diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 7f960e9..31777ad 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+0.5.0
+-----
+* Pipelining support
+* Reel::Request#body now returns a Reel::RequestBody object instead of a String
+
 0.4.0
 ----
 * Allow Reel to stop cleanly
diff --git a/lib/reel.rb b/lib/reel.rb
index ab6d3ef..61694c5 100644
--- a/lib/reel.rb
+++ b/lib/reel.rb
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@
 require 'reel/logger'
 require 'reel/request_info'
 require 'reel/request'
-require 'reel/response'
+require 'reel/request_body'
 require 'reel/request_parser'
+require 'reel/response'
 require 'reel/response_writer'
 require 'reel/server'
 require 'reel/ssl_server'
diff --git a/lib/reel/app.rb b/lib/reel/app.rb
index 027c8e1..a45f76e 100644
--- a/lib/reel/app.rb
+++ b/lib/reel/app.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def initialize(host, port)
       super()
       @server = Reel::Server.supervise(host, port) do |connection|
         while request = connection.request
-          status, headers, body = call Rack::MockRequest.env_for(request.url, :method => request.method, :input => request.body)
+          status, headers, body = call Rack::MockRequest.env_for(request.url, :method => request.method, :input => request.body.to_s)
           response_klass = body.is_a?(Stream) ? StreamResponse : Response
           connection.respond(response_klass.new(status_symbol(status), headers, body))
         end
diff --git a/lib/reel/rack_worker.rb b/lib/reel/rack_worker.rb
index 3ecedd2..6c8d070 100644
--- a/lib/reel/rack_worker.rb
+++ b/lib/reel/rack_worker.rb
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def response_body(body_parts)
     def env request
       env = Hash[PROTO_RACK_ENV]
 
-      env[RACK_INPUT] = StringIO.new(request.body || INITIAL_BODY)
+      env[RACK_INPUT] = StringIO.new(request.body.to_s || INITIAL_BODY)
       env[RACK_INPUT].set_encoding(Encoding::BINARY) if env[RACK_INPUT].respond_to?(:set_encoding)
       env[SERVER_NAME], env[SERVER_PORT] = (request[HOST]||'').split(':', 2)
       env[SERVER_PORT] ||= @handler[:port].to_s
diff --git a/lib/reel/request.rb b/lib/reel/request.rb
index 4f15564..0128c3e 100644
--- a/lib/reel/request.rb
+++ b/lib/reel/request.rb
@@ -17,69 +17,37 @@ def self.build(request_info, connection)
     end
 
     def_delegators :@connection, :<<, :write, :respond, :finish_response
+    attr_reader :body
 
     # request_info is a RequestInfo object including the headers and
     # the url, method and http version.
     #
     # Access it through the RequestMixin methods.
     def initialize(request_info, connection = nil)
-      @request_info = request_info
-      @connection = connection
+      @request_info  = request_info
+      @connection    = connection
+      @finished      = false
+      @buffer        = ""
+      @body          = RequestBody.new(self)
       @finished_read = false
     end
 
     # Returns true if request fully finished reading
-    def finished_reading?;  @finished_read;  end
+    def finished_reading?; @finished_read; end
 
     # When HTTP Parser marks the message parsing as complete, this will be set.
     def finish_reading!
+      raise StateError, "already finished" if @finished_read
       @finished_read = true
     end
 
-    # Buffer body sent from connection, or send it directly to
-    # the @on_body callback if set (calling #body with a block)
-    def add_body(chunk)
-      if @on_body
-        @on_body.call(chunk)
-      else
-        @body ||= ""
-        @body << chunk
-      end
-    end
-
-    # Returns the body, if a block is given, the body is streamed
-    # to the block as the chunks become available, until the body
-    # has been read.
-    #
-    # If no block is given, the entire body will be read from the
-    # connection into the body buffer and then returned.
-    def body
-      raise "no connection given" unless @connection
-
-      if block_given?
-        # Callback from the http_parser will be calling add_body directly
-        @on_body = Proc.new
-
-        # clear out body buffered so far
-        yield read_from_body(nil) if @body
-
-        until finished_reading?
-          @connection.readpartial
-        end
-        @on_body = nil
-      else
-        until finished_reading?
-          @connection.readpartial
-        end
-        @body
-      end
+    # Fill the request buffer with data as it becomes available
+    def fill_buffer(chunk)
+      @buffer << chunk
     end
 
