diff --git a/connections/implementation/ble_advertisement.cc b/connections/implementation/ble_advertisement.cc
index 4e2d93ef..4d9d2293 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/ble_advertisement.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/ble_advertisement.cc
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ absl::StatusOr<BleAdvertisement> BleAdvertisement::CreateBleAdvertisement(
   }
 
   ByteArray advertisement_bytes{ble_advertisement_bytes};
-  StreamReader stream_reader{advertisement_bytes};
+  StreamReader stream_reader{&advertisement_bytes};
   // The first 1 byte is supposed to be the version and pcp.
   auto version_and_pcp_byte = stream_reader.ReadUint8();
   if (!version_and_pcp_byte.has_value()) {
diff --git a/connections/implementation/bluetooth_device_name.cc b/connections/implementation/bluetooth_device_name.cc
index 47becf48..daaed17b 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/bluetooth_device_name.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/bluetooth_device_name.cc
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ BluetoothDeviceName::BluetoothDeviceName(
     return;
   }
 
-  StreamReader stream_reader{bluetooth_device_name_bytes};
+  StreamReader stream_reader{&bluetooth_device_name_bytes};
   // The first 1 byte is supposed to be the version and pcp.
   auto version_and_pcp_byte = stream_reader.ReadUint8();
   if (!version_and_pcp_byte.has_value()) {
diff --git a/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/advertisement_util.cc b/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/advertisement_util.cc
index c85a07ca..1363aa04 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/advertisement_util.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/advertisement_util.cc
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ constexpr absl::string_view kFakeEncryptionKey =
 // Should always match the protocol implementation to read device name.
 // LINT.IfChange
 std::optional<std::string> ReadDeviceName(const ByteArray& endpoint_info) {
-  StreamReader reader(endpoint_info);
+  StreamReader reader(&endpoint_info);
   std::optional<uint8_t> version = reader.ReadBits(3);
   if (!version.has_value() || *version > 1) {
     return std::nullopt;
diff --git a/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/data_element.cc b/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/data_element.cc
index 9aa9ac66..c18464a7 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/data_element.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/data_element.cc
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ std::optional<DataElement> DataElement::FromStreamReader(StreamReader& reader) {
 
 std::optional<DataElement> DataElement::FromData(const std::string& data) {
   ByteArray bytes(data);
-  StreamReader reader(bytes);
+  StreamReader reader(&bytes);
   return FromStreamReader(reader);
 }
 
diff --git a/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/data_element_test.cc b/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/data_element_test.cc
index ca56d46c..eba31811 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/data_element_test.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/data_element_test.cc
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ TEST(DataElementTest, FromInvalidLength) {
 
 TEST(DataElementTest, OneByteFromStreamReader) {
   ByteArray bytes("\x21\x01\x02");
-  StreamReader reader(bytes);
+  StreamReader reader(&bytes);
   std::optional<DataElement> data_element =
       DataElement::FromStreamReader(reader);
   ASSERT_TRUE(data_element.has_value());
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ TEST(DataElementTest, OneByteFromStreamReader) {
 
 TEST(DataElementTest, TwoByteFromStreamReader) {
   ByteArray bytes("\x84\x01\x01\x02\x03\x04");
-  StreamReader reader(bytes);
+  StreamReader reader(&bytes);
   std::optional<DataElement> data_element =
       DataElement::FromStreamReader(reader);
   ASSERT_TRUE(data_element.has_value());
diff --git a/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/dct_advertisement.cc b/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/dct_advertisement.cc
index 77cbf0ed..59f527dc 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/dct_advertisement.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/mediums/advertisements/dct_advertisement.cc
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ std::optional<DctAdvertisement> DctAdvertisement::Create(
 std::optional<DctAdvertisement> DctAdvertisement::Parse(
     const std::string& advertisement) {
   ByteArray data(advertisement);
-  StreamReader reader(data);
+  StreamReader reader(&data);
   DctAdvertisement dct_advertisement;
 
   std::optional<uint8_t> header = reader.ReadUint8();
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ std::optional<DctAdvertisement> DctAdvertisement::Parse(
     return std::nullopt;
   }
 
-  StreamReader psm_reader(ByteArray(psm->value()));
+  ByteArray psm_bytes(psm->value());
+  StreamReader psm_reader(&psm_bytes);
   dct_advertisement.psm_ = psm_reader.ReadUint16().value_or(0);
 
