diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-core/src/io/tx.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-core/src/io/tx.rs
index 1c60ab9ca8..c8fc7a4982 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-core/src/io/tx.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-core/src/io/tx.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ pub enum Error {
     /// The provided message did not write a payload
     EmptyPayload,
 
+    /// The provided buffer was too small for the desired payload
+    UndersizedBuffer,
+
     /// The transmission queue is at capacity
     AtCapacity,
 }
@@ -96,10 +99,47 @@ pub trait Message {
     fn ipv6_flow_label(&mut self) -> u32;
 
     /// Returns true if the packet can be used in a GSO packet
-    fn can_gso(&self) -> bool;
+    fn can_gso(&self, segment_len: usize) -> bool;
 
     /// Writes the payload of the message to an output buffer
-    fn write_payload(&mut self, buffer: &mut [u8], gso_offset: usize) -> usize;
+    fn write_payload(&mut self, buffer: PayloadBuffer, gso_offset: usize) -> Result<usize, Error>;
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct PayloadBuffer<'a>(&'a mut [u8]);
+
+impl<'a> PayloadBuffer<'a> {
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn new(bytes: &'a mut [u8]) -> Self {
+        Self(bytes)
+    }
+
+    /// # Safety
+    ///
+    /// This function should only be used in the case that the writer has its own safety checks in place
+    #[inline]
+    pub unsafe fn into_mut_slice(self) -> &'a mut [u8] {
+        self.0
+    }
+
+    #[track_caller]
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn write(&mut self, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<usize, Error> {
+        if bytes.is_empty() {
+            return Err(Error::EmptyPayload);
+        }
+
+        if let Some(buffer) = self.0.get_mut(0..bytes.len()) {
+            buffer.copy_from_slice(bytes);
+            Ok(bytes.len())
+        } else {
+            debug_assert!(
+                false,
+                "tried to write more bytes than was available in the buffer"
+            );
+            Err(Error::UndersizedBuffer)
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl<Handle: path::Handle, Payload: AsRef<[u8]>> Message for (Handle, Payload) {
@@ -121,19 +161,16 @@ impl<Handle: path::Handle, Payload: AsRef<[u8]>> Message for (Handle, Payload) {
         0
     }
 
-    fn can_gso(&self) -> bool {
-        true
+    fn can_gso(&self, segment_len: usize) -> bool {
+        segment_len >= self.1.as_ref().len()
     }
 
-    fn write_payload(&mut self, buffer: &mut [u8], _gso_offset: usize) -> usize {
-        let payload = self.1.as_ref();
-        let len = payload.len();
-        if let Some(buffer) = buffer.get_mut(..len) {
-            buffer.copy_from_slice(payload);
-            len
-        } else {
-            0
-        }
+    fn write_payload(
+        &mut self,
+        mut buffer: PayloadBuffer,
+        _gso_offset: usize,
+    ) -> Result<usize, Error> {
+        buffer.write(self.1.as_ref())
     }
 }
 
@@ -158,9 +195,24 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(message.ecn(), Default::default());
         assert_eq!(message.delay(), Default::default());
         assert_eq!(message.ipv6_flow_label(), 0);
-        assert_eq!(message.write_payload(&mut buffer[..], 0), 3);
+        assert_eq!(
+            message.write_payload(PayloadBuffer::new(&mut buffer[..]), 0),
+            Ok(3)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[should_panic]
+    fn message_tuple_undersized_test() {
+        let remote_address = SocketAddressV4::new([127, 0, 0, 1], 80).into();
+        let local_address = SocketAddressV4::new([192, 168, 0, 1], 3000).into();
+        let tuple = path::Tuple {
+            remote_address,
+            local_address,
+        };
+        let mut message = (tuple, [1u8, 2, 3]);
 
-        // assert an empty buffer doesn't panic
-        assert_eq!(message.write_payload(&mut [][..], 0), 0);
+        // assert an undersized buffer panics in debug
+        let _ = message.write_payload(PayloadBuffer::new(&mut [][..]), 0);
     }
 }
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/io/testing/network.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/io/testing/network.rs
index 158be0f48d..17254bfcfb 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/io/testing/network.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/io/testing/network.rs
@@ -348,13 +348,7 @@ impl io::tx::Entry for Packet {
     {
         self.path.remote_address = message.path_handle().remote_address;
         self.ecn = message.ecn();
-        let len = message.write_payload(&mut self.payload, 0);
-
-        if len == 0 {
-            return Err(io::tx::Error::EmptyPayload);
-        }
-
-        Ok(len)
+        message.write_payload(io::tx::PayloadBuffer::new(&mut self.payload), 0)
     }
 
     fn payload(&self) -> &[u8] {
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/mmsg.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/mmsg.rs
index 37ead12266..00a6e21bf0 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/mmsg.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/mmsg.rs
@@ -203,12 +203,7 @@ impl tx::Entry for Message {
     ) -> Result<usize, tx::Error> {
         let payload = MessageTrait::payload_mut(self);
 
