diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6cd59ea493..3dc24cbaa5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
     - Optimizations:
       - CHANGED: Map matching is now almost twice as fast. [#5060](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/5060)
       - CHANGED: Use Grisu2 for serializing floating point numbers. [#5188](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/5188)
+      - ADDED: Node bindings can return pre-rendered JSON buffer. [#5189](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/5189)
     - Bugfixes:
       - FIXED: collapsing of ExitRoundabout instructions [#5114](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/issues/5114)
       - FIXED: negative distances in table plugin annotation [#5106](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/issues/5106)
diff --git a/docs/nodejs/api.md b/docs/nodejs/api.md
index 01ef653cb4..e729962f01 100644
--- a/docs/nodejs/api.md
+++ b/docs/nodejs/api.md
@@ -297,6 +297,29 @@ Returns **[Object](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Refer
                  2) `waypoint_index`: index of the point in the trip.
 **`trips`**: an array of [`Route`](#route) objects that assemble the trace.
 
+## Plugin behaviour
+
+All plugins support a second additional object that is available to configure some NodeJS specific behaviours.
+
+-   `plugin_config` **[Object](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Object)** Object literal containing parameters for the trip query.
+    -   `plugin_config.format` **[String](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/String)?** The format of the result object to various API calls.  Valid options are `object` (default), which returns a standard Javascript object, as described above, and `json_buffer`, which will return a NodeJS **[Buffer](https://nodejs.org/api/buffer.html)** object, containing a JSON string.  The latter has the advantage that it can be immediately serialized to disk/sent over the network, and the generation of the string is performed outside the main NodeJS event loop.  This option is ignored by the `tile` plugin.
+
+**Examples**
+
+```javascript
+var osrm = new OSRM('network.osrm');
+var options = {
+  coordinates: [
+    [13.36761474609375, 52.51663871100423],
+    [13.374481201171875, 52.506191342034576]
+  ]
+};
+osrm.route(options, { format: "json_buffer" }, function(err, response) {
+  if (err) throw err;
+  console.log(response.toString("utf-8"));
+});
+```
+
 ## Responses
 
 Responses
diff --git a/include/nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp b/include/nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp
index 6ffea408b6..4a93eb7a74 100644
--- a/include/nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp
+++ b/include/nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define OSRM_BINDINGS_NODE_SUPPORT_HPP
 
 #include "nodejs/json_v8_renderer.hpp"
+#include "util/json_renderer.hpp"
 
 #include "osrm/approach.hpp"
 #include "osrm/bearing.hpp"
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <iterator>
+#include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -42,6 +44,13 @@ using match_parameters_ptr = std::unique_ptr<osrm::MatchParameters>;
 using nearest_parameters_ptr = std::unique_ptr<osrm::NearestParameters>;
 using table_parameters_ptr = std::unique_ptr<osrm::TableParameters>;
 
+struct PluginParameters
+{
+    bool renderJSONToBuffer = false;
+};
+
+using ObjectOrString = typename mapbox::util::variant<osrm::json::Object, std::string>;
+
 template <typename ResultT> inline v8::Local<v8::Value> render(const ResultT &result);
 
 template <> v8::Local<v8::Value> inline render(const std::string &result)
@@ -49,11 +58,21 @@ template <> v8::Local<v8::Value> inline render(const std::string &result)
     return Nan::CopyBuffer(result.data(), result.size()).ToLocalChecked();
 }
 
-template <> v8::Local<v8::Value> inline render(const osrm::json::Object &result)
+template <> v8::Local<v8::Value> inline render(const ObjectOrString &result)
 {
-    v8::Local<v8::Value> value;
-    renderToV8(value, result);
-    return value;
+    if (result.is<osrm::json::Object>())
+    {
+        // Convert osrm::json object tree into matching v8 object tree
+        v8::Local<v8::Value> value;
+        renderToV8(value, result.get<osrm::json::Object>());
+        return value;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        // Return the string object as a node Buffer
+        return Nan::CopyBuffer(result.get<std::string>().data(), result.get<std::string>().size())
+            .ToLocalChecked();
+    }
 }
 
 inline void ParseResult(const osrm::Status &result_status, osrm::json::Object &result)
@@ -814,6 +833,50 @@ inline bool parseCommonParameters(const v8::Local<v8::Object> &obj, ParamType &p
     return true;
 }
 
