diff --git a/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/object/ObjectSerializer.java b/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/object/ObjectSerializer.java
index d45aba662..35ab285a8 100644
--- a/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/object/ObjectSerializer.java
+++ b/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/object/ObjectSerializer.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import io.ray.api.exception.UnreconstructableException;
 import io.ray.api.id.ObjectId;
 import io.ray.runtime.generated.Gcs.ErrorType;
 import io.ray.runtime.serializer.Serializer;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.tuple.Pair;
 
@@ -45,6 +46,9 @@ public class ObjectSerializer {
     if (meta != null && meta.length > 0) {
       // If meta is not null, deserialize the object from meta.
       if (Arrays.equals(meta, OBJECT_METADATA_TYPE_RAW)) {
+        if (objectType == ByteBuffer.class) {
+          return ByteBuffer.wrap(data);
+        }
         return data;
       } else if (Arrays.equals(meta, OBJECT_METADATA_TYPE_CROSS_LANGUAGE) ||
           Arrays.equals(meta, OBJECT_METADATA_TYPE_JAVA)) {
@@ -81,6 +85,17 @@ public class ObjectSerializer {
       // If the object is a byte array, skip serializing it and use a special metadata to
       // indicate it's raw binary. So that this object can also be read by Python.
       return new NativeRayObject((byte[]) object, OBJECT_METADATA_TYPE_RAW);
+    } else if (object instanceof ByteBuffer) {
+      // Serialize ByteBuffer to raw bytes.
+      ByteBuffer buffer = (ByteBuffer) object;
+      byte[] bytes;
+      if (buffer.hasArray()) {
+        bytes = buffer.array();
+      } else {
+        bytes = new byte[buffer.remaining()];
+        buffer.get(bytes);
+      }
+      return new NativeRayObject(bytes, OBJECT_METADATA_TYPE_RAW);
     } else if (object instanceof RayTaskException) {
       byte[] serializedBytes = Serializer.encode(object).getLeft();
       return new NativeRayObject(serializedBytes, TASK_EXECUTION_EXCEPTION_META);
diff --git a/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/ArgumentsBuilder.java b/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/ArgumentsBuilder.java
index dfc28a021..7d1b30ffd 100644
--- a/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/ArgumentsBuilder.java
+++ b/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/ArgumentsBuilder.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package io.ray.runtime.task;
 
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
 import io.ray.api.ObjectRef;
 import io.ray.api.Ray;
 import io.ray.api.id.ObjectId;
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ import io.ray.runtime.RayRuntimeInternal;
 import io.ray.runtime.generated.Common.Language;
 import io.ray.runtime.object.NativeRayObject;
 import io.ray.runtime.object.ObjectSerializer;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -68,12 +70,19 @@ public class ArgumentsBuilder {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Convert list of NativeRayObject to real function arguments.
+   * Convert list of NativeRayObject/ByteBuffer to real function arguments.
    */
-  public static Object[] unwrap(List<NativeRayObject> args, Class<?>[] types) {
+  public static Object[] unwrap(List<Object> args, Class<?>[] types) {
     Object[] realArgs = new Object[args.size()];
     for (int i = 0; i < args.size(); i++) {
-      realArgs[i] = ObjectSerializer.deserialize(args.get(i), null, types[i]);
+      Object arg = args.get(i);
+      Preconditions.checkState(arg instanceof ByteBuffer || arg instanceof NativeRayObject);
+      if (arg instanceof ByteBuffer) {
+        Preconditions.checkState(types[i] == ByteBuffer.class);
+        realArgs[i] = arg;
+      } else {
+        realArgs[i] = ObjectSerializer.deserialize((NativeRayObject) arg, null, types[i]);
+      }
     }
     return realArgs;
   }
diff --git a/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/LocalModeTaskSubmitter.java b/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/LocalModeTaskSubmitter.java
index 2358982a6..d729692d2 100644
--- a/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/LocalModeTaskSubmitter.java
+++ b/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/LocalModeTaskSubmitter.java
@@ -311,8 +311,9 @@ public class LocalModeTaskSubmitter implements TaskSubmitter {
         ? ((LocalModeTaskExecutor.LocalActorContext) actorContext).getWorkerId()
         : UniqueId.randomId();
     ((LocalModeWorkerContext) runtime.getWorkerContext()).setCurrentWorkerId(workerId);
-    List<NativeRayObject> returnObjects = taskExecutor
-        .execute(getJavaFunctionDescriptor(taskSpec).toList(), args);
+    List<String> rayFunctionInfo = getJavaFunctionDescriptor(taskSpec).toList();
+    taskExecutor.checkByteBufferArguments(rayFunctionInfo);
+    List<NativeRayObject> returnObjects = taskExecutor.execute(rayFunctionInfo, args);
     if (taskSpec.getType() == TaskType.ACTOR_CREATION_TASK) {
       // Update actor context map ASAP in case objectStore.putRaw triggered the next actor task
       // on this actor.
diff --git a/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/TaskExecutor.java b/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/TaskExecutor.java
index 7519ab753..115e422f7 100644
--- a/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/TaskExecutor.java
+++ b/java/runtime/src/main/java/io/ray/runtime/task/TaskExecutor.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import io.ray.runtime.generated.Common.TaskType;
 import io.ray.runtime.object.NativeRayObject;
 import io.ray.runtime.object.ObjectSerializer;
 import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ public abstract class TaskExecutor<T extends TaskExecutor.ActorContext> {
 
