diff --git a/codec/codec.go b/codec/codec.go
index 7909d3f8..c41cfaa9 100644
--- a/codec/codec.go
+++ b/codec/codec.go
@@ -39,5 +39,8 @@ type Message struct {
 	Target string
 	Method string
 	Error  string
+
+	// The values read from the socket
 	Header map[string]string
+	Body []byte
 }
diff --git a/server/rpc_codec.go b/server/rpc_codec.go
index 8cf209dd..abceda03 100644
--- a/server/rpc_codec.go
+++ b/server/rpc_codec.go
@@ -73,7 +73,11 @@ func newRpcCodec(req *transport.Message, socket transport.Socket, c codec.NewCod
 }
 
 func (c *rpcCodec) ReadHeader(r *codec.Message, t codec.MessageType) error {
-	m := codec.Message{Header: c.req.Header}
+	// the initieal message
+	m := codec.Message{
+		Header: c.req.Header,
+		Body:   c.req.Body,
+	}
 
 	// if its a follow on request read it
 	if !c.first {
@@ -93,6 +97,8 @@ func (c *rpcCodec) ReadHeader(r *codec.Message, t codec.MessageType) error {
 
 		// set the message header
 		m.Header = tm.Header
+		// set the message body
+		m.Body = tm.Body
 	}
 
 	// no longer first read
@@ -117,7 +123,7 @@ func (c *rpcCodec) ReadBody(b interface{}) error {
 	return c.codec.ReadBody(b)
 }
 
-func (c *rpcCodec) Write(r *codec.Message, body interface{}) error {
+func (c *rpcCodec) Write(r *codec.Message, b interface{}) error {
 	c.buf.wbuf.Reset()
 
 	// create a new message
@@ -134,22 +140,33 @@ func (c *rpcCodec) Write(r *codec.Message, body interface{}) error {
 		},
 	}
 
-	// write to the body
-	if err := c.codec.Write(m, body); err != nil {
+	// the body being sent
+	var body []byte
+
+	// if we have encoded data just send it
+	if len(r.Body) > 0 {
+		body = r.Body
+		// write to the body
+	} else if err := c.codec.Write(m, b); err != nil {
 		c.buf.wbuf.Reset()
 
 		// write an error if it failed
 		m.Error = errors.Wrapf(err, "Unable to encode body").Error()
 		m.Header["X-Micro-Error"] = m.Error
+		// no body to write
 		if err := c.codec.Write(m, nil); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		// write the body
+	} else {
+		// set the body
+		body = c.buf.wbuf.Bytes()
 	}
 
 	// send on the socket
 	return c.socket.Send(&transport.Message{
 		Header: m.Header,
-		Body:   c.buf.wbuf.Bytes(),
+		Body:   body,
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/server/rpc_request.go b/server/rpc_request.go
index b96286c2..d01de930 100644
--- a/server/rpc_request.go
+++ b/server/rpc_request.go
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 package server
 
+import (
+	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec"
+)
+
 type rpcRequest struct {
 	service     string
 	method      string
 	contentType string
-	request     interface{}
+	codec       codec.Codec
+	body        []byte
 	stream      bool
 }
 
@@ -14,6 +19,10 @@ type rpcMessage struct {
 	payload     interface{}
 }
 
+func (r *rpcRequest) Codec() codec.Codec {
+	return r.codec
+}
+
 func (r *rpcRequest) ContentType() string {
 	return r.contentType
 }
@@ -26,8 +35,8 @@ func (r *rpcRequest) Method() string {
 	return r.method
 }
 
-func (r *rpcRequest) Request() interface{} {
-	return r.request
+func (r *rpcRequest) Body() []byte {
+	return r.body
 }
 
 func (r *rpcRequest) Stream() bool {
diff --git a/server/rpc_router.go b/server/rpc_router.go
index 291e3bac..477d5acb 100644
--- a/server/rpc_router.go
+++ b/server/rpc_router.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/micro/go-log"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec"
+	"github.com/micro/go-micro/transport"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -184,21 +185,20 @@ func (router *router) sendResponse(sending sync.Locker, req *request, reply inte
 	return err
 }
 
-func (s *service) call(ctx context.Context, router *router, sending *sync.Mutex, mtype *methodType, req *request, argv, replyv reflect.Value, codec codec.Codec) {
+func (s *service) call(ctx context.Context, router *router, sending *sync.Mutex, mtype *methodType, req *request, argv, replyv reflect.Value, cc codec.Codec) {
 	function := mtype.method.Func
 	var returnValues []reflect.Value
 
 	r := &rpcRequest{
-		service:     router.name,
+		service:     req.msg.Target,
 		contentType: req.msg.Header["Content-Type"],
 		method:      req.msg.Method,
+		body:        req.msg.Body,
 	}
 
 	if !mtype.stream {
-		r.request = argv.Interface()
-
 		fn := func(ctx context.Context, req Request, rsp interface{}) error {
-			returnValues = function.Call([]reflect.Value{s.rcvr, mtype.prepareContext(ctx), reflect.ValueOf(req.Request()), reflect.ValueOf(rsp)})
+			returnValues = function.Call([]reflect.Value{s.rcvr, mtype.prepareContext(ctx), reflect.ValueOf(argv.Interface()), reflect.ValueOf(rsp)})
 