     # Read a number of bytes, looping until they are available or until
-    # read_from_body returns nil, indicating there are no more bytes to read
-    #
-    # Note that bytes read from the body buffer will be cleared as they are
-    # read.
+    # readpartial returns nil, indicating there are no more bytes to read
     def read(length = nil, buffer = nil)
       raise ArgumentError, "negative length #{length} given" if length && length < 0
 
@@ -89,7 +57,7 @@ def read(length = nil, buffer = nil)
       chunk_size = length.nil? ? @connection.buffer_size : length
       begin
         while chunk_size > 0
-          chunk = read_from_body(chunk_size)
+          chunk = readpartial(chunk_size)
           break unless chunk
           res << chunk
           chunk_size = length - res.length unless length.nil?
@@ -99,26 +67,27 @@ def read(length = nil, buffer = nil)
       return length && res.length == 0 ? nil : res
     end
 
-    # @private
-    # Reads a number of bytes from the byte buffer, asking
-    # the connection to add to the buffer if there are not enough
-    # bytes available.
-    #
-    # Body buffer is cleared as bytes are read from it.
-    def read_from_body(length = nil)
-      if length.nil?
-        slice = @body
-        @body = nil
+    # Read a string up to the given number of bytes, blocking until some
+    # data is available but returning immediately if some data is available
+    def readpartial(length = nil)
+      if length.nil? && @buffer.length > 0
+        slice = @buffer
+        @buffer = ""
       else
-        @body ||= ''
-        unless finished_reading? || @body.length >= length
-          @connection.readpartial(length - @body.length)
+        unless finished_reading? || (length && length <= @buffer.length)
+          @connection.readpartial(length ? length - @buffer.length : Connection::BUFFER_SIZE)
+        end
+
+        if length
+          slice = @buffer.slice!(0, length)
+        else
+          slice = @buffer
+          @buffer = ""
         end
-        slice = @body.slice!(0, length)
       end
+
       slice && slice.length == 0 ? nil : slice
     end
-    private :read_from_body
 
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/reel/request_body.rb b/lib/reel/request_body.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6500092
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/reel/request_body.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+require 'forwardable'
+
+module Reel
+  # Represents the bodies of Requests
+  # TODO: this is an initial attempt at adding a standardized body object
+  # Much of the logic that belongs here is in Reel::Request and should be
+  # extracted.
+  class RequestBody
+    def initialize(request)
+      @request   = request
+      @streaming = nil
+      @contents  = nil
+    end
+
+    # Read exactly the given amount of data
+    def read(length)
+      stream!
+      @request.read(length)
+    end
+
+    # Read up to length bytes, but return any data that's available
+    def readpartial(length = nil)
+      stream!
+      @request.readpartial(length)
+    end
+
+    # Eagerly consume the entire body as a string
+    def to_s
+      return @contents if @contents
+      raise StateError, "body is being streamed" unless @streaming.nil?
+
+      begin
+        @streaming = false
+        @contents = ""
+        while chunk = @request.readpartial
+          @contents << chunk
+        end
+      rescue
+        @contents = nil
+        raise
+      end
+
+      @contents
+    end
+
+    # Assert that the body is actively being streamed
+    def stream!
+      raise StateError, "body has already been consumed" if @streaming == false
+      @streaming = true
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/reel/request_parser.rb b/lib/reel/request_parser.rb
index 7dbf149..0fad0d3 100644
--- a/lib/reel/request_parser.rb
+++ b/lib/reel/request_parser.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def on_headers_complete(headers)
 
