diff --git a/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request.ipp b/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request.ipp
index 6febaa3e6..fe5e04ad8 100644
--- a/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request.ipp
+++ b/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request.ipp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/network/protocol/http/request/request.hpp>
 #include <boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_concept.hpp>
+#include <boost/scoped_array.hpp>
 
 #ifdef BOOST_NETWORK_DEBUG
 BOOST_CONCEPT_ASSERT((boost::network::http::ClientRequest<boost::network::http::request>));
@@ -21,6 +22,9 @@ struct request_pimpl {
 
   explicit request_pimpl(std::string const & url)
   : uri_(url)
+  , read_offset_(0)
+  , source_()
+  , headers_()
   {}
 
   request_pimpl* clone() {
@@ -31,14 +35,78 @@ struct request_pimpl {
     uri_ = uri;
   }
 
+  void set_uri(uri::uri const & uri) {
+    uri_ = uri;
+  }
+
   void get_uri(std::string &uri) {
     uri = uri_.string();
   }
 
+  void get_uri(uri::uri &uri) {
+    uri = uri_;
+  }
+
+  void append_header(std::string const & name, std::string const & value) {
+    headers_.insert(std::make_pair(name, value));
+  }
+
+  void get_headers(function<bool(std::string const &, std::string const &)> predicate,
+                   function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const {
+    headers_type::const_iterator it = headers_.begin();
+    for (; it != headers_.end(); ++it) {
+      if (predicate(it->first, it->second)) {
+        inserter(it->first, it->second);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  void get_headers(function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const {
+    headers_type::const_iterator it = headers_.begin();
+    for (; it != headers_.end(); ++it) {
+      inserter(it->first, it->second);
+    }
+  }
+
+  void get_headers(std::string const &name,
+                   function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const {
+    headers_type::const_iterator it = headers_.begin();
+    for (; it != headers_.end(); ++it) {
+      if (it->first == name) {
+        inserter(it->first, it->second);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  void set_source(std::string const &source) {
+    source_ = source;
+  }
+
+  void get_source(std::string &source) const {
+    source = source_;
+  }
+
+  size_t read_offset() const {
+    return read_offset_;
+  }
+
+  void advance_read_offset(size_t bytes) {
+    read_offset_ += bytes;
+  }
+
  private:
+  typedef std::multimap<std::string, std::string> headers_type;
+
   uri::uri uri_;
+  size_t read_offset_;
+  std::string source_;
+  headers_type headers_;
+
   request_pimpl(request_pimpl const &other)
   : uri_(other.uri_)
+  , read_offset_(other.read_offset_)
+  , source_(other.source_)
+  , headers_(other.headers_)
   {}
 };
 
@@ -68,47 +136,113 @@ void request::swap(request & other) {
 
 // From message_base...
 // Mutators
-void request::set_destination(std::string const & destination){}
-void request::set_source(std::string const & source){}
+void request::set_destination(std::string const & destination) {
+}
+
+void request::set_source(std::string const & source) {
+  pimpl_->set_source(source);
+}
+
 void request::append_header(std::string const & name,
-                           std::string const & value){}
-void request::remove_headers(std::string const & name){}
-void request::remove_headers(){}
-void request::set_body(std::string const & body){}
-void request::append_body(std::string const & data){}
+                           std::string const & value) {
+  pimpl_->append_header(name, value);
+}
+
+void request::remove_headers(std::string const & name) {
+}
+
+void request::remove_headers() {
+}
+
+void request::set_body(std::string const & body) {
+  this->clear();
+  this->append(body.data(), body.size());
+}
+
+void request::append_body(std::string const & data) {
+  this->append(data.data(), data.size());
+}
 
 // Retrievers
-void request::get_destination(std::string & destination) const{}
-void request::get_source(std::string & source) const{}
-void request::get_headers(function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const{}
-void request::get_headers(std::string const & name, function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const{}
-void request::get_headers(function<bool(std::string const &, std::string const &)> predicate, function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const{}
-void request::get_body(std::string & body) const{}
-void request::get_body(function<void(iterator_range<char const *>)> chunk_reader, size_t size) const{}
+void request::get_destination(std::string & destination) const {
+}
+
+void request::get_source(std::string & source) const {
+  pimpl_->get_source(source);
+}
+
+void request::get_headers(function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const {
+  pimpl_->get_headers(inserter);
+}
+
+void request::get_headers(std::string const & name, function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const {
+  pimpl_->get_headers(name, inserter);
+}
+
+void request::get_headers(function<bool(std::string const &, std::string const &)> predicate, function<void(std::string const &, std::string const &)> inserter) const {
+  pimpl_->get_headers(predicate, inserter);
+}
+
+void request::get_body(std::string & body) const {
+  this->flatten(body);
+}
+
+void request::get_body(function<void(iterator_range<char const *>)> chunk_reader, size_t size) const {
+  scoped_array<char> local_buffer(new (std::nothrow) char[size]);
+  size_t bytes_read = this->read(local_buffer.get(),
+                                 pimpl_->read_offset(),
+                                 size);
+  pimpl_->advance_read_offset(bytes_read);
+  char const * begin = local_buffer.get();
+  char const * end = local_buffer.get() + bytes_read;
+  chunk_reader(make_iterator_range(begin, end));
+}
 
 // From request_base...
 // Setters
-void request::set_method(std::string const & method){}
-void request::set_status(std::string const & status){}
-void request::set_status_message(std::string const & status_message){}
-void request::set_body_writer(function<void(char*, size_t)> writer){}
+void request::set_method(std::string const & method) {
+}
+
+void request::set_status(std::string const & status) {
+}
+
+void request::set_status_message(std::string const & status_message) {
+}
+
+void request::set_body_writer(function<void(char*, size_t)> writer) {
+}
+
 void request::set_uri(std::string const &uri) {
   pimpl_->set_uri(uri);
 }
-void request::set_uri(network::uri::uri const &uri){}
+
+void request::set_uri(network::uri::uri const &uri) {
+  pimpl_->set_uri(uri);
+}
 