+inline PluginParameters
+argumentsToPluginParameters(const Nan::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value> &args)
+{
+    if (args.Length() < 3 || !args[1]->IsObject())
+    {
+        return {};
+    }
+    v8::Local<v8::Object> obj = Nan::To<v8::Object>(args[1]).ToLocalChecked();
+    if (obj->Has(Nan::New("format").ToLocalChecked()))
+    {
+
+        v8::Local<v8::Value> format = obj->Get(Nan::New("format").ToLocalChecked());
+        if (format.IsEmpty())
+        {
+            return {};
+        }
+
+        if (!format->IsString())
+        {
+            Nan::ThrowError("format must be a string: \"object\" or \"json_buffer\"");
+            return {};
+        }
+
+        const Nan::Utf8String format_utf8str(format);
+        std::string format_str{*format_utf8str, *format_utf8str + format_utf8str.length()};
+
+        if (format_str == "object")
+        {
+            return {false};
+        }
+        else if (format_str == "json_buffer")
+        {
+            return {true};
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            Nan::ThrowError("format must be a string: \"object\" or \"json_buffer\"");
+            return {};
+        }
+    }
+
+    return {};
+}
+
 inline route_parameters_ptr
 argumentsToRouteParameter(const Nan::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value> &args,
                           bool requires_multiple_coordinates)
@@ -1357,6 +1420,6 @@ argumentsToMatchParameter(const Nan::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value> &args,
     return params;
 }
 
-} // ns node_osrm
+} // namespace node_osrm
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/nodejs/node_osrm.cpp b/src/nodejs/node_osrm.cpp
index aa7e03851f..14d970c775 100644
--- a/src/nodejs/node_osrm.cpp
+++ b/src/nodejs/node_osrm.cpp
@@ -9,12 +9,15 @@
 #include "osrm/trip_parameters.hpp"
 
 #include <exception>
+#include <sstream>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 
 #include "nodejs/node_osrm.hpp"
 #include "nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp"
 
+#include "util/json_renderer.hpp"
+
 namespace node_osrm
 {
 
@@ -122,6 +125,8 @@ inline void async(const Nan::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value> &info,
     if (!params)
         return;
 
+    auto pluginParams = argumentsToPluginParameters(info);
+
     BOOST_ASSERT(params->IsValid());
 
