I modified the code to read:

  [socket dataAvailable] whileFalse: 
    [(socket waitForDataUntil: Socket standardDeadline) ifFalse: 
       [self error: 'Timeout reading reply']].
  buffer _ ByteArray new: 10000.
  read _ socket receiveDataInto: buffer.
  read < 4
    ifTrue: [self error: 'Too few data read'].

and I still get the 'Too few data read' error with read = 0.

Any ideas?

PS: I'm using 2.6 on linux