        while (length > 0) {
-            size_t to_read = (sizeof(buf) < length ? sizeof(buf) : length);
-            size_t len = file->read(buf, to_read);
-            if (len == 0) {
-                throw damagedPDF(
-                    file, "", file->getLastOffset(), "unexpected EOF reading stream data");
-            }
-            length -= len;
-            pipeline->write(buf, len);
+        auto buf = std::make_unique<char[]>(length);
+        if (auto read = file->read(buf.get(), length); read != length) {
+            throw damagedPDF(
+                file, "", offset + toO(read), "unexpected EOF reading stream data");
         }
+        pipeline->write(buf.get(), length);
         attempted_finish = true;
         pipeline->finish();
-        success = true;
+        return true;
     } catch (QPDFExc& e) {
         if (!suppress_warnings) {
             qpdf_for_warning.warn(e);
@@ -2458,8 +2452,7 @@ QPDF::pipeStreamData(
                         file,
                         "",
                         file->getLastOffset(),
-                        "stream will be re-processed without"
-                        " filtering to avoid data loss"));
+                        "stream will be re-processed without filtering to avoid data loss"));
             }
         }
     }
@@ -2470,7 +2463,7 @@ QPDF::pipeStreamData(
             // ignore
         }
     }
-    return success;
+    return false ;
 }
 
 bool
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDFAcroFormDocumentHelper.cc b/libqpdf/QPDFAcroFormDocumentHelper.cc
index 5a54bf75..f2daa0c7 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDFAcroFormDocumentHelper.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDFAcroFormDocumentHelper.cc
@@ -584,8 +584,7 @@ QPDFAcroFormDocumentHelper::adjustDefaultAppearances(
     ResourceReplacer rr(dr_map, rf.getNamesByResourceType());
     Pl_Buffer buf_pl("filtered DA");
     da_stream.filterAsContents(&rr, &buf_pl);
-    auto buf = buf_pl.getBufferSharedPointer();
-    std::string new_da(reinterpret_cast<char*>(buf->getBuffer()), buf->getSize());
+    std::string new_da = buf_pl.getString();
     obj.replaceKey("/DA", QPDFObjectHandle::newString(new_da));
 }
 
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDFObjectHandle.cc b/libqpdf/QPDFObjectHandle.cc
index d5ac137a..d543f98e 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDFObjectHandle.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDFObjectHandle.cc
@@ -1708,8 +1708,7 @@ QPDFObjectHandle::pipeContentStreams(
         need_newline = (lc.getLastChar() != static_cast<unsigned char>('\n'));
         QTC::TC("qpdf", "QPDFObjectHandle need_newline", need_newline ? 0 : 1);
     }
-    std::unique_ptr<Buffer> b(buf.getBuffer());
-    p->write(b->getBuffer(), b->getSize());
+    p->writeString(buf.getString());
     p->finish();
 }
 
