diff --git a/lib/_http_client.js b/lib/_http_client.js
index 96b8ce57b1e50e..14b1a8298927d1 100644
--- a/lib/_http_client.js
+++ b/lib/_http_client.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function ClientRequest(options, cb) {
   if (util.isString(options)) {
     options = url.parse(options);
   } else {
-    options = util._extend({}, options);
+    options = Object.create(options);
   }
 
   var agent = options.agent;