diff --git a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/SerialPort.java b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/SerialPort.java
index 41d4213769..b4446944e5 100644
--- a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/SerialPort.java
+++ b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/SerialPort.java
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 package edu.wpi.first.wpilibj;
 
 import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
-import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 
 import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.hal.FRCNetComm.tResourceType;
 import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.hal.HAL;
@@ -252,10 +251,13 @@ public class SerialPort {
    * @return An array of the read bytes
    */
   public byte[] read(final int count) {
-    ByteBuffer dataReceivedBuffer = ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(count);
+    byte[] dataReceivedBuffer = new byte[count];
     int gotten = SerialPortJNI.serialRead(m_port, dataReceivedBuffer, count);
+    if (gotten == count) {
+      return dataReceivedBuffer;
+    }
     byte[] retVal = new byte[gotten];
-    dataReceivedBuffer.get(retVal);
+    System.arraycopy(dataReceivedBuffer, 0, retVal, 0, gotten);
     return retVal;
   }
 
@@ -267,9 +269,10 @@ public class SerialPort {
    * @return The number of bytes actually written into the port.
    */
   public int write(byte[] buffer, int count) {
-    ByteBuffer dataToSendBuffer = ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(count);
-    dataToSendBuffer.put(buffer, 0, count);
-    return SerialPortJNI.serialWrite(m_port, dataToSendBuffer, count);
+    if (buffer.length < count) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("buffer is too small, must be at least " + count);
+    }
+    return SerialPortJNI.serialWrite(m_port, buffer, count);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/hal/OSSerialPortJNI.java b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/hal/OSSerialPortJNI.java
index 313fa76372..45f643a0b1 100644
--- a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/hal/OSSerialPortJNI.java
+++ b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/hal/OSSerialPortJNI.java
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 
 package edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.hal;
 
-import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
-
 public class OSSerialPortJNI extends JNIWrapper {
   public static native void serialInitializePort(byte port);
 
@@ -36,9 +34,9 @@ public class OSSerialPortJNI extends JNIWrapper {
 
   public static native int serialGetBytesReceived(byte port);
 
-  public static native int serialRead(byte port, ByteBuffer buffer, int count);
+  public static native int serialRead(byte port, byte[] buffer, int count);
 
-  public static native int serialWrite(byte port, ByteBuffer buffer, int count);
+  public static native int serialWrite(byte port, byte[] buffer, int count);
 
   public static native void serialFlush(byte port);
 
diff --git a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/hal/SerialPortJNI.java b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/hal/SerialPortJNI.java
index 08f5b6bd50..50011761dc 100644
--- a/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/hal/SerialPortJNI.java
+++ b/wpilibj/src/main/java/edu/wpi/first/wpilibj/hal/SerialPortJNI.java
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 
 package edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.hal;
 
-import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
-
 public class SerialPortJNI extends JNIWrapper {
   public static native void serialInitializePort(byte port);
 
@@ -36,9 +34,9 @@ public class SerialPortJNI extends JNIWrapper {
 
   public static native int serialGetBytesReceived(byte port);
 
-  public static native int serialRead(byte port, ByteBuffer buffer, int count);
+  public static native int serialRead(byte port, byte[] buffer, int count);
 
-  public static native int serialWrite(byte port, ByteBuffer buffer, int count);
+  public static native int serialWrite(byte port, byte[] buffer, int count);
 
   public static native void serialFlush(byte port);
 
diff --git a/wpilibj/src/main/native/cpp/OSSerialPortJNI.cpp b/wpilibj/src/main/native/cpp/OSSerialPortJNI.cpp
index 5333017e2e..375e5bceb0 100644
--- a/wpilibj/src/main/native/cpp/OSSerialPortJNI.cpp
+++ b/wpilibj/src/main/native/cpp/OSSerialPortJNI.cpp
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@
 
 #include "HAL/OSSerialPort.h"
 #include "HALUtil.h"
+#include "support/jni_util.h"
 
 using namespace frc;
+using namespace wpi::java;
 