     if (!info[info.Length() - 1]->IsFunction())
@@ -137,9 +142,89 @@ inline void async(const Nan::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value> &info,
         Worker(std::shared_ptr<osrm::OSRM> osrm_,
                ParamPtr params_,
                ServiceMemFn service,
-               Nan::Callback *callback)
+               Nan::Callback *callback,
+               PluginParameters pluginParams_)
             : Base(callback), osrm{std::move(osrm_)}, service{std::move(service)},
-              params{std::move(params_)}
+              params{std::move(params_)}, pluginParams{std::move(pluginParams_)}
+        {
+        }
+
+        void Execute() override try
+        {
+            osrm::json::Object r;
+            const auto status = ((*osrm).*(service))(*params, r);
+            ParseResult(status, r);
+            if (pluginParams.renderJSONToBuffer)
+            {
+                std::ostringstream buf;
+                osrm::util::json::render(buf, r);
+                result = buf.str();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result = r;
+            }
+        }
+        catch (const std::exception &e)
+        {
+            SetErrorMessage(e.what());
+        }
+
+        void HandleOKCallback() override
+        {
+            Nan::HandleScope scope;
+
+            const constexpr auto argc = 2u;
+            v8::Local<v8::Value> argv[argc] = {Nan::Null(), render(result)};
+
+            callback->Call(argc, argv);
+        }
+
+        // Keeps the OSRM object alive even after shutdown until we're done with callback
+        std::shared_ptr<osrm::OSRM> osrm;
+        ServiceMemFn service;
+        const ParamPtr params;
+        const PluginParameters pluginParams;
+
+        ObjectOrString result;
+    };
+
+    auto *callback = new Nan::Callback{info[info.Length() - 1].As<v8::Function>()};
+    Nan::AsyncQueueWorker(
+        new Worker{self->this_, std::move(params), service, callback, std::move(pluginParams)});
+}
+
+template <typename ParameterParser, typename ServiceMemFn>
+inline void asyncForTiles(const Nan::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value> &info,
+                          ParameterParser argsToParams,
+                          ServiceMemFn service,
+                          bool requires_multiple_coordinates)
+{
+    auto params = argsToParams(info, requires_multiple_coordinates);
+    if (!params)
+        return;
+
+    auto pluginParams = argumentsToPluginParameters(info);
+
+    BOOST_ASSERT(params->IsValid());
+
+    if (!info[info.Length() - 1]->IsFunction())
+        return Nan::ThrowTypeError("last argument must be a callback function");
+
+    auto *const self = Nan::ObjectWrap::Unwrap<Engine>(info.Holder());
+    using ParamPtr = decltype(params);
+
+    struct Worker final : Nan::AsyncWorker
+    {
+        using Base = Nan::AsyncWorker;
+
+        Worker(std::shared_ptr<osrm::OSRM> osrm_,
+               ParamPtr params_,
+               ServiceMemFn service,
+               Nan::Callback *callback,
+               PluginParameters pluginParams_)
+            : Base(callback), osrm{std::move(osrm_)}, service{std::move(service)},
+              params{std::move(params_)}, pluginParams{std::move(pluginParams_)}
         {
         }
 
@@ -167,18 +252,14 @@ inline void async(const Nan::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value> &info,
         std::shared_ptr<osrm::OSRM> osrm;
         ServiceMemFn service;
         const ParamPtr params;
+        const PluginParameters pluginParams;
 
-        // All services return json::Object .. except for Tile!
-        using ObjectOrString =
-            typename std::conditional<std::is_same<ParamPtr, tile_parameters_ptr>::value,
-                                      std::string,
-                                      osrm::json::Object>::type;
-
-        ObjectOrString result;
+        std::string result;
     };
 
     auto *callback = new Nan::Callback{info[info.Length() - 1].As<v8::Function>()};
-    Nan::AsyncQueueWorker(new Worker{self->this_, std::move(params), service, callback});
+    Nan::AsyncQueueWorker(
+        new Worker{self->this_, std::move(params), service, callback, std::move(pluginParams)});
 }
 
 // clang-format off
@@ -341,7 +422,7 @@ NAN_METHOD(Engine::table) //
 // clang-format on
 NAN_METHOD(Engine::tile)
 {
-    async(info, &argumentsToTileParameters, &osrm::OSRM::Tile, {/*unused*/});
+    asyncForTiles(info, &argumentsToTileParameters, &osrm::OSRM::Tile, {/*unused*/});
 }
 
 // clang-format off
diff --git a/test/nodejs/match.js b/test/nodejs/match.js
index 10b5a72eb9..da4d7853b0 100644
--- a/test/nodejs/match.js
+++ b/test/nodejs/match.js
@@ -25,6 +25,28 @@ test('match: match in Monaco', function(assert) {
     });
 });
 
