diff --git a/server/options.go b/server/options.go
index 5b9aa98e..f1355122 100644
--- a/server/options.go
+++ b/server/options.go
@@ -25,8 +25,12 @@ type Options struct {
 	HdlrWrappers []HandlerWrapper
 	SubWrappers  []SubscriberWrapper
 
+	// The register expiry time
 	RegisterTTL time.Duration
 
+	// The router for requests
+	Router Router
+
 	// Debug Handler which can be set by a user
 	DebugHandler debug.DebugHandler
 
@@ -164,6 +168,13 @@ func RegisterTTL(t time.Duration) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithRouter sets the request router
+func WithRouter(r Router) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) {
+		o.Router = r
+	}
+}
+
 // Wait tells the server to wait for requests to finish before exiting
 func Wait(b bool) Option {
 	return func(o *Options) {
diff --git a/server/rpc_router.go b/server/rpc_router.go
index fa38fb79..cd25994f 100644
--- a/server/rpc_router.go
+++ b/server/rpc_router.go
@@ -233,13 +233,13 @@ 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, ct string) {
+func (s *service) call(ctx context.Context, router *router, sending *sync.Mutex, mtype *methodType, req *request, argv, replyv reflect.Value, codec codec.Codec) {
 	function := mtype.method.Func
 	var returnValues []reflect.Value
 
 	r := &rpcRequest{
 		service:     router.name,
-		contentType: ct,
+		contentType: req.msg.Header["Content-Type"],
 		method:      req.msg.Method,
 	}
 
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ func (m *methodType) prepareContext(ctx context.Context) reflect.Value {
 	return reflect.Zero(m.ContextType)
 }
 
-func (router *router) ServeRequest(ctx context.Context, cc codec.Codec, ct string) error {
+func (router *router) ServeRequest(ctx context.Context, cc codec.Codec) error {
 	sending := new(sync.Mutex)
 	service, mtype, req, argv, replyv, keepReading, err := router.readRequest(cc)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ func (router *router) ServeRequest(ctx context.Context, cc codec.Codec, ct strin
 		}
 		return err
 	}
-	service.call(ctx, router, sending, mtype, req, argv, replyv, cc, ct)
+	service.call(ctx, router, sending, mtype, req, argv, replyv, cc)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/rpc_server.go b/server/rpc_server.go
index adbb0b0e..6d73f63b 100644
--- a/server/rpc_server.go
+++ b/server/rpc_server.go
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ func newRpcServer(opts ...Option) Server {
 	}
 }
 
-func (s *rpcServer) accept(sock transport.Socket) {
+// ServeConn serves a single connection
+func (s *rpcServer) ServeConn(sock transport.Socket) {
 	defer func() {
 		// close socket
 		sock.Close()
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ func (s *rpcServer) accept(sock transport.Socket) {
 
 		// no content type
 		if len(ct) == 0 {
+			msg.Header["Content-Type"] = DefaultContentType
 			ct = DefaultContentType
 		}
 
@@ -111,8 +113,16 @@ func (s *rpcServer) accept(sock transport.Socket) {
 		// create the internal server codec
 		codec := newRpcCodec(&msg, sock, cf)
 
+		// set router
+		var r Router
+		r = s.router
+
+		if s.opts.Router != nil {
+			r = s.opts.Router
+		}
+
 		// TODO: needs better error handling
-		if err := s.router.ServeRequest(ctx, codec, ct); err != nil {
+		if err := r.ServeRequest(ctx, codec); err != nil {
 			s.wg.Done()
 			log.Logf("Unexpected error serving request, closing socket: %v", err)
 			return
@@ -402,7 +412,7 @@ func (s *rpcServer) Start() error {
 
 	go func() {
 		for {
-			err := ts.Accept(s.accept)
+			err := ts.Accept(s.ServeConn)
 
 			// check if we're supposed to exit
 			select {
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 3e72b6a4..5e454824 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ type Server interface {
 
 // Router handle serving messages
 type Router interface {
-	ServeCodec(context.Context, codec.Codec) error
+	ServeRequest(context.Context, codec.Codec) error
 }
 
 // Message is an async message interface