diff --git a/Sources/Plasma/CoreLib/hsStream.cpp b/Sources/Plasma/CoreLib/hsStream.cpp
index 85a73c2afc..c5467b4a66 100644
--- a/Sources/Plasma/CoreLib/hsStream.cpp
+++ b/Sources/Plasma/CoreLib/hsStream.cpp
@@ -629,13 +629,15 @@ uint32_t hsRAMStream::Read(uint32_t byteCount, void * buffer)
 
 uint32_t hsRAMStream::Write(uint32_t byteCount, const void* buffer)
 {
-    hsAssert(fVector.data(), "Trying to write to a null RAM buffer");
-
     size_t spaceUntilEof = fVector.size() - fPosition;
     if (byteCount <= spaceUntilEof) {
+        hsAssert(fVector.data(), "Trying to write to a null RAM buffer");
         memcpy(fVector.data() + fPosition, buffer, byteCount);
     } else {
-        memcpy(fVector.data() + fPosition, buffer, spaceUntilEof);
+        if (spaceUntilEof) {
+            hsAssert(fVector.data(), "Trying to write to a null RAM buffer");
+            memcpy(fVector.data() + fPosition, buffer, spaceUntilEof);
+        }
         auto buf = static_cast<const uint8_t*>(buffer);
         fVector.insert(fVector.end(), buf + spaceUntilEof, buf + byteCount);
     }
diff --git a/Sources/Tests/CoreTests/CMakeLists.txt b/Sources/Tests/CoreTests/CMakeLists.txt
index df5f3b619e..0faca22692 100644
--- a/Sources/Tests/CoreTests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Sources/Tests/CoreTests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 set(CoreLibTest_SOURCES
     test_endianSwap.cpp
     test_plCmdParser.cpp
+    test_RAMStream.cpp
     $<$<PLATFORM_ID:Darwin>:test_hsDarwin_CF.cpp>
     $<$<PLATFORM_ID:Darwin>:test_hsDarwin_NS.mm>
 )
diff --git a/Sources/Tests/CoreTests/test_RAMStream.cpp b/Sources/Tests/CoreTests/test_RAMStream.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a44102ea9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Sources/Tests/CoreTests/test_RAMStream.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/*==LICENSE==*
+
+CyanWorlds.com Engine - MMOG client, server and tools
+Copyright (C) 2011  Cyan Worlds, Inc.
+
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+Additional permissions under GNU GPL version 3 section 7
+
+If you modify this Program, or any covered work, by linking or
+combining it with any of RAD Game Tools Bink SDK, Autodesk 3ds Max SDK,
+NVIDIA PhysX SDK, Microsoft DirectX SDK, OpenSSL library, Independent
+JPEG Group JPEG library, Microsoft Windows Media SDK, or Apple QuickTime SDK
+(or a modified version of those libraries),
+containing parts covered by the terms of the Bink SDK EULA, 3ds Max EULA,
+PhysX SDK EULA, DirectX SDK EULA, OpenSSL and SSLeay licenses, IJG
+JPEG Library README, Windows Media SDK EULA, or QuickTime SDK EULA, the
+licensors of this Program grant you additional
+permission to convey the resulting work. Corresponding Source for a
+non-source form of such a combination shall include the source code for
+the parts of OpenSSL and IJG JPEG Library used as well as that of the covered
+work.
+
+You can contact Cyan Worlds, Inc. by email legal@cyan.com
+ or by snail mail at:
+      Cyan Worlds, Inc.
+      14617 N Newport Hwy
+      Mead, WA   99021
+
+*==LICENSE==*/
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include "hsStream.h"
+
+TEST(hsRAMStream, initializeBufferOnFirstWrite)
+{
+    const char* str = "hsRAMStream initializeBufferOnFirstWrite";
+    hsRAMStream s;
+
+    s.WriteSafeString(str);
+    EXPECT_EQ(s.GetPosition(), strlen(str) + 2);
+
+    s.WriteLE32(1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(s.GetPosition(), strlen(str) + 2 + 4);
+
+    s.Skip(-4);
+    s.WriteLE32(5);
+    EXPECT_EQ(s.GetPosition(), strlen(str) + 2 + 4);
+}