diff --git a/src/livestreamer/plugin/api/__init__.py b/src/livestreamer/plugin/api/__init__.py
index 6de049e4cb3..37bb977640b 100644
--- a/src/livestreamer/plugin/api/__init__.py
+++ b/src/livestreamer/plugin/api/__init__.py
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@
 
 from types import ModuleType as module
 
-__all__ = ["load_support_plugin"]
+from .http_session import HTTPSession
+
+__all__ = ["HTTPSession", "load_support_plugin", "http"]
 
 
 def load_support_plugin(name):
@@ -72,3 +74,4 @@ def __getattr__(self, name):
 
 support_plugin_path = "livestreamer.plugin.api.support_plugin"
 sys.modules[support_plugin_path] = SupportPlugin("support_plugin")
+http = None
diff --git a/src/livestreamer/plugin/api/http_session.py b/src/livestreamer/plugin/api/http_session.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..57a4d3d6467
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/livestreamer/plugin/api/http_session.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+from requests import Session
+from requests.exceptions import RequestException
+
+from ...exceptions import PluginError
+from ...utils import parse_json, parse_xml
+
+__all__ = ["HTTPSession"]
+
+
+def _parse_keyvalue_list(val):
+    for keyvalue in val.split(";"):
+        try:
+            key, value = keyvalue.split("=")
+            yield key.strip(), value.strip()
+        except ValueError:
+            continue
+
+
+class HTTPSession(Session):
+    @classmethod
+    def json(cls, res, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Parses JSON from a response."""
+        return parse_json(res.text, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def xml(cls, res, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Parses XML from a response."""
+        return parse_xml(res.text, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    def parse_cookies(self, cookies, **kwargs):
+        """Parses a semi-colon delimited list of cookies.
+
+        Example: foo=bar;baz=qux
+        """
+        for name, value in _parse_keyvalue_list(cookies):
+            self.cookies.set(name, value, **kwargs)
+
+    def parse_headers(self, headers):
+        """Parses a semi-colon delimited list of headers.
+
+        Example: foo=bar;baz=qux
+        """
+        for name, value in _parse_keyvalue_list(headers):
+            self.headers[name] = value
+
+    def parse_query_params(self, cookies, **kwargs):
+        """Parses a semi-colon delimited list of query parameters.
+
+        Example: foo=bar;baz=qux
+        """
+        for name, value in _parse_keyvalue_list(cookies):
+            self.params[name] = value
+
+    def request(self, method, url, *args, **kwargs):
+        exception = kwargs.pop("exception", PluginError)
+        headers = kwargs.pop("headers", {})
+        params = kwargs.pop("params", {})
+        session = kwargs.pop("session", None)
+        timeout = kwargs.pop("timeout", 20)
+
+        if session:
+            headers.update(session.headers)
+            params.update(session.params)
+
+        try:
+            res = Session.request(self, method, url,
+                                  headers=headers,
+                                  params=params,
+                                  timeout=timeout,
+                                  *args, **kwargs)
+            res.raise_for_status()
+        except (RequestException, IOError) as rerr:
+            err = exception("Unable to open URL: {url} ({err})".format(url=url,
+                                                                       err=rerr))
+            err.err = rerr
+            raise err
+
+        return res
diff --git a/src/livestreamer/session.py b/src/livestreamer/session.py
index 2644b3247e6..dd15a9ea1a6 100644
--- a/src/livestreamer/session.py
+++ b/src/livestreamer/session.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from .exceptions import NoPluginError
 from .logger import Logger
 from .options import Options
+from .plugin import api
 
 
 def print_small_exception(start_after):
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ class Livestreamer(object):
        options and log settings."""
 
     def __init__(self):
+        self.http = api.HTTPSession()
         self.options = Options({
             "rtmpdump": is_win32 and "rtmpdump.exe" or "rtmpdump",
             "rtmpdump-proxy": None,
@@ -157,13 +159,14 @@ def load_plugins(self, path):
             try:
                 self.load_plugin(name, file, pathname, desc)
             except Exception:
-                sys.stderr.write("Failed to load plugin "
-                                 "{0}:\n".format(name))
+                sys.stderr.write("Failed to load plugin {0}:\n".format(name))
                 print_small_exception("load_plugin")
 
                 continue
 
     def load_plugin(self, name, file, pathname, desc):
+        # Set the global http session for this plugin
+        api.http = self.http
         module = imp.load_module(name, file, pathname, desc)
 
         if hasattr(module, "__plugin__"):