diff --git a/lib/internal/streams/pipeline.js b/lib/internal/streams/pipeline.js
index 3c5434cb9e483e..5267c447e3826a 100644
--- a/lib/internal/streams/pipeline.js
+++ b/lib/internal/streams/pipeline.js
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 const {
   ArrayIsArray,
   Promise,
-  MathMax,
   SymbolAsyncIterator,
 } = primordials;
 
@@ -322,7 +321,7 @@ function pipelineImpl(streams, callback, opts) {
   return ret;
 }
 
-function pipe (src, dst) {
+function pipe(src, dst) {
   if (typeof src.read !== 'function') {
     src.pipe(dst);
     return;
@@ -334,7 +333,7 @@ function pipe (src, dst) {
   dst
     .on('drain', pump);
 
-  function end () {
+  function end() {
     dst.end();
   }
 
@@ -345,13 +344,14 @@ function pipe (src, dst) {
     dst._writableState?.objectMode
   );
 
-  function pump () {
+  function pump() {
     if (dst.writableNeedDrain) {
       return;
     }
 
     while (true) {
-      const chunk = src.read((!objectMode && dst.writableHighwaterMark) || undefined);
+      const n = (!objectMode && dst.writableHighwaterMark) || undefined;
+      const chunk = src.read(n);
       if (chunk === null || !dst.write(chunk)) {
         return;
       }