diff --git a/src/actions/transformations/base64_decode.cc b/src/actions/transformations/base64_decode.cc
index fe910e5012..29dec57abb 100644
--- a/src/actions/transformations/base64_decode.cc
+++ b/src/actions/transformations/base64_decode.cc
@@ -23,9 +23,14 @@ namespace modsecurity::actions::transformations {
 
 bool Base64Decode::transform(std::string &value, const Transaction *trans) const {
     if (value.empty()) return false;
-    value = Utils::Base64::decode(value);
+
+    std::string decoded;
+    if (!Utils::Base64::decode(value, decoded)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    value = std::move(decoded);
     return true;
 }
 
-
 }  // namespace modsecurity::actions::transformations
diff --git a/src/utils/base64.cc b/src/utils/base64.cc
index e27cace943..9afc19f1e3 100644
--- a/src/utils/base64.cc
+++ b/src/utils/base64.cc
@@ -55,14 +55,33 @@ std::string Base64::decode(const std::string& data, bool forgiven) {
         return decode_forgiven(data);
     }
 
-    return decode(data);
+    std::string out;
+    decode(data, out);
+    return out;
 }
 
 
-std::string Base64::decode(const std::string& data) {
-    return base64Helper(data.c_str(), strlen(data.c_str()), mbedtls_base64_decode);
-}
+bool Base64::decode(const std::string& data, std::string &out) {
+    size_t out_len = 0;
+    const auto *src = reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char *>(data.c_str());
+    const size_t slen = strlen(data.c_str());
+
+    const int ret = mbedtls_base64_decode(nullptr, 0, &out_len, src, slen);
+
+    if (ret != MBEDTLS_ERR_BASE64_BUFFER_TOO_SMALL) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    out.resize(out_len);
+    if (mbedtls_base64_decode(
+            reinterpret_cast<unsigned char *>(out.data()),
+            out.size(), &out_len, src, slen) != 0) {
+        return false;
+    }
 
+    out.resize(out_len);
+    return true;
+}
 
 std::string Base64::decode_forgiven(const std::string& data) {
     return base64Helper(data.c_str(), data.size(), decode_forgiven_engine);
diff --git a/src/utils/base64.h b/src/utils/base64.h
index 97639a5413..9470bf1706 100644
--- a/src/utils/base64.h
+++ b/src/utils/base64.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Base64 {
     static std::string encode(const std::string& data);
 
     static std::string decode(const std::string& data, bool forgiven);
-    static std::string decode(const std::string& data);
+    static bool decode(const std::string& data, std::string &out);
     static std::string decode_forgiven(const std::string& data);
 
     static void decode_forgiven_engine(unsigned char *plain_text,
diff --git a/src/variables/remote_user.cc b/src/variables/remote_user.cc
index 550294c70e..73c8e6363a 100644
--- a/src/variables/remote_user.cc
+++ b/src/variables/remote_user.cc
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ void RemoteUser::evaluate(Transaction *transaction,
             base64 = std::string(header, 6, header.length());
         }
 
-        base64 = Utils::Base64::decode(base64);
+        std::string decoded;
+        
+        if (Utils::Base64::decode(base64, decoded)) {
+            base64 = std::move(decoded);
+        }
 
         if (const auto pos{base64.find(":")}; pos != std::string::npos) {
             transaction->m_variableRemoteUser.assign(std::string(base64, 0, pos));