diff --git a/src/core/surface/call.c b/src/core/surface/call.c
index 4426bbbce9f..f25ef74a921 100644
--- a/src/core/surface/call.c
+++ b/src/core/surface/call.c
@@ -630,9 +630,6 @@ static void unlock(grpc_call *call) {
   call->cancel_alarm = 0;
 
   if (!call->receiving && need_more_data(call)) {
-    op.recv_ops = &call->recv_ops;
-    op.recv_state = &call->recv_state;
-    op.on_done_recv = &call->on_done_recv;
     if (grpc_bbq_empty(&call->incoming_queue) && call->reading_message) {
       op.max_recv_bytes = call->incoming_message_length -
                           call->incoming_message.length + MAX_RECV_PEEK_AHEAD;
@@ -644,9 +641,14 @@ static void unlock(grpc_call *call) {
         op.max_recv_bytes = MAX_RECV_PEEK_AHEAD - buffered_bytes;
       }
     }
-    call->receiving = 1;
-    GRPC_CALL_INTERNAL_REF(call, "receiving");
-    start_op = 1;
+    if (op.max_recv_bytes != 0) {
+      op.recv_ops = &call->recv_ops;
+      op.recv_state = &call->recv_state;
+      op.on_done_recv = &call->on_done_recv;
+      call->receiving = 1;
+      GRPC_CALL_INTERNAL_REF(call, "receiving");
+      start_op = 1;
+    }
   }
 
   if (!call->sending) {