diff --git a/proto/decode.go b/proto/decode.go
index a54a8cc..aa20729 100644
--- a/proto/decode.go
+++ b/proto/decode.go
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@
 // int32, int64, uint32, uint64, bool, and enum
 // protocol buffer types.
 func DecodeVarint(buf []byte) (x uint64, n int) {
-	// x, n already 0
 	for shift := uint(0); shift < 64; shift += 7 {
 		if n >= len(buf) {
 			return 0, 0
@@ -78,13 +77,7 @@
 	return 0, 0
 }
 
-// DecodeVarint reads a varint-encoded integer from the Buffer.
-// This is the format for the
-// int32, int64, uint32, uint64, bool, and enum
-// protocol buffer types.
-func (p *Buffer) DecodeVarint() (x uint64, err error) {
-	// x, err already 0
-
+func (p *Buffer) decodeVarintSlow() (x uint64, err error) {
 	i := p.index
 	l := len(p.buf)
 
@@ -107,6 +100,107 @@
 	return
 }
 
+// DecodeVarint reads a varint-encoded integer from the Buffer.
+// This is the format for the
+// int32, int64, uint32, uint64, bool, and enum
+// protocol buffer types.
+func (p *Buffer) DecodeVarint() (x uint64, err error) {
+	i := p.index
+	buf := p.buf
+
+	if i >= len(buf) {
+		return 0, io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+	} else if buf[i] < 0x80 {
+		p.index++
+		return uint64(buf[i]), nil
+	} else if len(buf)-i < 10 {
+		return p.decodeVarintSlow()
+	}
+
+	var b uint64
+	// we already checked the first byte
+	x = uint64(buf[i]) - 0x80
+	i++
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 7
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	x -= 0x80 << 7
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 14
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	x -= 0x80 << 14
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 21
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	x -= 0x80 << 21
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 28
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	x -= 0x80 << 28
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 35
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	x -= 0x80 << 35
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 42
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	x -= 0x80 << 42
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 49
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	x -= 0x80 << 49
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 56
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	x -= 0x80 << 56
+
+	b = uint64(buf[i])
+	i++
+	x += b << 63
+	if b&0x80 == 0 {
+		goto done
+	}
+	// x -= 0x80 << 63 // Always zero.
+
+	return 0, errOverflow
+
+done:
+	p.index = i
+	return x, nil
+}
+
 // DecodeFixed64 reads a 64-bit integer from the Buffer.
 // This is the format for the
 // fixed64, sfixed64, and double protocol buffer types.