diff --git a/aws-java-sdk-sqs/src/main/java/com/amazonaws/services/sqs/buffered/QueueBuffer.java b/aws-java-sdk-sqs/src/main/java/com/amazonaws/services/sqs/buffered/QueueBuffer.java
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/aws-java-sdk-sqs/src/main/java/com/amazonaws/services/sqs/buffered/QueueBuffer.java
+++ b/aws-java-sdk-sqs/src/main/java/com/amazonaws/services/sqs/buffered/QueueBuffer.java
@@ -174,6 +174,8 @@ class QueueBuffer {
                     rq, callback);
             future.setBuffer(this);
             return future;
+        } else if (handler != null) {
+            return realSqs.receiveMessageAsync(rq, handler);
         } else {
             return realSqs.receiveMessageAsync(rq);
         }
When bypassing buffered receives, pass through the AsyncHandler to receiveMessageAsync if present.