diff --git a/source/extensions/filters/listener/http_inspector/http_inspector.cc b/source/extensions/filters/listener/http_inspector/http_inspector.cc
index 27ac07541b14..353d6165034e 100644
--- a/source/extensions/filters/listener/http_inspector/http_inspector.cc
+++ b/source/extensions/filters/listener/http_inspector/http_inspector.cc
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ Filter::Filter(const ConfigSharedPtr config)
   if (Runtime::runtimeFeatureEnabled("envoy.reloadable_features.http_inspector_use_balsa_parser")) {
     // Set both allow_custom_methods and enable_trailers to true with BalsaParser.
     parser_ = std::make_unique<Http::Http1::BalsaParser>(
-        Http::Http1::MessageType::Request, &no_op_callbacks_,
-        Config::MAX_INSPECT_SIZE + max_request_headers_kb_, true, true);
+        Http::Http1::MessageType::Request, &no_op_callbacks_, Config::MAX_INSPECT_SIZE + 1024, true,
+        true);
   } else {
     parser_ = std::make_unique<Http::Http1::LegacyHttpParserImpl>(Http::Http1::MessageType::Request,
                                                                   &no_op_callbacks_);
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Network::FilterStatus Filter::onData(Network::ListenerFilterBuffer& buffer) {
 
     // If we have requested the maximum amount of data, then close the connection
     // the request line is too large to determine the http version.
-    if (static_cast<size_t>(nread_) == Config::MAX_INSPECT_SIZE) {
+    if (static_cast<size_t>(nread_) >= Config::MAX_INSPECT_SIZE) {
       ENVOY_LOG(warn, "http inspector: reached max buffer without determining HTTP version, "
                       "dropping connection");
       config_->stats().read_error_.inc();
diff --git a/source/extensions/filters/listener/http_inspector/http_inspector.h b/source/extensions/filters/listener/http_inspector/http_inspector.h
index 71de90637af2..4dd111626a7c 100644
--- a/source/extensions/filters/listener/http_inspector/http_inspector.h
+++ b/source/extensions/filters/listener/http_inspector/http_inspector.h
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class Filter : public Network::ListenerFilter, Logger::Loggable<Logger::Id::filt
   std::unique_ptr<Http::Http1::Parser> parser_;
   NoOpParserCallbacks no_op_callbacks_;
   ssize_t nread_ = 0;
-  size_t requested_read_bytes_;
+  size_t requested_read_bytes_ = 0;
   uint32_t max_request_headers_kb_{Http::DEFAULT_MAX_REQUEST_HEADERS_KB};
 };