       # Send body directly to Reel::Response to be buffered.
       def on_body(chunk)
-        @currently_reading.add_body(chunk)
+        @currently_reading.fill_buffer(chunk)
       end
 
       # Mark current request as complete, set this as ready to respond.
diff --git a/spec/reel/connection_spec.rb b/spec/reel/connection_spec.rb
index 9fba965..c2b1bd5 100644
--- a/spec/reel/connection_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/reel/connection_spec.rb
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
       request.url.should     eq "/"
       request.version.should eq "1.1"
       request['Content-Length'].should eq body.length.to_s
-      request.body.should eq example_request.body
+      request.body.to_s.should eq example_request.body
     end
   end
 
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@
       }.should raise_error(Reel::Connection::StateError)
     end
   end
+
   it "reads pipelined requests without bodies" do
     with_socket_pair do |client, connection|
       3.times do
@@ -149,12 +150,13 @@
         request.url.should     eq "/"
         request.version.should eq "1.1"
         request['Content-Length'].should eq expected_body.length.to_s
-        request.body.should eq expected_body
+        request.body.to_s.should eq expected_body
 
         connection.respond :ok, {}, ""
       end
     end
   end
+
   it "reads pipelined requests with streamed bodies" do
     with_socket_pair(4) do |client, connection|
       3.times do |i|
@@ -174,7 +176,7 @@
         request['Content-Length'].should eq expected_body.length.to_s
         request.should_not be_finished_reading
         new_content = ""
-        request.body do |chunk|
+        while chunk = request.body.readpartial(1)
           new_content << chunk
         end
         new_content.should == expected_body
@@ -185,9 +187,7 @@
     end
   end
 
-  # This test will deadlock rspec waiting unless
-  # connection.request works properly
-  it 'does not block waiting for body to read before handling request' do
+  it "does not block waiting for body to read before handling request" do
     with_socket_pair do |client, connection|
       example_request = ExampleRequest.new
       content = "Hi guys! Sorry I'm late to the party."
@@ -197,11 +197,11 @@
       request = connection.request
       request.should be_a(Reel::Request)
       client << content
-      request.body.should == content
+      request.body.to_s.should == content
     end
   end
 
-  it 'blocks on read until written' do
+  it "blocks on read until written" do
     with_socket_pair do |client, connection|
       example_request = ExampleRequest.new
       content = "Hi guys! Sorry I'm late to the party."
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@
     end
   end
 
-  it 'streams body properly with #read and buffered body' do
+  it "streams body properly with #read and buffered body" do
     with_socket_pair do |client, connection|
       example_request = ExampleRequest.new
       content = "I'm data you can stream!"
@@ -245,7 +245,8 @@
       rebuilt.should == ["I'm data", " you can", " stream!"]
     end
   end
-  it 'streams body properly with #body &block' do
+
+  it "streams request bodies" do
     with_socket_pair(8) do |client, connection|
       example_request = ExampleRequest.new
       content = "I'm data you can stream!"
@@ -257,7 +258,7 @@
       request.should_not be_finished_reading
       client << content
       rebuilt = []
-      request.body do |chunk|
+      while chunk = request.body.readpartial(8)
         rebuilt << chunk
       end
       request.should be_finished_reading
@@ -301,6 +302,7 @@
         request.read.should eq "Hello, world!"
       end
     end
+
     it "reads to EOF if length is nil" do
       with_socket_pair do |client, connection|
         body = "Hello, world!"
diff --git a/spec/reel/server_spec.rb b/spec/reel/server_spec.rb
index c9e4158..bb708ea 100644
--- a/spec/reel/server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/reel/server_spec.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
       begin
         request = connection.request
         request.method.should eq 'POST'
-        connection.respond :ok, request.body
+        connection.respond :ok, request.body.to_s
       rescue => ex
       end
     end