diff --git a/lib/tweetstream/client.rb b/lib/tweetstream/client.rb
index 68106b0..7f97345 100644
--- a/lib/tweetstream/client.rb
+++ b/lib/tweetstream/client.rb
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ def filter(query_params = {}, &block)
     # method is provided separately for cases when it would conserve the
     # number of HTTP connections to combine track and follow.
     def user_stream(&block)
-      start('', &block)
+      start('', :extra_stream_parameters => {:host => "userstream.twitter.com", :path => "/2/user.json"}, &block)
     end
 
     # Set a Proc to be run when a deletion notice is received
@@ -243,18 +243,21 @@ def start(path, query_parameters = {}, &block) #:nodoc:
 
       params = normalize_filter_parameters(query_parameters)
 
+      extra_stream_parameters = query_parameters.delete(:extra_stream_parameters) || {}
+
       uri = method == :get ? build_uri(path, params) : build_uri(path)
 
+      stream_params = {
+        :path       => uri,
+        :method     => method.to_s.upcase,
+        :user_agent => user_agent,
+        :on_inited  => inited_proc,
+        :filters    => params.delete(:track),
+        :params     => params,
+        :ssl        => true
+      }.merge(auth_params).merge(extra_stream_parameters)
+
       EventMachine::run {
-        stream_params = {
-          :path       => uri,
-          :method     => method.to_s.upcase,
-          :user_agent => user_agent,
-          :on_inited  => inited_proc,
-          :filters    => params.delete(:track),
-          :params     => params,
-          :ssl        => true
-        }.merge(auth_params)
 
         @stream = Twitter::JSONStream.connect(stream_params)
         @stream.each_item do |item|
diff --git a/spec/data/direct_messages.json b/spec/data/direct_messages.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b75f62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/data/direct_messages.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"direct_message":{"created_at":"Sat Sep 24 18:59:38 +0000 2011", "id_str":"4227325281", "sender_screen_name":"coreyhaines", "sender":{"name":"Corey Haines", "profile_sidebar_fill_color":"DAECF4", "profile_sidebar_border_color":"C6E2EE", "profile_background_tile":false, "profile_image_url":"http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1508969901/Photo_on_2011-08-22_at_19.15__3_normal.jpg", "created_at":"Sun Dec 23 18:11:29 +0000 2007", "location":"Chicago, IL", "follow_request_sent":false, "id_str":"11458102", "is_translator":false, "profile_link_color":"1F98C7", "default_profile":false, "favourites_count":122, "contributors_enabled":false, "url":"http://www.coreyhaines.com", "id":11458102, "profile_image_url_https":"https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/1508969901/Photo_on_2011-08-22_at_19.15__3_normal.jpg", "utc_offset":-21600, "profile_use_background_image":true, "listed_count":593, "lang":"en", "followers_count":5764, "protected":false, "profile_text_color":"663B12", "notifications":false, "description":"Software Journeyman, Coderetreat Facilitator, Cofounder of MercuryApp.com, Awesome....\r\nI make magic!", "verified":false, "profile_background_color":"C6E2EE", "geo_enabled":false, "profile_background_image_url_https":"https://si0.twimg.com/images/themes/theme2/bg.gif", "time_zone":"Central Time (US & Canada)", "profile_background_image_url":"http://a1.twimg.com/images/themes/theme2/bg.gif", "default_profile_image":false, "friends_count":423, "statuses_count":35950, "following":false, "screen_name":"coreyhaines", "show_all_inline_media":false}, "recipient_screen_name":"coreyhainestest", "text":"waddup gain", "id":4227325281, "recipient":{"name":"Corey's Test Account", "profile_sidebar_fill_color":"DDEEF6", "profile_sidebar_border_color":"C0DEED", "profile_background_tile":false, "profile_image_url":"http://a2.twimg.com/sticky/default_profile_images/default_profile_3_normal.png", "created_at":"Sat Sep 24 13:04:56 +0000 2011", "location":null, "follow_request_sent":false, "id_str":"379145826", "is_translator":false, "profile_link_color":"0084B4", "default_profile":true, "favourites_count":0, "contributors_enabled":false, "url":null, "id":379145826, "profile_image_url_https":"https://si0.twimg.com/sticky/default_profile_images/default_profile_3_normal.png", "utc_offset":null, "profile_use_background_image":true, "listed_count":0, "lang":"en", "followers_count":1, "protected":false, "profile_text_color":"333333", "notifications":false, "description":null, "verified":false, "profile_background_color":"C0DEED", "geo_enabled":false, "profile_background_image_url_https":"https://si0.twimg.com/images/themes/theme1/bg.png", "time_zone":null, "profile_background_image_url":"http://a0.twimg.com/images/themes/theme1/bg.png", "default_profile_image":true, "friends_count":1, "statuses_count":21, "following":true, "screen_name":"coreyhainestest", "show_all_inline_media":false}, "recipient_id":379145826, "sender_id":11458102}}
diff --git a/spec/tweetstream/client_spec.rb b/spec/tweetstream/client_spec.rb
index acd6272..5bb4f98 100644
--- a/spec/tweetstream/client_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/tweetstream/client_spec.rb
@@ -301,6 +301,18 @@
 
         @client.track('monday')
       end
+
+      context "when calling #user_stream" do
+        it "sends the userstream host" do
+          Twitter::JSONStream.should_receive(:connect).with(hash_including(:host => "userstream.twitter.com")).and_return(@stream)
+          @client.user_stream
+        end
+
+        it "uses the userstream uri" do
+          Twitter::JSONStream.should_receive(:connect).with(hash_including(:path => "/2/user.json")).and_return(@stream)
+          @client.user_stream
+        end
+      end
     end
   end