diff --git a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/MySQLBackend/mysql_backend.c b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/MySQLBackend/mysql_backend.c
index 97ab8c433..67d50a4f3 100644
--- a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/MySQLBackend/mysql_backend.c
+++ b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/MySQLBackend/mysql_backend.c
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ gw_read_and_write(DCB *dcb)
         GWBUF *tmp = modutil_get_complete_packets(&read_buffer);
         /* Put any residue into the read queue */
 
-        dcb->dcb_readqueue = read_buffer;
+        dcb_readq_set(dcb, read_buffer);
 
         if (tmp == NULL)
         {
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ gw_read_and_write(DCB *dcb)
                     bool more = false;
                     if (modutil_count_signal_packets(read_buffer, 0, &more, NULL) != 2)
                     {
-                        dcb->dcb_readqueue = gwbuf_append(read_buffer, dcb->dcb_readqueue);
+                        dcb_readq_prepend(dcb, read_buffer);
                         return 0;
                     }
 
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ gw_read_and_write(DCB *dcb)
                 {
                     if (!complete_ps_response(read_buffer))
                     {
-                        dcb->dcb_readqueue = gwbuf_append(read_buffer, dcb->dcb_readqueue);
+                        dcb_readq_prepend(dcb, read_buffer);
                         return 0;
                     }
 
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ gw_read_and_write(DCB *dcb)
                 if (!sescmd_response_complete(dcb))
                 {
                     stmt = gwbuf_append(stmt, read_buffer);
-                    dcb->dcb_readqueue = gwbuf_append(stmt, dcb->dcb_readqueue);
+                    dcb_readq_prepend(dcb, stmt);
                     return 0;
                 }
             }
@@ -1586,7 +1586,7 @@ static GWBUF* process_response_data(DCB* dcb,
                     /** Store the already read data into the readqueue of the DCB
                      * and restore the response status to the initial number of packets */
 
-                    dcb->dcb_readqueue = gwbuf_append(outbuf, dcb->dcb_readqueue);
+                    dcb_readq_prepend(dcb, outbuf);
 
                     protocol_set_response_status(p, initial_packets, initial_bytes);
                     return NULL;
diff --git a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/MySQLClient/mysql_client.cc b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/MySQLClient/mysql_client.cc
index a987ba75c..3da850b15 100644
--- a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/MySQLClient/mysql_client.cc
+++ b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/MySQLClient/mysql_client.cc
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ int gw_read_client_event(DCB* dcb)
             (0 != max_bytes && nbytes_read < max_bytes))
         {
 
-            dcb->dcb_readqueue = read_buffer;
+            dcb_readq_set(dcb, read_buffer);
 
             return 0;
         }
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ gw_read_do_authentication(DCB *dcb, GWBUF *read_buffer, int nbytes_read)
 static GWBUF* split_and_store(DCB *client_dcb, GWBUF* queue, int offset)
 {
     GWBUF* newbuf = gwbuf_split(&queue, offset);
-    dcb_append_readqueue(client_dcb, queue);
+    dcb_readq_append(client_dcb, queue);
     return newbuf;
 }
 
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ static bool process_client_commands(DCB* dcb, int bytes_available, GWBUF** buffe
     /** Make sure we have enough data if the client is sending a new command */
     if (protocol_is_idle(dcb) && bytes_available < MYSQL_HEADER_LEN)
     {
-        dcb_append_readqueue(dcb, queue);
+        dcb_readq_append(dcb, queue);
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -982,7 +982,7 @@ gw_read_normal_data(DCB *dcb, GWBUF *read_buffer, int nbytes_read)
         if (nbytes_read < 3 || nbytes_read <
             (int)(MYSQL_GET_PAYLOAD_LEN((uint8_t *) GWBUF_DATA(read_buffer)) + 4))
         {
-            dcb->dcb_readqueue = read_buffer;
+            dcb_readq_set(dcb, read_buffer);
             return 0;
         }
 
@@ -998,7 +998,7 @@ gw_read_normal_data(DCB *dcb, GWBUF *read_buffer, int nbytes_read)
     switch (res)
     {
     case RES_MORE_DATA:
-        dcb->dcb_readqueue = read_buffer;
+        dcb_readq_set(dcb, read_buffer);
         rval = 0;
         break;
 
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ gw_read_finish_processing(DCB *dcb, GWBUF *read_buffer, uint64_t capabilities)
             /* Must have been data left over */
             /* Add incomplete mysql packet to read queue */
 
-            dcb->dcb_readqueue = gwbuf_append(dcb->dcb_readqueue, read_buffer);
+            dcb_readq_append(dcb, read_buffer);
 
         }
     }
@@ -1557,11 +1557,11 @@ return_rc:
  */
 static bool ensure_complete_packet(DCB *dcb, GWBUF **read_buffer, int nbytes_read)
 {
-    if (dcb->dcb_readqueue)
+    if (dcb_readq_has(dcb))
     {
-        dcb->dcb_readqueue = gwbuf_append(dcb->dcb_readqueue, *read_buffer);
-        nbytes_read = gwbuf_length(dcb->dcb_readqueue);
-        int plen = MYSQL_GET_PAYLOAD_LEN((uint8_t *) GWBUF_DATA(dcb->dcb_readqueue));
+        dcb_readq_append(dcb, *read_buffer);
+        nbytes_read = dcb_readq_length(dcb);
+        int plen = MYSQL_GET_PAYLOAD_LEN((uint8_t *) GWBUF_DATA(dcb_readq_get(dcb)));
 
         if (nbytes_read < 3 || nbytes_read < plen + 4)
         {
@@ -1573,8 +1573,7 @@ static bool ensure_complete_packet(DCB *dcb, GWBUF **read_buffer, int nbytes_rea
              * There is at least one complete mysql packet in
              * read_buffer.
              */
-            *read_buffer = dcb->dcb_readqueue;
-            dcb->dcb_readqueue = NULL;
+            *read_buffer = dcb_readq_release(dcb);
         }
     }
     else
@@ -1583,7 +1582,7 @@ static bool ensure_complete_packet(DCB *dcb, GWBUF **read_buffer, int nbytes_rea
 
         if (nbytes_read < 3 || nbytes_read < (int)MYSQL_GET_PAYLOAD_LEN(data) + 4)
         {
-            dcb->dcb_readqueue = gwbuf_append(dcb->dcb_readqueue, *read_buffer);
+            dcb_readq_append(dcb, *read_buffer);
             return false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mysql_common.c b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mysql_common.c
index ace0ad370..ab03a6447 100644
--- a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mysql_common.c
+++ b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mysql_common.c
@@ -981,8 +981,7 @@ bool read_complete_packet(DCB *dcb, GWBUF **readbuf)
         {
             /** Store any extra data in the DCB's readqueue */
 
-            dcb->dcb_readqueue = gwbuf_append(dcb->dcb_readqueue, localbuf);
-
+            dcb_readq_append(dcb, localbuf);
         }
     }