diff --git a/server/rpc_request.go b/server/rpc_request.go
index d01de930..31e2bb80 100644
--- a/server/rpc_request.go
+++ b/server/rpc_request.go
@@ -2,13 +2,16 @@ package server
 
 import (
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec"
+	"github.com/micro/go-micro/transport"
 )
 
 type rpcRequest struct {
 	service     string
 	method      string
 	contentType string
+	socket      transport.Socket
 	codec       codec.Codec
+	header      map[string]string
 	body        []byte
 	stream      bool
 }
@@ -35,8 +38,26 @@ func (r *rpcRequest) Method() string {
 	return r.method
 }
 
-func (r *rpcRequest) Body() []byte {
-	return r.body
+func (r *rpcRequest) Header() map[string]string {
+	return r.header
+}
+
+func (r *rpcRequest) Read() ([]byte, error) {
+	// got a body
+	if r.body != nil {
+		b := r.body
+		r.body = nil
+		return b, nil
+	}
+
+	var msg transport.Message
+	err := r.socket.Recv(&msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	r.header = msg.Header
+
+	return msg.Body, nil
 }
 
 func (r *rpcRequest) Stream() bool {
diff --git a/server/rpc_response.go b/server/rpc_response.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..92f974a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/rpc_response.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/micro/go-micro/transport"
+)
+
+type rpcResponse struct {
+	header map[string]string
+	socket transport.Socket
+}
+
+func (r *rpcResponse) WriteHeader(hdr map[string]string) {
+	for k, v := range hdr {
+		r.header[k] = v
+	}
+}
+
+func (r *rpcResponse) Write(b []byte) error {
+	if _, ok := r.header["Content-Type"]; !ok {
+		r.header["Content-Type"] = http.DetectContentType(b)
+	}
+
+	return r.socket.Send(&transport.Message{
+		Header: r.header,
+		Body:   b,
+	})
+}
diff --git a/server/rpc_router.go b/server/rpc_router.go
index 477d5acb..67db4f20 100644
--- a/server/rpc_router.go
+++ b/server/rpc_router.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/micro/go-log"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec"
-	"github.com/micro/go-micro/transport"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -449,7 +448,7 @@ func (router *router) Handle(h Handler) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (router *router) ServeRequest(ctx context.Context, r Request, s transport.Socket) error {
+func (router *router) ServeRequest(ctx context.Context, r Request, rsp Response) error {
 	cc := r.Codec()
 	sending := new(sync.Mutex)
 	service, mtype, req, argv, replyv, keepReading, err := router.readRequest(r)
diff --git a/server/rpc_server.go b/server/rpc_server.go
index d0ed7715..1fc445a6 100644
--- a/server/rpc_server.go
+++ b/server/rpc_server.go
@@ -116,20 +116,26 @@ func (s *rpcServer) ServeConn(sock transport.Socket) {
 			method:      msg.Header["X-Micro-Method"],
 			contentType: ct,
 			codec:       newRpcCodec(&msg, sock, cf),
+			header:      msg.Header,
 			body:        msg.Body,
+			socket:      sock,
 			stream:      true,
 		}
 
-		// set router
-		var r Router
-		r = s.router
+		// internal response
+		response := &rpcResponse{
+			header: make(map[string]string),
+			socket: sock,
+		}
 
-		if s.opts.Router != nil {
-			r = s.opts.Router
+		// set router
+		r := s.opts.Router
+		if s.opts.Router == nil {
+			r = s.router
 		}
 
 		// TODO: needs better error handling
-		if err := r.ServeRequest(ctx, request, sock); err != nil {
+		if err := r.ServeRequest(ctx, request, response); err != nil {
 			s.wg.Done()
 			log.Logf("Unexpected error serving request, closing socket: %v", err)
 			return
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 2bc4a99a..4b390f0a 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/micro/go-log"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/registry"
-	"github.com/micro/go-micro/transport"
 )
 
 // Server is a simple micro server abstraction
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ type Server interface {
 // Router handle serving messages
 type Router interface {
 	// ServeRequest processes a request to completion
-	ServeRequest(context.Context, Request, transport.Socket) error
+	ServeRequest(context.Context, Request, Response) error
 }
 
 // Message is an async message interface
@@ -48,16 +47,26 @@ type Request interface {
 	Service() string
 	// Method name requested
 	Method() string
-	// The initial request body
-	Body() []byte
 	// Content type provided
 	ContentType() string
-	// The codec for encoding/decoding messages
+	// Header of the request
+	Header() map[string]string
+	// Read the undecoded request body
+	Read() ([]byte, error)
+	// The encoded message stream
 	Codec() codec.Codec
 	// Indicates whether its a stream
 	Stream() bool
 }
 
+// Response is the response writer for unencoded messages
+type Response interface {
+	// Write the header
+	WriteHeader(map[string]string)
+	// write a response directly to the client
+	Write([]byte) error
+}
+
 // Stream represents a stream established with a client.
 // A stream can be bidirectional which is indicated by the request.
 // The last error will be left in Error().