-        let len = message.write_payload(payload, 0);
-
-        // don't send empty payloads
-        if len == 0 {
-            return Err(tx::Error::EmptyPayload);
-        }
+        let len = message.write_payload(tx::PayloadBuffer::new(payload), 0)?;
 
         unsafe {
             debug_assert!(len <= payload.len());
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/msg.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/msg.rs
index 2c4044488c..9bf5f400f7 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/msg.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/msg.rs
@@ -534,12 +534,7 @@ impl tx::Entry for Message {
     ) -> Result<usize, tx::Error> {
         let payload = MessageTrait::payload_mut(self);
 
-        let len = message.write_payload(payload, 0);
-
-        // don't send empty payloads
-        if len == 0 {
-            return Err(tx::Error::EmptyPayload);
-        }
+        let len = message.write_payload(tx::PayloadBuffer::new(payload), 0)?;
 
         unsafe {
             debug_assert!(len <= payload.len());
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/queue/slice.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/queue/slice.rs
index a8910d60cf..8cfa13dae0 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/queue/slice.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/queue/slice.rs
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ impl<'a, Message: message::Message, B> Slice<'a, Message, B> {
         let prev_message = &mut self.messages[gso.index];
         // check to make sure the message can be GSO'd and can be included in the same
         // GSO payload as the previous message
-        if !(message.can_gso() && prev_message.can_gso(&mut message)) {
+        if !(message.can_gso(gso.size) && prev_message.can_gso(&mut message)) {
             self.flush_gso();
             return Ok(Err(message));
         }
@@ -178,16 +178,26 @@ impl<'a, Message: message::Message, B> Slice<'a, Message, B> {
 
         // allow the message to write up to `gso.size` bytes
         let buffer = &mut message::Message::payload_mut(prev_message)[payload_len..];
+        let buffer = tx::PayloadBuffer::new(buffer);
 
-        match message.write_payload(buffer, gso.count) {
-            0 => {
+        match message.write_payload(buffer, gso.count).and_then(|size| {
+            // we don't want to send empty packets
+            if size == 0 {
+                Err(tx::Error::EmptyPayload)
+            } else {
+                Ok(size)
+            }
+        }) {
+            Err(err) => {
                 unsafe {
                     // revert the len to what it was before
                     prev_message.set_payload_len(payload_len);
                 }
-                Err(tx::Error::EmptyPayload)
+                Err(err)
             }
-            size => {
+            Ok(size) => {
+                debug_assert_ne!(size, 0, "payloads should never be empty");
+
                 unsafe {
                     debug_assert!(
                         gso.size >= size,
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/simple.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/simple.rs
index b90738a142..7725730fe4 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/simple.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-platform/src/message/simple.rs
@@ -181,12 +181,7 @@ impl tx::Entry for Message {
     ) -> Result<usize, tx::Error> {
         let payload = MessageTrait::payload_mut(self);
 
-        let len = message.write_payload(payload, 0);
-
-        // don't send empty payloads
-        if len == 0 {
-            return Err(tx::Error::EmptyPayload);
-        }
+        let len = message.write_payload(tx::PayloadBuffer::new(payload), 0)?;
 
         unsafe {
             debug_assert!(len <= payload.len());
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/connection/close_sender.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/connection/close_sender.rs
index 4cc2f64ff2..eb22021248 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/connection/close_sender.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/connection/close_sender.rs
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ impl<'a, Config: endpoint::Config, Pub: event::ConnectionPublisher> tx::Message
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn can_gso(&self) -> bool {
-        true
+    fn can_gso(&self, segment_len: usize) -> bool {
+        segment_len >= self.packet.len()
     }
 
     #[inline]
@@ -162,9 +162,11 @@ impl<'a, Config: endpoint::Config, Pub: event::ConnectionPublisher> tx::Message
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn write_payload(&mut self, buffer: &mut [u8], gso_offset: usize) -> usize {
-        let len = self.packet.len();
-
+    fn write_payload(
+        &mut self,
+        mut buffer: tx::PayloadBuffer,
+        gso_offset: usize,
+    ) -> Result<usize, tx::Error> {
         //= https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9000#section-10.2.1
         //# |  Note: Allowing retransmission of a closing packet is an
         //# |  exception to the requirement that a new packet number be used
@@ -173,7 +175,7 @@ impl<'a, Config: endpoint::Config, Pub: event::ConnectionPublisher> tx::Message
         //# |  control, which are not expected to be relevant for a closed
         //# |  connection.  Retransmitting the final packet requires less
         //# |  state.
-        buffer[..len].copy_from_slice(self.packet);
+        let len = buffer.write(self.packet)?;
 
         self.path.on_bytes_transmitted(len);
         *self.transmission = TransmissionState::Idle;
@@ -184,7 +186,7 @@ impl<'a, Config: endpoint::Config, Pub: event::ConnectionPublisher> tx::Message
                 gso_offset,
             });
 