 // set the logging level
 TLogLevel osserialJNILogLevel = logWARNING;
@@ -237,16 +239,18 @@ Java_edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_OSSerialPortJNI_serialGetBytesReceived(
 /*
  * Class:     edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_OSSerialPortJNI
  * Method:    serialRead
- * Signature: (BLjava/nio/ByteBuffer;I)I
+ * Signature: (B[BI)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_OSSerialPortJNI_serialRead(
-    JNIEnv* env, jclass, jbyte port, jobject dataReceived, jint size) {
+    JNIEnv* env, jclass, jbyte port, jbyteArray dataReceived, jint size) {
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "Serial Read";
-  jbyte* dataReceivedPtr = nullptr;
-  dataReceivedPtr = (jbyte*)env->GetDirectBufferAddress(dataReceived);
+  llvm::SmallVector<char, 128> recvBuf;
+  recvBuf.resize(size);
   int32_t status = 0;
-  jint retVal = HAL_ReadOSSerial(static_cast<HAL_SerialPort>(port), reinterpret_cast<char*>(dataReceivedPtr), 
+  jint retVal = HAL_ReadOSSerial(static_cast<HAL_SerialPort>(port), recvBuf.data(), 
                                  size, &status);
+  env->SetByteArrayRegion(dataReceived, 0, size,
+                          reinterpret_cast<const jbyte *>(recvBuf.data()));
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "ReturnValue = " << retVal;
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "Status = " << status;
   CheckStatus(env, status);
@@ -256,18 +260,17 @@ JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_OSSerialPortJNI_serialRead
 /*
  * Class:     edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_OSSerialPortJNI
  * Method:    serialWrite
- * Signature: (BLjava/nio/ByteBuffer;I)I
+ * Signature: (B[BI)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_OSSerialPortJNI_serialWrite(
-    JNIEnv* env, jclass, jbyte port, jobject dataToSend, jint size) {
+    JNIEnv* env, jclass, jbyte port, jbyteArray dataToSend, jint size) {
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "Serial Write";
-  jbyte* dataToSendPtr = nullptr;
-  if (dataToSend != 0) {
-    dataToSendPtr = (jbyte*)env->GetDirectBufferAddress(dataToSend);
-  }
   int32_t status = 0;
-  jint retVal = HAL_WriteOSSerial(static_cast<HAL_SerialPort>(port), reinterpret_cast<char*>(dataToSendPtr), 
-                                  size, &status);
+  jint retVal =
+      HAL_WriteOSSerial(static_cast<HAL_SerialPort>(port),
+                        reinterpret_cast<const char *>(
+                            JByteArrayRef(env, dataToSend).array().data()),
+                        size, &status);
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "ReturnValue = " << retVal;
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "Status = " << status;
   CheckStatus(env, status);
diff --git a/wpilibj/src/main/native/cpp/SerialPortJNI.cpp b/wpilibj/src/main/native/cpp/SerialPortJNI.cpp
index 20525c0640..2d72505769 100644
--- a/wpilibj/src/main/native/cpp/SerialPortJNI.cpp
+++ b/wpilibj/src/main/native/cpp/SerialPortJNI.cpp
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@
 
 #include "HAL/SerialPort.h"
 #include "HALUtil.h"
+#include "support/jni_util.h"
 
 using namespace frc;
+using namespace wpi::java;
 
 // set the logging level
 TLogLevel serialJNILogLevel = logWARNING;
@@ -237,16 +239,18 @@ Java_edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_SerialPortJNI_serialGetBytesReceived(
 /*
  * Class:     edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_SerialPortJNI
  * Method:    serialRead
- * Signature: (BLjava/nio/ByteBuffer;I)I
+ * Signature: (B[BI)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_SerialPortJNI_serialRead(
-    JNIEnv* env, jclass, jbyte port, jobject dataReceived, jint size) {
+    JNIEnv* env, jclass, jbyte port, jbyteArray dataReceived, jint size) {
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "Serial Read";
-  jbyte* dataReceivedPtr = nullptr;
-  dataReceivedPtr = (jbyte*)env->GetDirectBufferAddress(dataReceived);
+  llvm::SmallVector<char, 128> recvBuf;
+  recvBuf.resize(size);
   int32_t status = 0;
-  jint retVal = HAL_ReadSerial(static_cast<HAL_SerialPort>(port), reinterpret_cast<char*>(dataReceivedPtr), 
+  jint retVal = HAL_ReadSerial(static_cast<HAL_SerialPort>(port), recvBuf.data(), 
                                size, &status);
+  env->SetByteArrayRegion(dataReceived, 0, size,
+                          reinterpret_cast<const jbyte *>(recvBuf.data()));
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "ReturnValue = " << retVal;
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "Status = " << status;
   CheckStatus(env, status);
@@ -256,18 +260,17 @@ JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_SerialPortJNI_serialRead(
 /*
  * Class:     edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_SerialPortJNI
  * Method:    serialWrite
- * Signature: (BLjava/nio/ByteBuffer;I)I
+ * Signature: (B[BI)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_edu_wpi_first_wpilibj_hal_SerialPortJNI_serialWrite(
-    JNIEnv* env, jclass, jbyte port, jobject dataToSend, jint size) {
+    JNIEnv* env, jclass, jbyte port, jbyteArray dataToSend, jint size) {
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "Serial Write";
-  jbyte* dataToSendPtr = nullptr;
-  if (dataToSend != 0) {
-    dataToSendPtr = (jbyte*)env->GetDirectBufferAddress(dataToSend);
-  }
   int32_t status = 0;
-  jint retVal = HAL_WriteSerial(static_cast<HAL_SerialPort>(port), reinterpret_cast<char*>(dataToSendPtr), 
-                                size, &status);
+  jint retVal =
+      HAL_WriteSerial(static_cast<HAL_SerialPort>(port),
+                      reinterpret_cast<const char *>(
+                          JByteArrayRef(env, dataToSend).array().data()),
+                      size, &status);
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "ReturnValue = " << retVal;
   SERIALJNI_LOG(logDEBUG) << "Status = " << status;
   CheckStatus(env, status);