   // Read device information
diff --git a/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_advertisement.cc b/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_advertisement.cc
index c024411b..40a037b0 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_advertisement.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_advertisement.cc
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ absl::StatusOr<BleAdvertisement> BleAdvertisement::CreateBleAdvertisement(
   }
 
   ByteArray advertisement_bytes(ble_advertisement_bytes);
-  StreamReader stream_reader(advertisement_bytes);
+  StreamReader stream_reader(&advertisement_bytes);
   // The first 1 byte is supposed to be the version, socket version and the fast
   // advertisement flag.
   auto version_byte = stream_reader.ReadUint8();
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ BleAdvertisement::BleExtraFields::BleExtraFields(
   }
 
   ByteArray mutated_extra_fields_bytes = {ble_extra_fields_bytes};
-  StreamReader stream_reader{mutated_extra_fields_bytes};
+  StreamReader stream_reader{&mutated_extra_fields_bytes};
   // The first 1 byte is field mask.
   auto mask_byte = stream_reader.ReadUint8().value_or(0);
   if (!mask_byte) {
diff --git a/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_advertisement_header.cc b/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_advertisement_header.cc
index b8821635..be4fa4eb 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_advertisement_header.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_advertisement_header.cc
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ BleAdvertisementHeader::BleAdvertisementHeader(
     return;
   }
 
-  StreamReader stream_reader(advertisement_header_bytes);
+  StreamReader stream_reader(&advertisement_header_bytes);
   // The first 1 byte is supposed to be the version and number of slots.
   auto version_and_num_slots_byte = stream_reader.ReadUint8();
   if (!version_and_num_slots_byte.has_value()) {
diff --git a/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_l2cap_packet.cc b/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_l2cap_packet.cc
index 016ec257..4647ac22 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_l2cap_packet.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_l2cap_packet.cc
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ absl::StatusOr<BleL2capPacket> BleL2capPacket::CreateFromBytes(
         "Cannot deserialize BleL2capPacket: input bytes too short.");
   }
 
-  StreamReader stream_reader(bytes);
+  StreamReader stream_reader(&bytes);
   // The first 1 byte is the command.
   auto command_byte = stream_reader.ReadUint8();
   if (!command_byte.has_value()) {
diff --git a/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_packet.cc b/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_packet.cc
index 244b2c8e..bef94669 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_packet.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/mediums/ble_v2/ble_packet.cc
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ BlePacket::BlePacket(const ByteArray& ble_packet_bytes) {
   }
 
   ByteArray packet_bytes(ble_packet_bytes);
-  StreamReader stream_reader{packet_bytes};
+  StreamReader stream_reader{&packet_bytes};
   // The first 3 bytes are supposed to be the service_id_hash.
   auto service_id_hash_bytes = stream_reader.ReadBytes(kServiceIdHashLength);
   if (!service_id_hash_bytes.has_value()) {
diff --git a/connections/implementation/wifi_lan_service_info.cc b/connections/implementation/wifi_lan_service_info.cc
index 9938e01d..481bd0a1 100644
--- a/connections/implementation/wifi_lan_service_info.cc
+++ b/connections/implementation/wifi_lan_service_info.cc
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ WifiLanServiceInfo::WifiLanServiceInfo(const NsdServiceInfo& nsd_service_info) {
     return;
   }
 
-  StreamReader stream_reader{service_info_bytes};
+  StreamReader stream_reader{&service_info_bytes};
   // The first 1 byte is supposed to be the version and pcp.
   auto version_and_pcp_byte = stream_reader.ReadUint8();
   if (!version_and_pcp_byte.has_value()) {
diff --git a/internal/platform/byte_utils.cc b/internal/platform/byte_utils.cc
index 3c261c24..d3bc4230 100644
--- a/internal/platform/byte_utils.cc
+++ b/internal/platform/byte_utils.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ std::string ByteUtils::ToFourDigitString(ByteArray& bytes) {
   int multiplier = 1;
   int hashCode = 0;
 