 // Getters
-void request::get_uri(network::uri::uri &uri) const{}
+void request::get_uri(network::uri::uri &uri) const {
+  pimpl_->get_uri(uri);
+}
 
 void request::get_uri(std::string &uri) const {
   pimpl_->get_uri(uri);
 }
 
-void request::get_method(std::string & method) const{}
-void request::get_status(std::string & status) const{}
-void request::get_status_message(std::string & status_message) const{}
-void request::get_body(function<void(char*, size_t)> chunk_reader) const{}
-void request::get_body(std::string const & body) const{}
+void request::get_method(std::string & method) const {
+}
+
+void request::get_status(std::string & status) const {
+}
+
+void request::get_status_message(std::string & status_message) const {
+}
+
+void request::get_body(function<void(char*, size_t)> chunk_reader) const {
+}
+
+void request::get_body(std::string const & body) const {
+}
 
 }  // namespace http
 
diff --git a/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_base.hpp b/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_base.hpp
index 0e257c7c5..596453415 100644
--- a/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_base.hpp
+++ b/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_base.hpp
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ struct request_storage_base {
  protected:
   request_storage_base(size_t chunk_size = BOOST_NETWORK_BUFFER_CHUNK);
   virtual void append(char const *data, size_t size);
-  virtual size_t read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t size);
-  virtual void flatten(std::string &destination);
+  virtual size_t read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t size) const;
+  virtual void flatten(std::string &destination) const;
   virtual void clear();
   virtual ~request_storage_base();
 
diff --git a/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_base.ipp b/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_base.ipp
index aaf052821..eeed24c3d 100644
--- a/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_base.ipp
+++ b/boost/network/protocol/http/request/request_base.ipp
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ request_base::~request_base() {
 struct request_storage_base_pimpl {
   request_storage_base_pimpl(size_t chunk_size);
   void append(char const *data, size_t size);
-  size_t read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t size);
-  void flatten(std::string &destination);
+  size_t read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t size) const;
+  void flatten(std::string &destination) const;
   void clear();
   request_storage_base_pimpl clone() const;
   ~request_storage_base_pimpl();
@@ -45,11 +45,11 @@ void request_storage_base::append(char const *data, size_t size) {
   pimpl_->append(data, size);
 }
 
-size_t request_storage_base::read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t size) {
+size_t request_storage_base::read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t size) const {
   return pimpl_->read(destination, offset, size);
 }
 
-void request_storage_base::flatten(std::string &destination) {
+void request_storage_base::flatten(std::string &destination) const {
   pimpl_->flatten(destination);
 }
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ void request_storage_base_pimpl::append(char const *data, size_t size) {
   }
 }
 
-size_t request_storage_base_pimpl::read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t size) {
+size_t request_storage_base_pimpl::read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t size) const {
   if (chunks_.empty()) return 0;
   // First we find which chunk we're going to read from using the provided
   // offset and some arithmetic to determine the correct one.
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ size_t request_storage_base_pimpl::read(char *destination, size_t offset, size_t
   return read_count;
 }
 
-void request_storage_base_pimpl::flatten(std::string &destination) {
+void request_storage_base_pimpl::flatten(std::string &destination) const {
   chunks_vector::const_iterator chunk_iterator = chunks_.begin();
   for (; chunk_iterator != chunks_.end(); ++chunk_iterator) {
     destination.append(chunk_iterator->first, chunk_iterator->second);
diff --git a/libs/network/test/http/CMakeLists.txt b/libs/network/test/http/CMakeLists.txt
index 3de77f4fc..7f1535e00 100644
--- a/libs/network/test/http/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libs/network/test/http/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ if (Boost_FOUND)
         target_link_libraries(cpp-netlib-http-${test}
             ${Boost_LIBRARIES}
             cppnetlib-message
+            cppnetlib-message-wrappers
             cppnetlib-uri
             cppnetlib-http-message)
         set_target_properties(cpp-netlib-http-${test}
diff --git a/libs/network/test/http/request_test.cpp b/libs/network/test/http/request_test.cpp
index 4c35453ad..225417f82 100644
--- a/libs/network/test/http/request_test.cpp
+++ b/libs/network/test/http/request_test.cpp
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@
 
 #define BOOST_TEST_MODULE HTTP Request Test
 #include <boost/network/protocol/http/request.hpp>
+#include <boost/network/message/wrappers.hpp>
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 
 namespace http = boost::network::http;
+namespace uri = boost::network::uri;
+namespace net = boost::network;
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(request_construction) {
   http::request request;
@@ -25,3 +28,26 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(request_uri_test) {
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(std::string("http://www.google.com/"), original);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(original, copied);
 }
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(request_basics_test) {
+  http::request request;
+  request.set_uri("http://www.google.com/");
+  request.set_source("127.0.0.1");
+  request.set_destination("http://www.google.com/");
+  request.append_header("X-Referer", "http://cpp-netlib.github.com/");
+  request.append_header("Connection", "close");
+  request.append_body("The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog!");
+
+  uri::uri uri_;
+  std::string source_, destination_, body_;
+  net::headers_wrapper::range_type headers_range = headers(request);
+  request.get_uri(uri_);
+  request.get_source(source_);
+  request.get_destination(destination_);
+  request.get_body(body_);
+
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(uri_.string(), std::string("http://www.google.com/"));
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(source_, std::string("127.0.0.1"));
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(body_, std::string("The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog!"));
+  BOOST_CHECK(!boost::empty(headers_range));
+}