diff --git a/http.go b/http.go
index 8e843df..b29468a 100644
--- a/http.go
+++ b/http.go
@@ -604,6 +604,8 @@ func (h *httpClient) Publish(ctx context.Context, p client.Message, opts ...clie
 }
 
 func (h *httpClient) publish(ctx context.Context, ps []client.Message, opts ...client.PublishOption) error {
+	var body []byte
+
 	options := client.NewPublishOptions(opts...)
 
 	// get proxy
@@ -622,24 +624,22 @@ func (h *httpClient) publish(ctx context.Context, ps []client.Message, opts ...c
 	for _, p := range ps {
 		md := metadata.Copy(omd)
 		md[metadata.HeaderContentType] = p.ContentType()
-		md[metadata.HeaderTopic] = p.Topic()
-
-		cf, err := h.newCodec(p.ContentType())
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", err.Error())
-		}
-
-		var body []byte
 
 		// passed in raw data
 		if d, ok := p.Payload().(*codec.Frame); ok {
 			body = d.Data
 		} else {
-			b := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
-			if err := cf.Write(b, &codec.Message{Type: codec.Event}, p.Payload()); err != nil {
+			// use codec for payload
+			cf, err := h.newCodec(p.ContentType())
+			if err != nil {
 				return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", err.Error())
 			}
-			body = b.Bytes()
+			// set the body
+			b, err := cf.Marshal(p.Payload())
+			if err != nil {
+				return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", err.Error())
+			}
+			body = b
 		}
 
 		topic := p.Topic()
@@ -647,6 +647,9 @@ func (h *httpClient) publish(ctx context.Context, ps []client.Message, opts ...c
 			topic = exchange
 		}
 
+		for k, v := range p.Metadata() {
+			md.Set(k, v)
+		}
 		md.Set(metadata.HeaderTopic, topic)
 		msgs = append(msgs, &broker.Message{Header: md, Body: body})
 	}