diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index a49eef15..4506527b 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -373,14 +373,6 @@ char hex2int(unsigned char hex) {
 	return value;
 }
 
-int buffer_is_empty(const buffer *b) {
-	return NULL == b || 0 == b->used;
-}
-
-int buffer_string_is_empty(const buffer *b) {
-	return 0 == buffer_string_length(b);
-}
-
 /**
  * check if two buffer contain the same data
  *
diff --git a/src/buffer.h b/src/buffer.h
index 44cf1310..ee8906d2 100644
--- a/src/buffer.h
+++ b/src/buffer.h
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ void li_tohex(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const char *s, size_t s_len);
  * unset "string" (buffer) config options are initialized to used == 0,
  * while setting an empty string leads to used == 1
  */
-int buffer_is_empty(const buffer *b);
+static inline int buffer_is_empty(const buffer *b);
 /* NULL buffer, empty buffer (used == 0) or empty string (used == 1) */
-int buffer_string_is_empty(const buffer *b);
+static inline int buffer_string_is_empty(const buffer *b);
 
 int buffer_is_equal(const buffer *a, const buffer *b);
 int buffer_is_equal_right_len(const buffer *a, const buffer *b, size_t len);
@@ -167,6 +167,13 @@ void log_failed_assert(const char *filename, unsigned int line, const char *msg)
 
 /* inline implementations */
 
+static inline int buffer_is_empty(const buffer *b) {
+	return NULL == b || 0 == b->used;
+}
+static inline int buffer_string_is_empty(const buffer *b) {
+	return NULL == b || b->used < 2;
+}
+
 static inline size_t buffer_string_length(const buffer *b) {
 	return NULL != b && 0 != b->used ? b->used - 1 : 0;
 }