+test('match: match in Monaco returning a buffer', function(assert) {
+    assert.plan(6);
+    var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
+    var options = {
+        coordinates: three_test_coordinates,
+        timestamps: [1424684612, 1424684616, 1424684620]
+    };
+    osrm.match(options, { format: 'json_buffer' }, function(err, response) {
+        assert.ifError(err);
+        assert.ok(response instanceof Buffer);
+        response = JSON.parse(response);
+        assert.equal(response.matchings.length, 1);
+        assert.ok(response.matchings.every(function(m) {
+            return !!m.distance && !!m.duration && Array.isArray(m.legs) && !!m.geometry && m.confidence > 0;
+        }))
+        assert.equal(response.tracepoints.length, 3);
+        assert.ok(response.tracepoints.every(function(t) {
+            return !!t.hint && !isNaN(t.matchings_index) && !isNaN(t.waypoint_index) && !!t.name;
+        }));
+    });
+});
+
 test('match: match in Monaco without timestamps', function(assert) {
     assert.plan(3);
     var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
@@ -225,6 +247,16 @@ test('match: throws on invalid tidy param', function(assert) {
         /tidy must be of type Boolean/);
 });
 
+test('match: throws on invalid config param', function(assert) {
+    assert.plan(1);
+    var osrm = new OSRM({path: mld_data_path, algorithm: 'MLD'});
+    var options = {
+        coordinates: three_test_coordinates,
+    };
+    assert.throws(function() { osrm.match(options, { format: 'invalid' }, function(err, response) {}) },
+        /format must be a string:/);
+});
+
 test('match: match in Monaco without motorways', function(assert) {
     assert.plan(3);
     var osrm = new OSRM({path: mld_data_path, algorithm: 'MLD'});
diff --git a/test/nodejs/nearest.js b/test/nodejs/nearest.js
index 4a038dbe53..1fce37af05 100644
--- a/test/nodejs/nearest.js
+++ b/test/nodejs/nearest.js
@@ -19,6 +19,21 @@ test('nearest', function(assert) {
     });
 });
 
+test('nearest', function(assert) {
+    assert.plan(5);
+    var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
+    osrm.nearest({
+        coordinates: [three_test_coordinates[0]]
+    }, { format: 'json_buffer' }, function(err, result) {
+        assert.ifError(err);
+        assert.ok(result instanceof Buffer);
+        result = JSON.parse(result);
+        assert.equal(result.waypoints.length, 1);
+        assert.equal(result.waypoints[0].location.length, 2);
+        assert.ok(result.waypoints[0].hasOwnProperty('name'));
+    });
+});
+
 test('nearest: can ask for multiple nearest pts', function(assert) {
     assert.plan(2);
     var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
@@ -32,7 +47,7 @@ test('nearest: can ask for multiple nearest pts', function(assert) {
 });
 
 test('nearest: throws on invalid args', function(assert) {
-    assert.plan(6);
+    assert.plan(7);
     var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
     var options = {};
     assert.throws(function() { osrm.nearest(options); },
@@ -52,6 +67,10 @@ test('nearest: throws on invalid args', function(assert) {
     options.number = 0;
     assert.throws(function() { osrm.nearest(options, function(err, res) {}); },
         /Number must be an integer greater than or equal to 1/);
+
+    options.number = 1;
+    assert.throws(function() { osrm.nearest(options, { format: 'invalid' }, function(err, res) {}); },
+        /format must be a string:/);
 });
 
 test('nearest: nearest in Monaco without motorways', function(assert) {
diff --git a/test/nodejs/route.js b/test/nodejs/route.js
index ae28f3762d..011a098a30 100644
--- a/test/nodejs/route.js
+++ b/test/nodejs/route.js
@@ -43,8 +43,22 @@ test('route: routes Monaco on CoreCH', function(assert) {
     });
 });
 
+test('route: routes Monaco and returns a JSON buffer', function(assert) {
+    assert.plan(6);
+    var osrm = new OSRM({path: monaco_corech_path, algorithm: 'CoreCH'});
+    osrm.route({coordinates: [[13.43864,52.51993],[13.415852,52.513191]]}, { format: 'json_buffer'}, function(err, result) {
+        assert.ifError(err);
+        assert.ok(result instanceof Buffer);
+        const route = JSON.parse(result);
+        assert.ok(route.waypoints);
+        assert.ok(route.routes);
+        assert.ok(route.routes.length);
+        assert.ok(route.routes[0].geometry);
+    });
+});
+
 test('route: throws with too few or invalid args', function(assert) {
-    assert.plan(3);
+    assert.plan(4);
     var osrm = new OSRM(monaco_path);
     assert.throws(function() { osrm.route({coordinates: two_test_coordinates}) },
         /Two arguments required/);
@@ -52,6 +66,8 @@ test('route: throws with too few or invalid args', function(assert) {
         /First arg must be an object/);
     assert.throws(function() { osrm.route({coordinates: two_test_coordinates}, true)},
         /last argument must be a callback function/);
+    assert.throws(function() { osrm.route({coordinates: two_test_coordinates}, { format: 'invalid' }, function(err, route) {})},
+        /format must be a string:/);
 });
 