   private final ConcurrentHashMap<UniqueId, T> actorContextMap = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
 
+  private final ThreadLocal<RayFunction> localRayFunction = new ThreadLocal<>();
+
   static class ActorContext {
 
     /**
@@ -61,10 +64,34 @@ public abstract class TaskExecutor<T extends TaskExecutor.ActorContext> {
     this.actorContextMap.put(runtime.getWorkerContext().getCurrentWorkerId(), actorContext);
   }
 
-  protected List<NativeRayObject> execute(List<String> rayFunctionInfo,
-      List<NativeRayObject> argsBytes) {
-    runtime.setIsContextSet(true);
+  private RayFunction getRayFunction(List<String> rayFunctionInfo) {
     JobId jobId = runtime.getWorkerContext().getCurrentJobId();
+    JavaFunctionDescriptor functionDescriptor = parseFunctionDescriptor(rayFunctionInfo);
+    return runtime.getFunctionManager().getFunction(jobId, functionDescriptor);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The return value indicates which parameters are ByteBuffer.
+   */
+  protected boolean[] checkByteBufferArguments(List<String> rayFunctionInfo) {
+    localRayFunction.set(null);
+    try {
+      localRayFunction.set(getRayFunction(rayFunctionInfo));
+    } catch (Throwable e) {
+      // Ignore the exception.
+      return null;
+    }
+    Class<?>[] types = localRayFunction.get().executable.getParameterTypes();
+    boolean[] results = new boolean[types.length];
+    for (int i = 0; i < types.length; i++) {
+      results[i] = types[i] == ByteBuffer.class;
+    }
+    return results;
+  }
+
+  protected List<NativeRayObject> execute(List<String> rayFunctionInfo,
+                                          List<Object> argsBytes) {
+    runtime.setIsContextSet(true);
     TaskType taskType = runtime.getWorkerContext().getCurrentTaskType();
     TaskId taskId = runtime.getWorkerContext().getCurrentTaskId();
     LOGGER.debug("Executing task {}", taskId);
@@ -80,11 +107,14 @@ public abstract class TaskExecutor<T extends TaskExecutor.ActorContext> {
 
     List<NativeRayObject> returnObjects = new ArrayList<>();
     ClassLoader oldLoader = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
-    JavaFunctionDescriptor functionDescriptor = parseFunctionDescriptor(rayFunctionInfo);
-    RayFunction rayFunction = null;
+    RayFunction rayFunction = localRayFunction.get();
     try {
       // Find the executable object.
-      rayFunction = runtime.getFunctionManager().getFunction(jobId, functionDescriptor);
+      if (rayFunction == null) {
+        // Failed to get RayFunction in checkByteBufferArguments. Redo here to throw
+        // the exception again.
+        rayFunction = getRayFunction(rayFunctionInfo);
+      }
       Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(rayFunction.classLoader);
       runtime.getWorkerContext().setCurrentClassLoader(rayFunction.classLoader);
 