-  StreamReader stream_reader{bytes};
+  StreamReader stream_reader{&bytes};
   while (stream_reader.IsAvailable(1)) {
     auto byte = stream_reader.ReadInt8().value_or(0);
     hashCode = (hashCode + byte * multiplier) % kHashBasePrime;
diff --git a/internal/platform/stream_reader.cc b/internal/platform/stream_reader.cc
index f6bf4741..b987fc65 100644
--- a/internal/platform/stream_reader.cc
+++ b/internal/platform/stream_reader.cc
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ std::optional<std::uint8_t> StreamReader::ReadBits(int bits) {
     if (!IsAvailable(1)) {
       return std::nullopt;
     }
-    bits_buffer_ = (uint8_t)buffer_.data()[position_++];
+    bits_buffer_ = (uint8_t)buffer_->data()[position_++];
     bits_unused_ = 8;
   }
   if (bits_unused_ < bits) {
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ ExceptionOr<ByteArray> StreamReader::Read(std::int64_t size) {
   }
 
   ByteArray read_bytes{static_cast<size_t>(size)};
-  if (read_bytes.CopyAt(/*offset=*/0, buffer_,
+  if (read_bytes.CopyAt(/*offset=*/0, *buffer_,
                         /*source_offset=*/position_)) {
     position_ += size;
     return ExceptionOr<ByteArray>{read_bytes};
diff --git a/internal/platform/stream_reader.h b/internal/platform/stream_reader.h
index ecd6b6f5..d2f215e6 100644
--- a/internal/platform/stream_reader.h
+++ b/internal/platform/stream_reader.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace nearby {
 // A base {@link InputStream } for reading the contents of a byte array.
 class StreamReader {
  public:
-  explicit StreamReader(const ByteArray &buffer) : buffer_{buffer} {}
+  explicit StreamReader(const ByteArray *buffer) : buffer_{buffer} {}
   StreamReader(const StreamReader &) = delete;
   StreamReader &operator=(const StreamReader &) = delete;
   ~StreamReader() = default;
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class StreamReader {
   std::optional<ByteArray> ReadBytes(int size);
 
   bool IsAvailable(int size) const {
-    return buffer_.size() - position_ >= size;
+    return buffer_ != nullptr && (buffer_->size() - position_ >= size);
   }
 
  private:
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class StreamReader {
 
   uint8_t bits_unused_{0};
   uint8_t bits_buffer_{0};
-  const ByteArray &buffer_;
+  const ByteArray *buffer_ = nullptr;
   size_t position_{0};
 };
 
diff --git a/internal/platform/stream_reader_test.cc b/internal/platform/stream_reader_test.cc
index ef3016c7..d06afeef 100644
--- a/internal/platform/stream_reader_test.cc
+++ b/internal/platform/stream_reader_test.cc
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ namespace {
 TEST(StreamReaderTest, ReadBits) {
   std::string data{static_cast<char>(0b01011100)};
   ByteArray byte_array(data);
-  StreamReader stream{byte_array};
+  StreamReader stream{&byte_array};
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadBits(1), 0);
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadBits(2), 2);
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadBits(3), 7);
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ TEST(StreamReaderTest, ReadBits) {
 TEST(StreamReaderTest, ReadBitsExceedsByteBoundary) {
   std::string data = "ab";
   ByteArray byte_array(data);
-  StreamReader stream{byte_array};
+  StreamReader stream{&byte_array};
   EXPECT_FALSE(stream.ReadBits(9).has_value());
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadBits(1), 0);
   EXPECT_FALSE(stream.ReadInt16().has_value());
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ TEST(StreamReaderTest, ReadBitsExceedsByteBoundary) {
 TEST(StreamReaderTest, ReadUintValues) {
   std::string data = "\xff\xf1\x0f\x0e\x01\x02\x01\x01\x01\x02\x03\x04\x05\x06";
   ByteArray byte_array(data);
-  StreamReader stream{byte_array};
+  StreamReader stream{&byte_array};
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadUint16(), 0xfff1);
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadUint32(), 0x0f0e0102);
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadUint64(), 0x0101010203040506);
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ TEST(StreamReaderTest, ReadUintValues) {
 TEST(StreamReaderTest, ReadIntValues) {
   std::string data = "\xff\xf1\x0f\x0e\x01\x02\x01\x01\x01\x02\x03\x04\x05\x06";
   ByteArray byte_array(data);
-  StreamReader stream{byte_array};
+  StreamReader stream{&byte_array};
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadInt16(), static_cast<int16_t>(0xfff1));
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadInt32(), static_cast<int32_t>(0x0f0e0102));
   EXPECT_EQ(stream.ReadInt64(), static_cast<int64_t>(0x0101010203040506));