diff --git a/lib/sinatra/base.rb b/lib/sinatra/base.rb
index 490ebc70fb..56150f30c7 100644
--- a/lib/sinatra/base.rb
+++ b/lib/sinatra/base.rb
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ def not_found(body=nil)
       error 404, body
     end
 
+    # Set multiple response headers with Hash.
+    def headers(hash=nil)
+      response.headers.merge! hash if hash
+      response.headers
+    end
+
     # Access the underlying Rack session.
     def session
       env['rack.session'] ||= {}
@@ -379,7 +385,7 @@ def forward
       status, headers, body = @app.call(@request.env)
       @response.status = status
       @response.body = body
-      headers.each { |k, v| @response[k] = v }
+      @response.headers.merge! headers
       nil
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/sinatra/compat.rb b/lib/sinatra/compat.rb
index 1c13901911..6961996a44 100644
--- a/lib/sinatra/compat.rb
+++ b/lib/sinatra/compat.rb
@@ -87,12 +87,10 @@ def self.const_missing(const_name) #:nodoc:
     end
 
     # Deprecated. Use: response['Header-Name']
-    def headers(header=nil)
-      sinatra_warn "The 'headers' method is deprecated; use 'response' instead."
-      response.headers.merge!(header) if header
-      response.headers
+    def header(header=nil)
+      sinatra_warn "The 'header' method is deprecated; use 'headers' instead."
+      headers(header)
     end
-    alias :header :headers
 
     # Deprecated. Use: halt
     def stop(*args, &block)
diff --git a/test/helpers_test.rb b/test/helpers_test.rb
index ef381624e8..f9aea2d62c 100644
--- a/test/helpers_test.rb
+++ b/test/helpers_test.rb
@@ -140,6 +140,36 @@
   end
 end
 
+describe 'Helpers#headers' do
+  it 'sets headers on the response object when given a Hash' do
+    mock_app {
+      get '/' do
+        headers 'X-Foo' => 'bar', 'X-Baz' => 'bling'
+        'kthx'
+      end
+    }
+
+    get '/'
+    assert ok?
+    assert_equal 'bar', response['X-Foo']
+    assert_equal 'bling', response['X-Baz']
+    assert_equal 'kthx', body
+  end
+
+  it 'returns the response headers hash when no hash provided' do
+    mock_app {
+      get '/' do
+        headers['X-Foo'] = 'bar'
+        'kthx'
+      end
+    }
+
+    get '/'
+    assert ok?
+    assert_equal 'bar', response['X-Foo']
+  end
+end
+
 describe 'Helpers#session' do
   it 'uses the existing rack.session' do
     mock_app {