diff --git a/swift/common/middleware/bulk.py b/swift/common/middleware/bulk.py
index d3301c39ea..29136b9d55 100644
--- a/swift/common/middleware/bulk.py
+++ b/swift/common/middleware/bulk.py
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@ class Bulk(object):
                      'Response Body': '',
                      'Number Deleted': 0,
                      'Number Not Found': 0}
+        req.environ['eventlet.minimum_write_chunk_size'] = 0
         try:
             if not out_content_type:
                 raise HTTPNotAcceptable(request=req)
@@ -407,7 +408,6 @@ class Bulk(object):
             if objs_to_delete is None:
                 objs_to_delete = self.get_objs_to_delete(req)
             failed_file_response = {'type': HTTPBadRequest}
-            req.environ['eventlet.minimum_write_chunk_size'] = 0
 
             def delete_filter(predicate, objs_to_delete):
                 for obj_to_delete in objs_to_delete:
@@ -515,6 +515,7 @@ class Bulk(object):
         last_yield = time()
         separator = ''
         containers_accessed = set()
+        req.environ['eventlet.minimum_write_chunk_size'] = 0
         try:
             if not out_content_type:
                 raise HTTPNotAcceptable(request=req)
@@ -534,7 +535,6 @@ class Bulk(object):
             tar = tarfile.open(mode='r|' + compress_type,
                                fileobj=req.body_file)
             failed_response_type = HTTPBadRequest
-            req.environ['eventlet.minimum_write_chunk_size'] = 0
             containers_created = 0
             while True:
                 if last_yield + self.yield_frequency < time():
diff --git a/test/unit/common/middleware/test_bulk.py b/test/unit/common/middleware/test_bulk.py
index feab2dd0c9..a0328134a1 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/middleware/test_bulk.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/middleware/test_bulk.py
@@ -243,9 +243,11 @@ class TestUntar(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def handle_extract_and_iter(self, req, compress_format,
                                 out_content_type='application/json'):
-        resp_body = ''.join(
-            self.bulk.handle_extract_iter(req, compress_format,
-                                          out_content_type=out_content_type))
+        iter = self.bulk.handle_extract_iter(
+            req, compress_format, out_content_type=out_content_type)
+        first_chunk = next(iter)
+        self.assertEqual(req.environ['eventlet.minimum_write_chunk_size'], 0)
+        resp_body = first_chunk + ''.join(iter)
         return resp_body
 
     def test_create_container_for_path(self):
@@ -627,8 +629,11 @@ class TestDelete(unittest.TestCase):
         self.app.delete_paths = []
 
     def handle_delete_and_iter(self, req, out_content_type='application/json'):
-        resp_body = ''.join(self.bulk.handle_delete_iter(
-            req, out_content_type=out_content_type))
+        iter = self.bulk.handle_delete_iter(
+            req, out_content_type=out_content_type)
+        first_chunk = next(iter)
+        self.assertEqual(req.environ['eventlet.minimum_write_chunk_size'], 0)
+        resp_body = first_chunk + ''.join(iter)
         return resp_body
 
     def test_bulk_delete_uses_predefined_object_errors(self):