diff --git a/src/reader/buffered_reader.rs b/src/reader/buffered_reader.rs
index 8585c7c4..e40a1e98 100644
--- a/src/reader/buffered_reader.rs
+++ b/src/reader/buffered_reader.rs
@@ -202,13 +202,12 @@ macro_rules! impl_buffered_source {
             }
         }
 
-        $($async)? fn skip_one(&mut self, byte: u8, position: &mut usize) -> Result<bool> {
+        $($async)? fn skip_one(&mut self, byte: u8) -> Result<bool> {
             // search byte must be within the ascii range
             debug_assert!(byte.is_ascii());
 
             match self.peek_one() $(.$await)? ? {
                 Some(b) if b == byte => {
-                    *position += 1;
                     self $(.$reader)? .consume(1);
                     Ok(true)
                 }
@@ -219,8 +218,7 @@ macro_rules! impl_buffered_source {
         $($async)? fn peek_one(&mut self) -> Result<Option<u8>> {
             loop {
                 break match self $(.$reader)? .fill_buf() $(.$await)? {
-                    Ok(n) if n.is_empty() => Ok(None),
-                    Ok(n) => Ok(Some(n[0])),
+                    Ok(n) => Ok(n.first().cloned()),
                     Err(ref e) if e.kind() == io::ErrorKind::Interrupted => continue,
                     Err(e) => Err(Error::Io(e.into())),
                 };
diff --git a/src/reader/mod.rs b/src/reader/mod.rs
index 0301c8c2..ff885d50 100644
--- a/src/reader/mod.rs
+++ b/src/reader/mod.rs
@@ -279,7 +279,8 @@ macro_rules! read_until_open {
         }
 
         // If we already at the `<` symbol, do not try to return an empty Text event
-        if $reader.skip_one(b'<', &mut $self.state.offset) $(.$await)? ? {
+        if $reader.skip_one(b'<') $(.$await)? ? {
+            $self.state.offset += 1;
             $self.state.state = ParseState::OpenedTag;
             // Pass $buf to the next next iteration of parsing loop
             return Ok(Err($buf));
@@ -889,8 +890,8 @@ trait XmlSource<'r, B> {
     /// `true` if it matched.
     ///
     /// # Parameters
-    /// - `position`: Will be increased by 1 if byte is matched
-    fn skip_one(&mut self, byte: u8, position: &mut usize) -> Result<bool>;
+    /// - `byte`: Character to skip
+    fn skip_one(&mut self, byte: u8) -> Result<bool>;
 
     /// Return one character without consuming it, so that future `read_*` calls
     /// will still include it. On EOF, return `None`.
diff --git a/src/reader/slice_reader.rs b/src/reader/slice_reader.rs
index 8ad7e702..6dd5546c 100644
--- a/src/reader/slice_reader.rs
+++ b/src/reader/slice_reader.rs
@@ -322,12 +322,11 @@ impl<'a> XmlSource<'a, ()> for &'a [u8] {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn skip_one(&mut self, byte: u8, position: &mut usize) -> Result<bool> {
+    fn skip_one(&mut self, byte: u8) -> Result<bool> {
         // search byte must be within the ascii range
         debug_assert!(byte.is_ascii());
         if self.first() == Some(&byte) {
             *self = &self[1..];
-            *position += 1;
             Ok(true)
         } else {
             Ok(false)