diff --git a/hexbytes/main.py b/hexbytes/main.py
index b0c8f37..4d7ba94 100644
--- a/hexbytes/main.py
+++ b/hexbytes/main.py
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ class HexBytes(bytes):
     """
 
     def __new__(cls, val: BytesLike) -> "HexBytes":
+        if isinstance(val, bytes):
+            return super().__new__(cls, val)
         bytesval = to_bytes(val)
         return super().__new__(cls, bytesval)
 
diff --git a/tests/core/test_hexbytes.py b/tests/core/test_hexbytes.py
index 36cf1f6..71f9cc2 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_hexbytes.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_hexbytes.py
@@ -36,6 +36,20 @@ def test_bytes_inputs(primitive):
     assert_equal(wrapped, primitive)
 
 
+def test_hexbytes_input_creates_new_instance():
+    wrapped = HexBytes(b"abc")
+    assert HexBytes(wrapped) is not wrapped
+
+
+def test_bytes_input_preserves_subclass():
+    class CustomHexBytes(HexBytes):
+        pass
+
+    wrapped = CustomHexBytes(b"abc")
+    assert type(wrapped) is CustomHexBytes
+    assert type(CustomHexBytes(HexBytes(b"abc"))) is CustomHexBytes
+
+
 @given(st.binary())
 def test_bytearray_inputs(primitive):
     byte_array_input = bytearray(primitive)