-        len
+        Ok(len)
     }
 }
 
@@ -361,9 +363,9 @@ mod tests {
                 // transmit an initial packet
                 assert!(sender.can_transmit(path.transmission_constraint()));
                 let now = s2n_quic_platform::time::now();
-                sender
+                let _ = sender
                     .transmission(&mut path, now, &mut publisher)
-                    .write_payload(&mut buffer, 0);
+                    .write_payload(tx::PayloadBuffer::new(&mut buffer), 0);
 
                 for (gap, packet_size) in events {
                     // get the next timer event
@@ -383,9 +385,9 @@ mod tests {
                     for _ in 0..3 {
                         let interest = sender.get_transmission_interest();
                         if interest.can_transmit(path.transmission_constraint()) {
-                            sender
+                            let _ = sender
                                 .transmission(&mut path, now, &mut publisher)
-                                .write_payload(&mut buffer, 0);
+                                .write_payload(tx::PayloadBuffer::new(&mut buffer), 0);
                             transmission_count += 1;
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/connection/transmission.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/connection/transmission.rs
index 08b95bea65..500b497b83 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/connection/transmission.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/connection/transmission.rs
@@ -72,7 +72,13 @@ impl<'a, 'sub, Config: endpoint::Config> tx::Message for ConnectionTransmission<
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn can_gso(&self) -> bool {
+    fn can_gso(&self, segment_len: usize) -> bool {
+        if let Some(min_packet_len) = self.context.min_packet_len {
+            if segment_len < min_packet_len {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
         // If a packet can be GSO'd it means it's limited to the previously written packet
         // size. This becomes a problem for MTU probes where they will likely exceed that amount.
         // As such, if we're probing we want to let the IO layer know to not GSO the current
@@ -80,8 +86,17 @@ impl<'a, 'sub, Config: endpoint::Config> tx::Message for ConnectionTransmission<
         !self.context.transmission_mode.is_mtu_probing()
     }
 
-    fn write_payload(&mut self, buffer: &mut [u8], gso_offset: usize) -> usize {
+    fn write_payload(
+        &mut self,
+        buffer: tx::PayloadBuffer,
+        gso_offset: usize,
+    ) -> Result<usize, tx::Error> {
         let space_manager = &mut self.space_manager;
+        let buffer = unsafe {
+            // the WriterContext has its own checks for buffer capacity so convert `buffer` into a
+            // `&mut [u8]`
+            buffer.into_mut_slice()
+        };
 
         let mtu = self
             .context
@@ -361,9 +376,10 @@ impl<'a, 'sub, Config: endpoint::Config> tx::Message for ConnectionTransmission<
                     len: datagram_len as u16,
                     gso_offset,
                 });
+            Ok(datagram_len)
+        } else {
+            Err(tx::Error::EmptyPayload)
         }
-
-        datagram_len
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/retry.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/retry.rs
index 511ecece71..9896736196 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/retry.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/retry.rs
@@ -157,14 +157,16 @@ impl<Path: path::Handle> tx::Message for &Transmission<Path> {
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn can_gso(&self) -> bool {
-        true
+    fn can_gso(&self, segment_len: usize) -> bool {
+        segment_len >= self.as_ref().len()
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn write_payload(&mut self, buffer: &mut [u8], _gso_offset: usize) -> usize {
-        let packet = self.as_ref();
-        buffer[..packet.len()].copy_from_slice(packet);
-        packet.len()
+    fn write_payload(
+        &mut self,
+        mut buffer: tx::PayloadBuffer,
+        _gso_offset: usize,
+    ) -> Result<usize, tx::Error> {
+        buffer.write(self.as_ref())
     }
 }
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/stateless_reset.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/stateless_reset.rs
index 89f7e4d3ed..4707787cce 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/stateless_reset.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/stateless_reset.rs
@@ -144,14 +144,16 @@ impl<Path: path::Handle> tx::Message for &Transmission<Path> {
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn can_gso(&self) -> bool {
-        true
+    fn can_gso(&self, segment_len: usize) -> bool {
+        segment_len >= self.as_ref().len()
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn write_payload(&mut self, buffer: &mut [u8], _gso_offset: usize) -> usize {
-        let packet = self.as_ref();
-        buffer[..packet.len()].copy_from_slice(packet);
-        packet.len()
+    fn write_payload(
+        &mut self,
+        mut buffer: tx::PayloadBuffer,
+        _gso_offset: usize,
+    ) -> Result<usize, tx::Error> {
+        buffer.write(self.as_ref())
     }
 }
diff --git a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/version.rs b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/version.rs
index d391a1876a..b71e8c8c2d 100644
--- a/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/version.rs
+++ b/quic/s2n-quic-transport/src/endpoint/version.rs
@@ -259,15 +259,17 @@ impl<Path: path::Handle> tx::Message for &Transmission<Path> {
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn can_gso(&self) -> bool {
-        true
+    fn can_gso(&self, segment_len: usize) -> bool {
+        segment_len >= self.as_ref().len()
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn write_payload(&mut self, buffer: &mut [u8], _gso_offset: usize) -> usize {
-        let packet = self.as_ref();
-        buffer[..packet.len()].copy_from_slice(packet);
-        packet.len()
+    fn write_payload(
+        &mut self,
+        mut buffer: tx::PayloadBuffer,
+        _gso_offset: usize,
+    ) -> Result<usize, tx::Error> {
+        buffer.write(self.as_ref())
     }
 }