diff --git a/src/stream_engine.cpp b/src/stream_engine.cpp
index 67fceb3d..031c6a04 100644
--- a/src/stream_engine.cpp
+++ b/src/stream_engine.cpp
@@ -83,25 +83,6 @@ zmq::stream_engine_t::stream_engine_t (fd_t fd_, const options_t &options_,
     
     //  Put the socket into non-blocking mode.
     unblock_socket (s);
-    //  Set the socket buffer limits for the underlying socket.
-    if (options.sndbuf) {
-        rc = setsockopt (s, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDBUF,
-            (char*) &options.sndbuf, sizeof (int));
-#ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
-		wsa_assert (rc != SOCKET_ERROR);
-#else
-        errno_assert (rc == 0);
-#endif
-    }
-    if (options.rcvbuf) {
-        rc = setsockopt (s, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVBUF,
-            (char*) &options.rcvbuf, sizeof (int));
-#ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
-		wsa_assert (rc != SOCKET_ERROR);
-#else
-        errno_assert (rc == 0);
-#endif
-    }
 
 #ifdef SO_NOSIGPIPE
     //  Make sure that SIGPIPE signal is not generated when writing to a
diff --git a/src/tcp.cpp b/src/tcp.cpp
index 767beead..fff520ea 100644
--- a/src/tcp.cpp
+++ b/src/tcp.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,28 @@ void zmq::tune_tcp_socket (fd_t s_)
 #endif
 }
 
+void zmq::set_tcp_send_buffer (fd_t sockfd_, int bufsize_)
+{
+    const int rc = setsockopt (sockfd_, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDBUF,
+        (char*) &bufsize_, sizeof bufsize_);
+#ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
+    wsa_assert (rc != SOCKET_ERROR);
+#else
+    errno_assert (rc == 0);
+#endif
+}
+
+void zmq::set_tcp_receive_buffer (fd_t sockfd_, int bufsize_)
+{
+    const int rc = setsockopt (sockfd_, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVBUF,
+        (char*) &bufsize_, sizeof bufsize_);
+#ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
+    wsa_assert (rc != SOCKET_ERROR);
+#else
+    errno_assert (rc == 0);
+#endif
+}
+
 void zmq::tune_tcp_keepalives (fd_t s_, int keepalive_, int keepalive_cnt_, int keepalive_idle_, int keepalive_intvl_)
 {
     // These options are used only under certain #ifdefs below.
diff --git a/src/tcp.hpp b/src/tcp.hpp
index 40dfc7b9..28d6af77 100644
--- a/src/tcp.hpp
+++ b/src/tcp.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ namespace zmq
     //  Tunes the supplied TCP socket for the best latency.
     void tune_tcp_socket (fd_t s_);
 
+    //  Sets the socket send buffer size.
+    void set_tcp_send_buffer (fd_t sockfd_, int bufsize_);
+
+    //  Sets the socket receive buffer size.
+    void set_tcp_receive_buffer (fd_t sockfd_, int bufsize_);
+
     //  Tunes TCP keep-alives
     void tune_tcp_keepalives (fd_t s_, int keepalive_, int keepalive_cnt_, int keepalive_idle_, int keepalive_intvl_);
 
diff --git a/src/tcp_connecter.cpp b/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
index eacb105d..9e87a71d 100644
--- a/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
+++ b/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
@@ -226,6 +226,12 @@ int zmq::tcp_connecter_t::open ()
     // Set the socket to non-blocking mode so that we get async connect().
     unblock_socket (s);
 
+    //  Set the socket buffer limits for the underlying socket.
+    if (options.sndbuf != 0)
+        set_tcp_send_buffer (s, options.sndbuf);
+    if (options.rcvbuf != 0)
+        set_tcp_receive_buffer (s, options.rcvbuf);
+
     //  Connect to the remote peer.
     int rc = ::connect (
         s, addr->resolved.tcp_addr->addr (),
diff --git a/src/tcp_listener.cpp b/src/tcp_listener.cpp
index 05e9064f..89e146b6 100644
--- a/src/tcp_listener.cpp
+++ b/src/tcp_listener.cpp
@@ -188,6 +188,12 @@ int zmq::tcp_listener_t::set_address (const char *addr_)
     if (address.family () == AF_INET6)
         enable_ipv4_mapping (s);
 
+    //  Set the socket buffer limits for the underlying socket.
+    if (options.sndbuf != 0)
+        set_tcp_send_buffer (s, options.sndbuf);
+    if (options.rcvbuf != 0)
+        set_tcp_receive_buffer (s, options.rcvbuf);
+
     //  Allow reusing of the address.
     int flag = 1;
 #ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS