diff --git a/lib/em-http.rb b/lib/em-http.rb
index 5ac364ea..bc8d0d45 100644
--- a/lib/em-http.rb
+++ b/lib/em-http.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 require 'em-http/http_connection'
 require 'em-http/http_header'
 require 'em-http/http_encoding'
-require 'em-http/http_options'
+require 'em-http/http_client_options'
+require 'em-http/http_connection_options'
 require 'em-http/client'
 require 'em-http/multi'
 require 'em-http/request'
diff --git a/lib/em-http/client.rb b/lib/em-http/client.rb
index 63bc9772..edede6d6 100644
--- a/lib/em-http/client.rb
+++ b/lib/em-http/client.rb
@@ -17,14 +17,11 @@ class HttpClient
     CRLF="\r\n"
 
     attr_accessor :state, :response
-    attr_reader   :response_header, :error, :content_charset, :req, :options
+    attr_reader   :response_header, :error, :content_charset, :req
 
-    def initialize(conn, req, options)
+    def initialize(conn, options)
       @conn = conn
-
-      @req = req
-      @method = req.method
-      @options = options
+      @req  = options
 
       @stream = nil
       @headers = nil
@@ -49,7 +46,7 @@ def peer; @conn.peer; end
     def connection_completed
       @state = :response_header
 
-      head, body = build_request, @options[:body]
+      head, body = build_request, @req.body
       @conn.middleware.each do |m|
         head, body = m.request(self, head, body) if m.respond_to?(:request)
       end
@@ -78,7 +75,7 @@ def redirect?
     def unbind
       if finished?
         if redirect?
-          @req.options[:followed] += 1
+          @req.followed += 1
           @conn.redirect(self, @response_header.location)
         else
           succeed(self)
@@ -102,17 +99,8 @@ def normalize_body(body)
       body.is_a?(Hash) ? form_encode_body(body) : body
     end
 
-    def proxy?; !@options[:proxy].nil?; end
-    def http_proxy?; proxy? && [nil, :http].include?(@options[:proxy][:type]); end
-
-    def ssl?; @req.uri.scheme == "https" || @req.uri.port == 443; end
-
     def continue?
-      @response_header.status == 100 && (@method == 'POST' || @method == 'PUT')
-    end
-
-    def pass_cookies?
-      @options[:pass_cookies].nil? || @options[:pass_cookies]
+      @response_header.status == 100 && (@req.method == 'POST' || @req.method == 'PUT')
     end
 
     def cookies
@@ -120,13 +108,11 @@ def cookies
     end
 
     def build_request
-      head    = @options[:head] ? munge_header_keys(@options[:head]) : {}
-      proxy   = @options[:proxy]
+      head    = @req.headers ? munge_header_keys(@req.headers) : {}
+      proxy   = @req.proxy
 
-      if http_proxy?
-        # initialize headers for the http proxy
-        head = proxy[:head] ? munge_header_keys(proxy[:head]) : {}
-        head['proxy-authorization'] = proxy[:authorization] if proxy[:authorization]
+      if @req.http_proxy?
+        head['proxy-authorization'] = @req.proxy[:authorization] if @req.proxy[:authorization]
       end
 
       # Set the cookie header if provided
@@ -136,7 +122,7 @@ def build_request
       head['cookie'] = cookies.compact.uniq.join("; ").squeeze(";") unless cookies.empty?
 
       # Set connection close unless keepalive
-      unless @options[:keepalive]
+      if !@req.keepalive
         head['connection'] = 'close'
       end
 
@@ -151,8 +137,8 @@ def build_request
 
     def send_request(head, body)
       body    = normalize_body(body)
-      file    = @options[:file]
-      query   = @options[:query]
+      file    = @req.file
+      query   = @req.query
 
       # Set the Content-Length if file is given
       head['content-length'] = File.size(file) if file
@@ -161,19 +147,19 @@ def send_request(head, body)
       head['content-length'] =  body.bytesize if body
 
       # Set content-type header if missing and body is a Ruby hash
-      if not head['content-type'] and @options[:body].is_a? Hash
+      if not head['content-type'] and @req.body.is_a? Hash
         head['content-type'] = 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'
       end
 
-      request_header ||= encode_request(@method, @req.uri, query, @conn.opts.proxy)
+      request_header ||= encode_request(@req.method, @req.uri, query, @conn.connopts.proxy)
       request_header << encode_headers(head)
       request_header << CRLF
       @conn.send_data request_header
 
       if body
         @conn.send_data body
-      elsif @options[:file]
-        @conn.stream_file_data @options[:file], :http_chunks => false
+      elsif @req.file
+        @conn.stream_file_data @req.file, :http_chunks => false
       end
     end
 