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDFPageObjectHelper.cc b/libqpdf/QPDFPageObjectHelper.cc
index fd6e5215..54bb5cac 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDFPageObjectHelper.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDFPageObjectHelper.cc
@@ -175,14 +175,11 @@ InlineImageTracker::handleToken(QPDFTokenizer::Token const& token)
             size_t len = image_data.length();
             if (len >= this->min_size) {
                 QTC::TC("qpdf", "QPDFPageObjectHelper externalize inline image");
-                Pl_Buffer b("image_data");
-                b.writeString(image_data);
-                b.finish();
                 QPDFObjectHandle dict = convertIIDict(QPDFObjectHandle::parse(dict_str));
                 dict.replaceKey("/Length", QPDFObjectHandle::newInteger(QIntC::to_longlong(len)));
                 std::string name = resources.getUniqueResourceName("/IIm", this->min_suffix);
                 QPDFObjectHandle image =
-                    QPDFObjectHandle::newStream(this->qpdf, b.getBufferSharedPointer());
+                    QPDFObjectHandle::newStream(this->qpdf, std::make_shared<Buffer>(std::move(image_data)));
                 image.replaceDict(dict);
                 resources.getKey("/XObject").replaceKey(name, image);
                 write(name);
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc b/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
index db3b42e0..664ea5ff 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
@@ -1579,10 +1579,7 @@ QPDFWriter::unparseObject(
                     m->cur_data_key.length());
                 pl.writeString(val);
                 pl.finish();
-                auto buf = bufpl.getBufferSharedPointer();
-                val = QPDF_String(
-                          std::string(reinterpret_cast<char*>(buf->getBuffer()), buf->getSize()))
-                          .unparse(true);
+                val = QPDF_String(bufpl.getString()).unparse(true);
             } else {
                 auto tmp_ph = QUtil::make_unique_cstr(val);
                 char* tmp = tmp_ph.get();
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDF_Stream.cc b/libqpdf/QPDF_Stream.cc
index 45d6fb70..a43d91ff 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDF_Stream.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDF_Stream.cc
@@ -216,29 +216,28 @@ QPDF_Stream::getStreamJSON(
     auto dict = this->stream_dict;
     JSON result = JSON::makeDictionary();
     if (json_data != qpdf_sj_none) {
-        std::shared_ptr<Buffer> buf;
+        Pl_Discard discard;
+        Pl_Buffer buf_pl{"stream data"};
+        // buf_pl contains valid data and is ready for retrieval of the data.
+        bool buf_pl_ready = false;
         bool filtered = false;
         bool filter = (decode_level != qpdf_dl_none);
         for (int attempt = 1; attempt <= 2; ++attempt) {
-            Pl_Discard discard;
-            std::shared_ptr<Pl_Buffer> buf_pl;
-            Pipeline* data_pipeline = nullptr;
+            Pipeline* data_pipeline = &discard;
             if (json_data == qpdf_sj_file) {
                 // We need to capture the data to write
-                buf_pl = std::make_shared<Pl_Buffer>("stream data");
-                data_pipeline = buf_pl.get();
-            } else {
-                data_pipeline = &discard;
+                data_pipeline = &buf_pl;
             }
             bool succeeded =
                 pipeStreamData(data_pipeline, &filtered, 0, decode_level, false, (attempt == 1));
-            if ((!succeeded) || (filter && (!filtered))) {
+            if (!succeeded || (filter && !filtered)) {
                 // Try again
                 filter = false;
                 decode_level = qpdf_dl_none;
+                buf_pl.getString(); // reset buf_pl
             } else {
-                if (buf_pl.get()) {
-                    buf = buf_pl->getBufferSharedPointer();
+                if (json_data == qpdf_sj_file) {
+                    buf_pl_ready = true;
                 }
                 break;
             }
@@ -252,10 +251,10 @@ QPDF_Stream::getStreamJSON(
         }
         if (json_data == qpdf_sj_file) {
             result.addDictionaryMember("datafile", JSON::makeString(data_filename));
-            if (!buf.get()) {
+            if (!buf_pl_ready) {
                 throw std::logic_error("QPDF_Stream: failed to get stream data in json file mode");
             }
-            p->write(buf->getBuffer(), buf->getSize());
+            p->writeString(buf_pl.getString());
         } else if (json_data == qpdf_sj_inline) {
             result.addDictionaryMember(
                 "data", JSON::makeBlob(StreamBlobProvider(this, decode_level)));
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDF_encryption.cc b/libqpdf/QPDF_encryption.cc
index b5cc44ee..1dd7b963 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDF_encryption.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDF_encryption.cc
@@ -229,13 +229,11 @@ process_with_aes(
         aes.writeString(data);
     }
     aes.finish();
-    auto bufp = buffer.getBufferSharedPointer();
     if (outlength == 0) {
-        outlength = bufp->getSize();
+        return buffer.getString();
     } else {
-        outlength = std::min(outlength, bufp->getSize());
+        return buffer.getString().substr(0, outlength);
     }
-    return {reinterpret_cast<char*>(bufp->getBuffer()), outlength};
 }
 
 static std::string
@@ -1021,8 +1019,7 @@ QPDF::decryptString(std::string& str, QPDFObjGen const& og)
                 key.length());
             pl.writeString(str);
             pl.finish();
-            auto buf = bufpl.getBufferSharedPointer();
-            str = std::string(reinterpret_cast<char*>(buf->getBuffer()), buf->getSize());
+            str = bufpl.getString();
         } else {
             QTC::TC("qpdf", "QPDF_encryption rc4 decode string");
             size_t vlen = str.length();
@@ -1041,6 +1038,9 @@ QPDF::decryptString(std::string& str, QPDFObjGen const& og)
     }
 }
 
