diff --git a/httplib.h b/httplib.h
index 760820330f..0b6d4dec48 100644
--- a/httplib.h
+++ b/httplib.h
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@
                       : 0))
 #endif
 
+// if CPPHTTPLIB_DO_NOT_DECOMPRESS is defined, the library will not decompress bodies
+
 /*
  * Headers
  */
@@ -2056,6 +2058,7 @@ bool read_content(Stream &strm, T &x, size_t payload_max_length, int &status,
     return receiver(buf, n);
   };
 
+#ifndef CPPHTTPLIB_DO_NOT_DECOMPRESS
 #ifdef CPPHTTPLIB_ZLIB_SUPPORT
   decompressor decompressor;
 
@@ -2077,6 +2080,7 @@ bool read_content(Stream &strm, T &x, size_t payload_max_length, int &status,
     status = 415;
     return false;
   }
+#endif
 #endif
 
   auto ret = true;