diff --git a/libtransmission/peer-mgr.cc b/libtransmission/peer-mgr.cc
index 7e17a13cc..c132c4321 100644
--- a/libtransmission/peer-mgr.cc
+++ b/libtransmission/peer-mgr.cc
@@ -2422,8 +2422,6 @@ struct ComparePeerByActivity
 
 void closeBadPeers(tr_swarm* s, time_t const now_sec)
 {
-    auto const lock = s->unique_lock();
-
     for (auto* peer : getPeersToClose(s, now_sec))
     {
         closePeer(peer);
@@ -2433,9 +2431,8 @@ void closeBadPeers(tr_swarm* s, time_t const now_sec)
 void enforceTorrentPeerLimit(tr_swarm* swarm)
 {
     // do we have too many peers?
-    auto const n = swarm->peerCount();
     auto const max = swarm->tor->peerLimit();
-    if (n <= max)
+    if (auto const n = swarm->peerCount(); n <= max)
     {
         return;
     }
@@ -2480,6 +2477,7 @@ void tr_peerMgr::reconnectPulse()
 {
     using namespace disconnect_helpers;
 
+    auto const lock = session->unique_lock();
     auto const now_sec = tr_time();
 
     // remove crappy peers
diff --git a/libtransmission/tr-buffer.h b/libtransmission/tr-buffer.h
index 5e158ae32..e0732bcfc 100644
--- a/libtransmission/tr-buffer.h
+++ b/libtransmission/tr-buffer.h
@@ -44,79 +44,96 @@ public:
 
         [[nodiscard]] value_type& operator*() noexcept
         {
-            return *reinterpret_cast<value_type*>(iov_.iov_base);
+            return reinterpret_cast<value_type*>(iov_.iov_base)[iov_offset_];
         }
 
         [[nodiscard]] value_type operator*() const noexcept
         {
-            return *reinterpret_cast<value_type*>(iov_.iov_base);
+            return reinterpret_cast<value_type*>(iov_.iov_base)[iov_offset_];
         }
 
-        [[nodiscard]] Iterator operator+(int n_bytes)
+        [[nodiscard]] Iterator operator+(size_t n_bytes)
         {
-            return Iterator(buf_, offset_ + n_bytes);
+            return Iterator{ buf_, offset() + n_bytes };
         }
 
-        [[nodiscard]] Iterator operator-(int n_bytes)
+        [[nodiscard]] Iterator operator-(size_t n_bytes)
         {
-            return Iterator(buf_, offset_ - n_bytes);
+            return Iterator{ buf_, offset() - n_bytes };
         }
 
         [[nodiscard]] constexpr auto operator-(Iterator const& that) const noexcept
         {
-            return offset_ - that.offset_;
+            return offset() - that.offset();
         }
 
         Iterator& operator++() noexcept
         {
-            if (iov_.iov_len > 1)
-            {
-                iov_.iov_base = reinterpret_cast<value_type*>(iov_.iov_base) + 1;
-                --iov_.iov_len;
-                ++offset_;
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                setOffset(offset_ + 1);
-            }
+            *this += 1U;
             return *this;
         }
 
-        Iterator& operator+=(int n_bytes)
+        Iterator& operator+=(size_t n_bytes)
         {
-            setOffset(offset_ + n_bytes);
+            if (iov_offset_ + n_bytes < iov_.iov_len)
+            {
+                iov_offset_ += n_bytes;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                incOffset(n_bytes);
+            }
+
             return *this;
         }
 
         Iterator& operator--() noexcept
         {
-            // TODO(ckerr) inefficient; calls evbuffer_ptr_peek() every time
-            setOffset(offset_ - 1);
+            if (iov_offset_ > 0)
+            {
+                --iov_offset_;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                setOffset(offset() - 1);
+            }
             return *this;
         }
 
         [[nodiscard]] constexpr bool operator==(Iterator const& that) const noexcept
         {
-            return offset_ == that.offset_;
+            return offset() == that.offset();
         }
 
         [[nodiscard]] constexpr bool operator!=(Iterator const& that) const noexcept
         {
-            return !(*this == that);
+            return offset() != that.offset();
         }
 
     private:
+        [[nodiscard]] constexpr size_t offset() const noexcept
+        {
+            return ptr_.pos + iov_offset_;
+        }
+
+        void incOffset(size_t increment)
+        {
+            evbuffer_ptr_set(buf_, &ptr_, iov_offset_ + increment, EVBUFFER_PTR_ADD);
+            evbuffer_peek(buf_, std::numeric_limits<ev_ssize_t>::max(), &ptr_, &iov_, 1);
+            iov_offset_ = 0;
+        }
+
         void setOffset(size_t offset)
         {
-            offset_ = offset;
-            auto ptr = evbuffer_ptr{};
-            evbuffer_ptr_set(buf_, &ptr, offset, EVBUFFER_PTR_SET);
-            evbuffer_peek(buf_, std::numeric_limits<ev_ssize_t>::max(), &ptr, &iov_, 1);
+            evbuffer_ptr_set(buf_, &ptr_, offset, EVBUFFER_PTR_SET);
+            evbuffer_peek(buf_, std::numeric_limits<ev_ssize_t>::max(), &ptr_, &iov_, 1);
+            iov_offset_ = 0;
         }
 
         evbuffer* buf_;
+        evbuffer_ptr ptr_ = {};
         Iovec iov_ = {};
-        size_t offset_ = 0;
+        size_t iov_offset_ = 0;
     };
 
     Buffer() = default;
@@ -351,11 +368,8 @@ public:
     [[nodiscard]] std::string toString() const
     {
         auto str = std::string{};
-        str.reserve(size());
-        for (auto const& by : *this)
-        {
-            str.push_back(*reinterpret_cast<char const*>(&by));
-        }
+        str.resize(size());
+        evbuffer_copyout(buf_.get(), std::data(str), std::size(str));
         return str;
     }