diff --git a/releases.txt b/releases.txt
index 2fda06c..1d1aaa1 100644
--- a/releases.txt
+++ b/releases.txt
@@ -32,3 +32,6 @@
 - Add deny_new_connections & allow_new_connections
 - Fix disconnect_clients_gracefully to now take params
 - Fix shutdown_gracefully unused param
+
+0.6.5
+- Speed up read_next_message
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 684b88d..02ab047 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     from distutils.command.install import install
 
 
-VERSION = '0.6.4'
+VERSION = '0.6.5'
 
 
 def get_tag_version():
diff --git a/websocket_server/websocket_server.py b/websocket_server/websocket_server.py
index 083ee17..a2e10dd 100644
--- a/websocket_server/websocket_server.py
+++ b/websocket_server/websocket_server.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Author: Johan Hanssen Seferidis
 # License: MIT
 
+from itertools import cycle
 import sys
 import struct
 import ssl
@@ -334,10 +335,8 @@ def read_next_message(self):
             payload_length = struct.unpack(">Q", self.rfile.read(8))[0]
 
         masks = self.read_bytes(4)
-        message_bytes = bytearray()
-        for message_byte in self.read_bytes(payload_length):
-            message_byte ^= masks[len(message_bytes) % 4]
-            message_bytes.append(message_byte)
+        payload = self.read_bytes(payload_length)
+        message_bytes = bytearray([byte ^ mask for byte, mask in zip(payload, cycle(masks))])
         opcode_handler(self, message_bytes.decode('utf8'))
 
     def send_message(self, message):