diff --git a/ktor-client/ktor-client-core/common/src/io/ktor/client/plugins/internal/ByteChannelReplay.kt b/ktor-client/ktor-client-core/common/src/io/ktor/client/plugins/internal/ByteChannelReplay.kt
index e9c9bcfba57..e156338bf44 100644
--- a/ktor-client/ktor-client-core/common/src/io/ktor/client/plugins/internal/ByteChannelReplay.kt
+++ b/ktor-client/ktor-client-core/common/src/io/ktor/client/plugins/internal/ByteChannelReplay.kt
@@ -23,14 +23,16 @@ internal class ByteChannelReplay(private val origin: ByteReadChannel) {
         if (copyTask == null) {
             copyTask = CopyFromSourceTask()
             if (!content.compareAndSet(null, copyTask)) {
-                copyTask = content.value
+                // second thread, read from copy
+                copyTask = content.value!!
             } else {
+                // first thread, read from origin
                 return copyTask.start()
             }
         }
 
         return GlobalScope.writer {
-            val body = copyTask!!.awaitImpatiently()
+            val body = copyTask.awaitImpatiently()
             channel.writeFully(body)
         }.channel
     }
@@ -44,12 +46,9 @@ internal class ByteChannelReplay(private val origin: ByteReadChannel) {
     private inner class CopyFromSourceTask(
         val savedResponse: CompletableDeferred<ByteArray> = CompletableDeferred()
     ) {
-        lateinit var writerJob: WriterJob
+        private val writerJob: WriterJob by lazy { receiveBody() }
 
-        fun start(): ByteReadChannel {
-            writerJob = receiveBody()
-            return writerJob.channel
-        }
+        fun start() = writerJob.channel
 
         @OptIn(DelicateCoroutinesApi::class)
         fun receiveBody(): WriterJob = GlobalScope.writer(Dispatchers.Unconfined) {
diff --git a/ktor-client/ktor-client-core/common/test/ByteChannelReplayTest.kt b/ktor-client/ktor-client-core/common/test/ByteChannelReplayTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..44a2827c880
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ktor-client/ktor-client-core/common/test/ByteChannelReplayTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2014-2024 JetBrains s.r.o and contributors. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license.
+ */
+import io.ktor.client.plugins.internal.*
+import io.ktor.utils.io.*
+import kotlinx.coroutines.joinAll
+import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
+import kotlinx.coroutines.test.runTest
+import kotlinx.coroutines.yield
+import kotlin.test.BeforeTest
+import kotlin.test.Test
+import kotlin.test.assertEquals
+import kotlin.test.assertTrue
+
+internal class ByteChannelReplayTest {
+
+    private val size = 1024 * 1024 + 1
+    private val expectedByte = 'A'.code.toByte()
+    private val expected = ByteArray(size).apply { fill(expectedByte) }
+    private lateinit var channelReplay: ByteChannelReplay
+
+    @BeforeTest
+    fun setup() {
+        channelReplay = ByteChannelReplay(ByteReadChannel(expected))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun readFirst() = runTest {
+        val first = channelReplay.replay()
+        assertRead(first)
+        val second = channelReplay.replay()
+        assertRead(second)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun readSecond() = runTest {
+        val first = channelReplay.replay()
+        val second = channelReplay.replay()
+        assertRead(second)
+        assertTrue(first.isClosedForRead)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun readABunch() = runTest {
+        val jobs = (0..10).map {
+            launch {
+                val readChannel = channelReplay.replay()
+                yield()
+                try {
+                    assertRead(readChannel)
+                } catch (e: Exception) {
+                    assertEquals("Save body abandoned", e.message)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        joinAll(*jobs.toTypedArray())
+    }
+
+    private suspend fun assertRead(readChannel: ByteReadChannel) {
+        repeat(size) { i ->
+            assertEquals(expectedByte, readChannel.readByte(), "Incorrect byte at index $i")
+        }
+        assertTrue(readChannel.isClosedForRead || readChannel.exhausted())
+    }
+}