+// Prepend a decryption pipeline to 'pipeline'. The decryption pipeline (returned as
+// 'decrypt_pipeline' must be owned by the caller to ensure that it stays alive while the pipeline
+// is in use.
 void
 QPDF::decryptStream(
     std::shared_ptr<EncryptionParameters> encp,
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ QPDF::decryptStream(
     Pipeline*& pipeline,
     QPDFObjGen const& og,
     QPDFObjectHandle& stream_dict,
-    std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Pipeline>>& heap)
+    std::unique_ptr<Pipeline>& decrypt_pipeline)
 {
     std::string type;
     if (stream_dict.getKey("/Type").isName()) {
@@ -1085,8 +1085,7 @@ QPDF::decryptStream(
                                 crypt_params.getKey("/Name").isName()) {
                                 QTC::TC("qpdf", "QPDF_encrypt crypt array");
                                 method = interpretCF(encp, crypt_params.getKey("/Name"));
-                                method_source = "stream's Crypt "
-                                                "decode parameters (array)";
+                                method_source = "stream's Crypt decode parameters (array)";
                             }
                         }
                     }
@@ -1135,10 +1134,9 @@ QPDF::decryptStream(
         }
     }
     std::string key = getKeyForObject(encp, og, use_aes);
-    std::shared_ptr<Pipeline> new_pipeline;
     if (use_aes) {
         QTC::TC("qpdf", "QPDF_encryption aes decode stream");
-        new_pipeline = std::make_shared<Pl_AES_PDF>(
+        decrypt_pipeline = std::make_unique<Pl_AES_PDF>(
             "AES stream decryption",
             pipeline,
             false,
@@ -1146,14 +1144,13 @@ QPDF::decryptStream(
             key.length());
     } else {
         QTC::TC("qpdf", "QPDF_encryption rc4 decode stream");
-        new_pipeline = std::make_shared<Pl_RC4>(
+        decrypt_pipeline = std::make_unique<Pl_RC4>(
             "RC4 stream decryption",
             pipeline,
             QUtil::unsigned_char_pointer(key),
             toI(key.length()));
     }
-    pipeline = new_pipeline.get();
-    heap.push_back(new_pipeline);
+    pipeline = decrypt_pipeline.get();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libtests/buffer.cc b/libtests/buffer.cc
index e62a37ca..1b87bb7d 100644
--- a/libtests/buffer.cc
+++ b/libtests/buffer.cc
@@ -35,6 +35,21 @@ main()
         assert(bc2p != bc1p);
         assert(bc2p[0] == 'R');
         assert(bc2p[1] == 'W');
+
+        // Test Buffer(std:string&&)
+        Buffer bc3("QW");
+        unsigned char* bc3p = bc3.getBuffer();
+        Buffer bc4(bc3.copy());
+        bc3p[0] = 'R';
+        unsigned char* bc4p = bc4.getBuffer();
+        assert(bc4p != bc3p);
+        assert(bc4p[0] == 'Q');
+        assert(bc4p[1] == 'W');
+        bc4 = bc3.copy();
+        bc4p = bc4.getBuffer();
+        assert(bc4p != bc3p);
+        assert(bc4p[0] == 'R');
+        assert(bc4p[1] == 'W');
     }
 
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
@@ -62,6 +77,37 @@ main()
         assert(bc2p != bc1p);
         assert(bc2p[0] == 'R');
         assert(bc2p[1] == 'W');
+
+        // Test Buffer(std:string&&)
+        Buffer bc3("QW");
+        unsigned char* bc3p = bc3.getBuffer();
+        Buffer bc4(bc3);
+        bc3p[0] = 'R';
+        unsigned char* bc4p = bc4.getBuffer();
+        assert(bc4p != bc3p);
+        assert(bc4p[0] == 'Q');
+        assert(bc4p[1] == 'W');
+        bc4 = bc3;
+        bc4p = bc4.getBuffer();
+        assert(bc4p != bc3p);
+        assert(bc2p[0] == 'R');
+        assert(bc2p[1] == 'W');
+
+        // Test Buffer(std:string&)
+        std::string s{"QW"};
+        Buffer bc5(s);
+        unsigned char* bc5p = bc5.getBuffer();
+        Buffer bc6(bc5);
+        bc5p[0] = 'R';
+        unsigned char* bc6p = bc6.getBuffer();
+        assert(bc6p != bc5p);
+        assert(bc6p[0] == 'Q');
+        assert(bc6p[1] == 'W');
+        bc6 = bc5;
+        bc6p = bc6.getBuffer();
+        assert(bc6p != bc5p);
+        assert(bc2p[0] == 'R');
+        assert(bc2p[1] == 'W');
     }
 #if (defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__))
 # pragma GCC diagnostic pop
@@ -82,6 +128,19 @@ main()
         Buffer bm3 = std::move(bm2);
         unsigned char* bm3p = bm3.getBuffer();
         assert(bm3p == bm2p);
+
+        // Test Buffer(dtd::string&&)
+        Buffer bm4("QW");
+        unsigned char* bm4p = bm4.getBuffer();
+        Buffer bm5(std::move(bm4));
+        bm4p[0] = 'R';
+        unsigned char* bm5p = bm5.getBuffer();
+        assert(bm5p == bm4p);
+        assert(bm5p[0] == 'R');
+
+        Buffer bm6 = std::move(bm5);
+        unsigned char* bm6p = bm6.getBuffer();
+        assert(bm6p == bm5p);
     }
 
     try {