 test('route: provides no alternatives by default, but when requested it may (not guaranteed)', function(assert) {
diff --git a/test/nodejs/table.js b/test/nodejs/table.js
index 220added1b..e763eea866 100644
--- a/test/nodejs/table.js
+++ b/test/nodejs/table.js
@@ -48,6 +48,20 @@ test('table: test annotations paramater combination', function(assert) {
     });
 });
 
+test('table: returns buffer', function(assert) {
+    assert.plan(3);
+    var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
+    var options = {
+        coordinates: [three_test_coordinates[0], three_test_coordinates[1]],
+    };
+    osrm.table(options, { format: 'json_buffer' }, function(err, table) {
+        assert.ifError(err);
+        assert.ok(table instanceof Buffer);
+        table = JSON.parse(table);
+        assert.ok(table['durations'], 'distances table result should exist');
+    });
+});
+
 var tables = ['distances', 'durations'];
 
 tables.forEach(function(annotation) {
@@ -116,7 +130,7 @@ tables.forEach(function(annotation) {
     });
 
     test('table: ' + annotation + ' throws on invalid arguments', function(assert) {
-        assert.plan(14);
+        assert.plan(15);
         var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
         var options = {annotations: [annotation.slice(0,-1)]};
         assert.throws(function() { osrm.table(options); },
@@ -135,6 +149,9 @@ tables.forEach(function(annotation) {
             /Coordinates must be an array of \(lon\/lat\) pairs/);
 
         options.coordinates = two_test_coordinates;
+        assert.throws(function() { osrm.table(options, { format: 'invalid' }, function(err, response) {}) },
+            /format must be a string:/);
+
         options.sources = true;
         assert.throws(function() { osrm.table(options, function(err, response) {}) },
             /Sources must be an array of indices \(or undefined\)/);
diff --git a/test/nodejs/trip.js b/test/nodejs/trip.js
index ff2294712d..f26d97b83c 100644
--- a/test/nodejs/trip.js
+++ b/test/nodejs/trip.js
@@ -17,6 +17,19 @@ test('trip: trip in Monaco', function(assert) {
     });
 });
 
+test('trip: trip in Monaco as a buffer', function(assert) {
+    assert.plan(3);
+    var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
+    osrm.trip({coordinates: two_test_coordinates}, { format: 'json_buffer' }, function(err, trip) {
+        assert.ifError(err);
+        assert.ok(trip instanceof Buffer);
+        trip = JSON.parse(trip);
+        for (t = 0; t < trip.trips.length; t++) {
+            assert.ok(trip.trips[t].geometry);
+        }
+    });
+});
+
 test('trip: trip with many locations in Monaco', function(assert) {
     assert.plan(2);
 
@@ -33,12 +46,14 @@ test('trip: trip with many locations in Monaco', function(assert) {
 });
 
 test('trip: throws with too few or invalid args', function(assert) {
-    assert.plan(2);
+    assert.plan(3);
     var osrm = new OSRM(data_path);
     assert.throws(function() { osrm.trip({coordinates: two_test_coordinates}) },
         /Two arguments required/);
     assert.throws(function() { osrm.trip(null, function(err, trip) {}) },
         /First arg must be an object/);
+    assert.throws(function() { osrm.trip({coordinates: two_test_coordinates}, { format: 'invalid' }, function(err, trip) {}) },
+        /format must be a string:/);
 });
 
 test('trip: throws with bad params', function(assert) {