diff --git a/src/ngx_http_lua_output.c b/src/ngx_http_lua_output.c
index 2db9e91ca0..9ffb24a6ea 100644
--- a/src/ngx_http_lua_output.c
+++ b/src/ngx_http_lua_output.c
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ ngx_http_lua_ngx_flush(lua_State *L)
     }
 #endif
 
-    cl = ngx_http_lua_get_flush_chain(r, ctx);
+    cl = ngx_http_lua_get_flush_chain(r);
     if (cl == NULL) {
         return luaL_error(L, "no memory");
     }
diff --git a/src/ngx_http_lua_util.c b/src/ngx_http_lua_util.c
index 01c36440e5..b6581f890a 100644
--- a/src/ngx_http_lua_util.c
+++ b/src/ngx_http_lua_util.c
@@ -1917,7 +1917,7 @@ ngx_http_lua_flush_pending_output(ngx_http_request_t *r,
         rc = ngx_http_lua_output_filter(r, NULL);
 
     } else {
-        cl = ngx_http_lua_get_flush_chain(r, ctx);
+        cl = ngx_http_lua_get_flush_chain(r);
         if (cl == NULL) {
             return NGX_ERROR;
         }
diff --git a/src/ngx_http_lua_util.h b/src/ngx_http_lua_util.h
index dc6709fb65..c8dc99d2fc 100644
--- a/src/ngx_http_lua_util.h
+++ b/src/ngx_http_lua_util.h
@@ -487,16 +487,28 @@ ngx_http_lua_cleanup_pending_operation(ngx_http_lua_co_ctx_t *coctx)
 
 
 static ngx_inline ngx_chain_t *
-ngx_http_lua_get_flush_chain(ngx_http_request_t *r, ngx_http_lua_ctx_t *ctx)
+ngx_http_lua_get_flush_chain(ngx_http_request_t *r)
 {
     ngx_chain_t  *cl;
 
-    cl = ngx_http_lua_chain_get_free_buf(r->connection->log, r->pool,
-                                         &ctx->free_bufs, 0);
+    /*
+     * The flush buf is deliberately NOT taken from ctx->free_bufs and
+     * deliberately carries no tag. It is size 0 and ngx_buf_special(), so the
+     * write filter keeps it queued. If tagged, ngx_chain_update_chains() would
+     * return it to ctx->free_bufs, and reusing it from there memzeros the
+     * flush flag away, resulting in "zero size buf in writer t:1 r:0 f:0".
+     */
+    cl = ngx_alloc_chain_link(r->pool);
     if (cl == NULL) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    cl->buf = ngx_calloc_buf(r->pool);
+    if (cl->buf == NULL) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    cl->next = NULL;
     cl->buf->flush = 1;
 
     return cl;
diff --git a/t/056-flush.t b/t/056-flush.t
index bb81c1ecf3..07303f9082 100644
--- a/t/056-flush.t
+++ b/t/056-flush.t
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ hello, world
 hiya
 --- no_error_log
 [error]
---- error_log
-lua reuse free buf chain, but reallocate memory because 5 >= 0
+[alert]
 --- skip_eval: 4:defined($ENV{MOCKEAGAIN}) && ($ENV{MOCKEAGAIN} =~ /w/)