@@ -132,7 +162,7 @@ public abstract class TaskExecutor<T extends TaskExecutor.ActorContext> {
       LOGGER.error("Error executing task " + taskId, e);
       if (taskType != TaskType.ACTOR_CREATION_TASK) {
         boolean hasReturn = rayFunction != null && rayFunction.hasReturn();
-        boolean isCrossLanguage = functionDescriptor.signature.equals("");
+        boolean isCrossLanguage = parseFunctionDescriptor(rayFunctionInfo).signature.equals("");
         if (hasReturn || isCrossLanguage) {
           returnObjects.add(ObjectSerializer
               .serialize(new RayTaskException("Error executing task " + taskId, e)));
diff --git a/java/test/src/main/java/io/ray/test/RayCallTest.java b/java/test/src/main/java/io/ray/test/RayCallTest.java
index d56f99adf..acb4f149e 100644
--- a/java/test/src/main/java/io/ray/test/RayCallTest.java
+++ b/java/test/src/main/java/io/ray/test/RayCallTest.java
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
 import io.ray.api.Ray;
 import io.ray.api.id.ObjectId;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import org.testng.Assert;
@@ -63,6 +65,10 @@ public class RayCallTest extends BaseTest {
     TestUtils.getRuntime().getObjectStore().put(1, objectId);
   }
 
+  private static ByteBuffer testByteBuffer(ByteBuffer buffer) {
+    return buffer;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Test calling and returning different types.
    */
@@ -82,6 +88,11 @@ public class RayCallTest extends BaseTest {
     Assert.assertEquals(map, Ray.task(RayCallTest::testMap, map).remote().get());
     TestUtils.LargeObject largeObject = new TestUtils.LargeObject();
     Assert.assertNotNull(Ray.task(RayCallTest::testLargeObject, largeObject).remote().get());
+    ByteBuffer buffer1 = ByteBuffer.wrap("foo".getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
+    ByteBuffer buffer2 = Ray.task(RayCallTest::testByteBuffer, buffer1).remote().get();
+    byte[] bytes = new byte[buffer2.remaining()];
+    buffer2.get(bytes);
+    Assert.assertEquals("foo", new String(bytes, StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
 
     // TODO(edoakes): this test doesn't work now that we've switched to direct call
     // mode. To make it work, we need to implement the same protocol for resolving
diff --git a/src/ray/core_worker/core_worker.cc b/src/ray/core_worker/core_worker.cc
index 9bcdb0d5a..8bdcb20f5 100644
--- a/src/ray/core_worker/core_worker.cc
+++ b/src/ray/core_worker/core_worker.cc
@@ -1666,8 +1666,12 @@ Status CoreWorker::GetAndPinArgsForExecutor(const TaskSpecification &task,
         metadata = std::make_shared<LocalMemoryBuffer>(
             const_cast<uint8_t *>(task.ArgMetadata(i)), task.ArgMetadataSize(i));
       }
-      args->at(i) = std::make_shared<RayObject>(data, metadata, task.ArgInlinedIds(i),
-                                                /*copy_data*/ true);
+      // NOTE: this is a workaround to avoid an extra copy for Java workers.
+      // Python workers need this copy to pass test case
+      // test_inline_arg_memory_corruption.
+      bool copy_data = options_.language == Language::PYTHON;
+      args->at(i) =
+          std::make_shared<RayObject>(data, metadata, task.ArgInlinedIds(i), copy_data);
       arg_reference_ids->at(i) = ObjectID::Nil();
       // The task borrows all ObjectIDs that were serialized in the inlined
       // arguments. The task will receive references to these IDs, so it is
diff --git a/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/io_ray_runtime_RayNativeRuntime.cc b/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/io_ray_runtime_RayNativeRuntime.cc
index 8f4b9d0ec..c602fca27 100644
--- a/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/io_ray_runtime_RayNativeRuntime.cc
+++ b/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/io_ray_runtime_RayNativeRuntime.cc
@@ -43,6 +43,35 @@ inline ray::gcs::GcsClientOptions ToGcsClientOptions(JNIEnv *env,
   return ray::gcs::GcsClientOptions(ip, port, password, /*is_test_client=*/false);
 }
 
