diff --git a/core/sharedarea.c b/core/sharedarea.c
index 0a14a680..1593b739 100644
--- a/core/sharedarea.c
+++ b/core/sharedarea.c
@@ -26,16 +26,16 @@ struct uwsgi_sharedarea *uwsgi_sharedarea_get_by_id(int id, uint64_t pos) {
 	return sa;
 }
 
-int uwsgi_sharedarea_read(int id, uint64_t pos, char *blob, uint64_t len) {
+int64_t uwsgi_sharedarea_read(int id, uint64_t pos, char *blob, uint64_t len) {
 	struct uwsgi_sharedarea *sa = uwsgi_sharedarea_get_by_id(id, pos);
         if (!sa) return -1;
         if (pos + len > sa->max_pos + 1) return -1;
-	if (len == 0) len = (sa->max_pos + 1) - pos;
+	if (len == 0) len = sa->honour_used ? sa->used-pos : (sa->max_pos + 1) - pos;
         uwsgi_rlock(sa->lock);
         memcpy(blob, sa->area + pos, len);
         sa->hits++;
         uwsgi_rwunlock(sa->lock);
-        return 0;
+        return len;
 } 
 
 int uwsgi_sharedarea_write(int id, uint64_t pos, char *blob, uint64_t len) {
diff --git a/core/websockets.c b/core/websockets.c
index bdb8ad12..e03df308 100644
--- a/core/websockets.c
+++ b/core/websockets.c
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ static int uwsgi_websocket_send_do(struct wsgi_request *wsgi_req, char *msg, siz
 static int uwsgi_websocket_send_from_sharedarea_do(struct wsgi_request *wsgi_req, int id, uint64_t pos, uint64_t len, uint8_t opcode) {
 	struct uwsgi_sharedarea *sa = uwsgi_sharedarea_get_by_id(id, pos);
 	if (!sa) return -1;
-	if (!len) len = ((sa->max_pos+1)-pos);
+	if (!len) {
+		len = sa->honour_used ? sa->used-pos : ((sa->max_pos+1)-pos);
+	}
 	uwsgi_rlock(sa->lock);
 	sa->hits++;
         struct uwsgi_buffer *ub = uwsgi_websocket_message(wsgi_req, sa->area, len, opcode);
diff --git a/plugins/psgi/uwsgi_plmodule.c b/plugins/psgi/uwsgi_plmodule.c
index 3de0a253..1ad10647 100644
--- a/plugins/psgi/uwsgi_plmodule.c
+++ b/plugins/psgi/uwsgi_plmodule.c
@@ -775,14 +775,15 @@ XS(XS_sharedarea_read) {
 	}
 
 	char *buf = uwsgi_malloc(len);
-	if (uwsgi_sharedarea_read(id, pos, buf, len)) {
+	int64_t rlen = uwsgi_sharedarea_read(id, pos, buf, len);
+	if (rlen < 0) {
 		free(buf);
 		croak("unable to read from sharedarea %d", id);
                 XSRETURN_UNDEF;
 	}
 
 	ST(0) = sv_newmortal();
-     	sv_usepvn(ST(0), buf,len);
+     	sv_usepvn(ST(0), buf, rlen);
         XSRETURN(1);
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/python/uwsgi_pymodule.c b/plugins/python/uwsgi_pymodule.c
index aa819d84..a717532d 100644
--- a/plugins/python/uwsgi_pymodule.c
+++ b/plugins/python/uwsgi_pymodule.c
@@ -1600,14 +1600,17 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_sharedarea_read(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 #endif
 
 	UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-        int r = uwsgi_sharedarea_read(id, pos, storage, len);
+        int64_t rlen = uwsgi_sharedarea_read(id, pos, storage, len);
         UWSGI_GET_GIL
 
-        if (r) {
+        if (rlen < 0) {
 		Py_DECREF(ret);
                 return PyErr_Format(PyExc_ValueError, "error calling uwsgi_sharedarea_read()");
         }
 
+	// HACK: we are safe as rlen can only be lower or equal to len
+	Py_SIZE(ret) = rlen;
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/python/uwsgi_python.h b/plugins/python/uwsgi_python.h
index fdf8e97e..ce4a54ba 100644
--- a/plugins/python/uwsgi_python.h
+++ b/plugins/python/uwsgi_python.h
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@
 #define PYTHREE
 #endif
 
+#if (PY_VERSION_HEX < 0x02060000)
+#ifndef Py_SIZE
+#define Py_SIZE(ob)             (((PyVarObject*)(ob))->ob_size)
+#endif
+#endif
+
 #define UWSGI_GET_GIL up.gil_get();
 #define UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL up.gil_release();
 
diff --git a/uwsgi.h b/uwsgi.h
index 3366efd1..ffe522aa 100644
--- a/uwsgi.h
+++ b/uwsgi.h
@@ -720,6 +720,8 @@ struct uwsgi_sharedarea {
 	uint64_t max_pos;
 	uint64_t updates;
 	uint64_t hits;
+	uint8_t honour_used;
+	uint64_t used;
 };
 
 // maintain alignment here !!!
@@ -4567,7 +4569,7 @@ void uwsgi_sharedareas_init();
 struct uwsgi_sharedarea *uwsgi_sharedarea_init(int);
 struct uwsgi_sharedarea *uwsgi_sharedarea_init_ptr(char *, uint64_t);
 
-int uwsgi_sharedarea_read(int, uint64_t, char *, uint64_t);
+int64_t uwsgi_sharedarea_read(int, uint64_t, char *, uint64_t);
 int uwsgi_sharedarea_write(int, uint64_t, char *, uint64_t);
 int uwsgi_sharedarea_read64(int, uint64_t, int64_t *);
 int uwsgi_sharedarea_write64(int, uint64_t, int64_t *);