diff --git a/Lib/http/client.py b/Lib/http/client.py
index cc452e2..e05c84d 100644
--- a/Lib/http/client.py
+++ b/Lib/http/client.py
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@
         # connection, and the user is reading more bytes than will be provided
         # (for example, reading in 1k chunks)
         n = self.fp.readinto(b)
-        if not n:
+        if not n and b:
             # Ideally, we would raise IncompleteRead if the content-length
             # wasn't satisfied, but it might break compatibility.
             self._close_conn()
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_httplib.py b/Lib/test/test_httplib.py
index f3c27c2..4410a93 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_httplib.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_httplib.py
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@
         sock = FakeSocket(body)
         resp = client.HTTPResponse(sock)
         resp.begin()
+        self.assertEqual(resp.read(0), b'')  # Issue #20007
+        self.assertFalse(resp.isclosed())
+        self.assertFalse(resp.closed)
         self.assertEqual(resp.read(), b"Text")
         self.assertTrue(resp.isclosed())
         self.assertFalse(resp.closed)
diff --git a/Misc/ACKS b/Misc/ACKS
index 486e2af..702e679 100644
--- a/Misc/ACKS
+++ b/Misc/ACKS
@@ -1086,6 +1086,7 @@
 James Sanders
 Ilya Sandler
 Rafael Santos
+Simon Sapin
 Mark Sapiro
 Ty Sarna
 Hugh Sasse
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 7c0232d..1b58dea 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #20007: HTTPResponse.read(0) no more prematurely closes connection.
+  Original patch by Simon Sapin.
+
 - Issue #19912: Fixed numerous bugs in ntpath.splitunc().
 
 - Issue #19911: ntpath.splitdrive() now correctly processes the 'İ' character