diff --git a/lib/excon/connection.rb b/lib/excon/connection.rb
index d4680061..a101c831 100644
--- a/lib/excon/connection.rb
+++ b/lib/excon/connection.rb
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ def request_kernel(params, &block)
           request << HTTP_1_1
 
           # calculate content length and set to handle non-ascii
-          unless params[:headers].has_key?('Content-Length')
+          unless params[:headers].has_key?('Content-Length') || (params[:method].to_s.upcase == "GET" && params[:body].to_s.empty?)
             params[:headers]['Content-Length'] = case params[:body]
             when File
               params[:body].binmode