+jobject ToJavaArgs(JNIEnv *env, jbooleanArray java_check_results,
+                   const std::vector<std::shared_ptr<ray::RayObject>> &args) {
+  if (java_check_results == nullptr) {
+    // If `java_check_results` is null, it means that `checkByteBufferArguments`
+    // failed. In this case, just return null here. The args won't be used anyway.
+    return nullptr;
+  } else {
+    jboolean *check_results = env->GetBooleanArrayElements(java_check_results, nullptr);
+    size_t i = 0;
+    jobject args_array_list = NativeVectorToJavaList<std::shared_ptr<ray::RayObject>>(
+        env, args,
+        [check_results, &i](JNIEnv *env,
+                            const std::shared_ptr<ray::RayObject> &native_object) {
+          if (*(check_results + (i++))) {
+            // If the type of this argument is ByteBuffer, we create a
+            // DirectByteBuffer here To avoid data copy.
+            // TODO: Check native_object->GetMetadata() == "RAW"
+            jobject obj = env->NewDirectByteBuffer(native_object->GetData()->Data(),
+                                                   native_object->GetData()->Size());
+            RAY_CHECK(obj);
+            return obj;
+          }
+          return NativeRayObjectToJavaNativeRayObject(env, native_object);
+        });
+    env->ReleaseBooleanArrayElements(java_check_results, check_results, JNI_ABORT);
+    return args_array_list;
+  }
+}
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
@@ -100,8 +129,12 @@ JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_io_ray_runtime_RayNativeRuntime_nativeInitialize(
 
         // convert args
         // TODO (kfstorm): Avoid copying binary data from Java to C++
-        jobject args_array_list = NativeVectorToJavaList<std::shared_ptr<ray::RayObject>>(
-            env, args, NativeRayObjectToJavaNativeRayObject);
+        jbooleanArray java_check_results =
+            static_cast<jbooleanArray>(env->CallObjectMethod(
+                java_task_executor, java_task_executor_parse_function_arguments,
+                ray_function_array_list));
+        RAY_CHECK_JAVA_EXCEPTION(env);
+        jobject args_array_list = ToJavaArgs(env, java_check_results, args);
 
         // invoke Java method
         jobject java_return_objects =
@@ -120,6 +153,7 @@ JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_io_ray_runtime_RayNativeRuntime_nativeInitialize(
           }
         }
 
+        env->DeleteLocalRef(java_check_results);
         env->DeleteLocalRef(java_return_objects);
         env->DeleteLocalRef(args_array_list);
         return ray::Status::OK();
diff --git a/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/jni_init.cc b/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/jni_init.cc
index 504c05eca..c3078b114 100644
--- a/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/jni_init.cc
+++ b/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/jni_init.cc
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ jfieldID java_native_ray_object_data;
 jfieldID java_native_ray_object_metadata;
 
 jclass java_task_executor_class;
+jmethodID java_task_executor_parse_function_arguments;
 jmethodID java_task_executor_execute;
 
 JavaVM *jvm;
@@ -205,6 +206,8 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM *vm, void *reserved) {
       env->GetFieldID(java_native_ray_object_class, "metadata", "[B");
 
   java_task_executor_class = LoadClass(env, "io/ray/runtime/task/TaskExecutor");
+  java_task_executor_parse_function_arguments = env->GetMethodID(
+      java_task_executor_class, "checkByteBufferArguments", "(Ljava/util/List;)[Z");
   java_task_executor_execute =
       env->GetMethodID(java_task_executor_class, "execute",
                        "(Ljava/util/List;Ljava/util/List;)Ljava/util/List;");
diff --git a/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/jni_utils.h b/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/jni_utils.h
index b6bcaaa63..8a2ebd65b 100644
--- a/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/jni_utils.h
+++ b/src/ray/core_worker/lib/java/jni_utils.h
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ extern jfieldID java_native_ray_object_metadata;
 
 /// TaskExecutor class
 extern jclass java_task_executor_class;
+/// checkByteBufferArguments method of TaskExecutor class
+extern jmethodID java_task_executor_parse_function_arguments;
 /// execute method of TaskExecutor class
 extern jmethodID java_task_executor_execute;