diff --git a/src/frapi/library/Frapi/Controller/Main.php b/src/frapi/library/Frapi/Controller/Main.php
index 73a5f87..01c5b8f 100644
--- a/src/frapi/library/Frapi/Controller/Main.php
+++ b/src/frapi/library/Frapi/Controller/Main.php
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class Frapi_Controller_Main
      * The request parameter
      *
      * The value of the superglobal $_REQUEST
-     * variable from the web server.
+     * variable from the web server plus route variables.
      *
      * @var array $request  The $_REQUEST
      */
@@ -247,7 +247,9 @@ public function __construct($customAuthorization=null)
                 $this->setAction($this->getParam('action'));
             }
 
-            $this->setFiles($_FILES);
+            // assign the files and params from the request
+            $this->setFiles($_FILES)
+                 ->setParams($this->request);
 
             $this->authorization->setAuthorizationParams($this->getParams());
         } catch (Frapi_Exception $e) {
@@ -295,11 +297,12 @@ public function getFiles()
      * the filess variable.
      *
      * @param  array $params The params to set.
-     * @return void
+     * @return Frapi_Controller_Main
      */
     private function setFiles($params)
     {
         $this->files = $params;
+        return $this;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -308,21 +311,22 @@ private function setFiles($params)
      * This method returns an array of the parameters
      * passed.
      *
-     * Is this similar to getRequest ? I have to check tmrw.
-     * @todo ^
      * @return Mixed An array or a string of parameters
      */
     public function getParams()
     {
-        $params = $this->request;
-
-        /**
-         * This certainly isn't a pure approach however it is a very
-         * practical approach that will suit most people most of the times.
-         *
-         * Unhappy? Remove me.
-         */
+        return $this->params;
+    }
 
+    /**
+     * parses the request and sets request parameters for later use
+     *
+     * @param array $params request params collected so far
+     * @return Frapi_Controller_Main
+     */
+    public function setParams(array $params)
+    {
+        // read the raw input to get the request body
         $input = file_get_contents("php://input");
         parse_str($input, $puts);
 
@@ -371,8 +375,9 @@ public function getParams()
             }
         }
 
-        $this->request = $params;
-        return $this->request;
+        // set the total request params; combines derived request params and parsed params
+        $this->params = $params;
+        return $this;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -386,8 +391,8 @@ public function getParams()
      */
     public function getParam($key)
     {
-        if (isset($this->request[$key])) {
-            return $this->request[$key];
+        if (isset($this->params[$key])) {
+            return $this->params[$key];
         }
 
         if (isset($this->files[$key])) {