diff --git a/transform/chain.go b/transform/chain.go
index f9c99a04a..f71de94c8 100644
--- a/transform/chain.go
+++ b/transform/chain.go
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ func (ft fromToBuffer) Content() []byte {
 }
 
 func (c *chain) Apply(w io.Writer, r io.Reader, p []byte) error {
+	if len(*c) == 0 {
+		_, err := io.Copy(w, r)
+		return err
+	}
 
 	b1 := bp.GetBuffer()
 	defer bp.PutBuffer(b1)
@@ -73,11 +77,6 @@ func (c *chain) Apply(w io.Writer, r io.Reader, p []byte) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if len(*c) == 0 {
-		_, err := b1.WriteTo(w)
-		return err
-	}
-
 	b2 := bp.GetBuffer()
 	defer bp.PutBuffer(b2)