 			// The return value for the method is an error.
 			if err := returnValues[0].Interface(); err != nil {
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func (s *service) call(ctx context.Context, router *router, sending *sync.Mutex,
 			errmsg = err.Error()
 		}
 
-		err = router.sendResponse(sending, req, replyv.Interface(), codec, errmsg, true)
+		err = router.sendResponse(sending, req, replyv.Interface(), cc, errmsg, true)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Log("rpc call: unable to send response: ", err)
 		}
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ func (s *service) call(ctx context.Context, router *router, sending *sync.Mutex,
 
 	stream := &rpcStream{
 		context: ctx,
-		codec:   codec,
+		codec:   cc,
 		request: r,
 		id:      req.msg.Id,
 	}
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ func (s *service) call(ctx context.Context, router *router, sending *sync.Mutex,
 	// this is the last packet, we don't do anything with
 	// the error here (well sendStreamResponse will log it
 	// already)
-	router.sendResponse(sending, req, nil, codec, errmsg, true)
+	router.sendResponse(sending, req, nil, cc, errmsg, true)
 	router.freeRequest(req)
 }
 
@@ -319,7 +319,9 @@ func (router *router) freeResponse(resp *response) {
 	router.respLock.Unlock()
 }
 
-func (router *router) readRequest(cc codec.Codec) (service *service, mtype *methodType, req *request, argv, replyv reflect.Value, keepReading bool, err error) {
+func (router *router) readRequest(r Request) (service *service, mtype *methodType, req *request, argv, replyv reflect.Value, keepReading bool, err error) {
+	cc := r.Codec()
+
 	service, mtype, req, keepReading, err = router.readHeader(cc)
 	if err != nil {
 		if !keepReading {
@@ -447,9 +449,10 @@ func (router *router) Handle(h Handler) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (router *router) ServeRequest(ctx context.Context, cc codec.Codec) error {
+func (router *router) ServeRequest(ctx context.Context, r Request, s transport.Socket) error {
+	cc := r.Codec()
 	sending := new(sync.Mutex)
-	service, mtype, req, argv, replyv, keepReading, err := router.readRequest(cc)
+	service, mtype, req, argv, replyv, keepReading, err := router.readRequest(r)
 	if err != nil {
 		if !keepReading {
 			return err
diff --git a/server/rpc_server.go b/server/rpc_server.go
index 6d73f63b..d0ed7715 100644
--- a/server/rpc_server.go
+++ b/server/rpc_server.go
@@ -110,8 +110,15 @@ func (s *rpcServer) ServeConn(sock transport.Socket) {
 			return
 		}
 
-		// create the internal server codec
-		codec := newRpcCodec(&msg, sock, cf)
+		// internal request
+		request := &rpcRequest{
+			service:     msg.Header["X-Micro-Service"],
+			method:      msg.Header["X-Micro-Method"],
+			contentType: ct,
+			codec:       newRpcCodec(&msg, sock, cf),
+			body:        msg.Body,
+			stream:      true,
+		}
 
 		// set router
 		var r Router
@@ -122,7 +129,7 @@ func (s *rpcServer) ServeConn(sock transport.Socket) {
 		}
 
 		// TODO: needs better error handling
-		if err := r.ServeRequest(ctx, codec); err != nil {
+		if err := r.ServeRequest(ctx, request, sock); 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 5e454824..2bc4a99a 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ 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
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ type Server interface {
 
 // Router handle serving messages
 type Router interface {
-	ServeRequest(context.Context, codec.Codec) error
+	// ServeRequest processes a request to completion
+	ServeRequest(context.Context, Request, transport.Socket) error
 }
 
 // Message is an async message interface
@@ -42,11 +44,17 @@ type Message interface {
 
 // Request is a synchronous request interface
 type Request interface {
+	// Service name requested
 	Service() string
+	// Method name requested
 	Method() string
+	// The initial request body
+	Body() []byte
+	// Content type provided
 	ContentType() string
-	Request() interface{}
-	// indicates whether the request will be streamed
+	// The codec for encoding/decoding messages
+	Codec() codec.Codec
+	// Indicates whether its a stream
 	Stream() bool
 }