@@ -218,7 +204,7 @@ def parse_response_header(header, version, status)
       end
 
       # add set-cookie's to cookie list
-      cookies << @response_header.cookie if @response_header.cookie && pass_cookies?
+      cookies << @response_header.cookie if @response_header.cookie && @req.pass_cookies
 
       # correct location header - some servers will incorrectly give a relative URI
       if @response_header.location
@@ -242,7 +228,7 @@ def parse_response_header(header, version, status)
       # Fire callbacks immediately after recieving header requests
       # if the request method is HEAD. In case of a redirect, terminate
       # current connection and reinitialize the process.
-      if @method == "HEAD"
+      if @req.method == "HEAD"
         @state = :finished
         return
       end
diff --git a/lib/em-http/http_client_options.rb b/lib/em-http/http_client_options.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..07e66495
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/em-http/http_client_options.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+class HttpClientOptions
+  attr_reader :uri, :method, :host, :port, :proxy
+  attr_reader :headers, :file, :body, :query
+  attr_reader :keepalive, :redirects, :pass_cookies
+
+  attr_accessor :followed
+
+  def initialize(uri, options, method)
+    set_uri(uri, options)
+
+    @keepalive = options[:keepalive] || false  # default to single request per connection
+    @redirects = options[:redirects] ||= 0     # default number of redirects to follow
+    @followed  = options[:followed]  ||= 0     # keep track of number of followed requests
+
+    @method   = method.to_s.upcase
+    @headers  = options[:head]  || {}
+    @proxy    = options[:proxy] || {}
+    @query    = options[:query]
+
+    @file     = options[:file]
+    @body     = options[:body]
+
+    @pass_cookies = options[:pass_cookies] || false
+  end
+
+  def follow_redirect?; @followed < @redirects; end
+  def http_proxy?; @proxy && [nil, :http].include?(@proxy[:type]); end
+  def ssl?; @uri.scheme == "https" || @uri.port == 443; end
+
+  def set_uri(uri, options)
+    uri = uri.kind_of?(Addressable::URI) ? uri : Addressable::URI::parse(uri.to_s)
+
+    uri.path = '/' if uri.path.empty?
+    if path = options.delete(:path)
+      uri.path = path
+    end
+
+    @uri = uri
+
+    # Make sure the ports are set as Addressable::URI doesn't
+    # set the port if it isn't there
+    if @uri.scheme == "https"
+      @uri.port ||= 443
+    else
+      @uri.port ||= 80
+    end
+
+    if proxy = options[:proxy]
+      @host = proxy[:host]
+      @port = proxy[:port]
+    else
+      @host = @uri.host
+      @port = @uri.port
+    end
+
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/em-http/http_connection.rb b/lib/em-http/http_connection.rb
index 61414612..f157488c 100644
--- a/lib/em-http/http_connection.rb
+++ b/lib/em-http/http_connection.rb
@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@ class FailedConnection
     include HTTPMethods
     include Deferrable
 
-    attr_accessor :error, :opts
+    attr_accessor :error
 
-    def initialize(req)
-      @opts = req
+    def initialize(uri, opts)
+      @connopts = opts
+      @uri = uri
     end
 
     def setup_request(method, options)
-      c = HttpClient.new(self, HttpOptions.new(@opts.uri, options, method), options)
+      c = HttpClient.new(self, HttpClientOptions.new(@uri, options, method))
       c.close(@error)
       c
     end
@@ -30,10 +31,10 @@ class HttpConnection < Connection
     include Deferrable
     include Socksify
 
-    attr_accessor :error, :opts
+    attr_accessor :error, :connopts, :uri
 
     def setup_request(method, options = {})
-      c = HttpClient.new(self, HttpOptions.new(@opts.uri, options, method), options)
+      c = HttpClient.new(self, HttpClientOptions.new(@uri, options, method))
       callback { c.connection_completed }
 
       middleware.each do |m|
@@ -90,18 +91,15 @@ def receive_data(data)
     end
 
     def connection_completed
-      if @opts.proxy && @opts.proxy[:type] == :socks5
-        socksify(client.req.uri.host, client.req.uri.port, *@opts.proxy[:authorization]) { start }
-
+      if @connopts.proxy && @connopts.proxy[:type] == :socks5
+        socksify(client.req.uri.host, client.req.uri.port, *@connopts.proxy[:authorization]) { start }
       else
         start
       end
     end
 
     def start
-      ssl = @opts.options[:tls] || @opts.options[:ssl] || {}
-      start_tls(ssl) if client && client.ssl?
-
+      start_tls(@connopts.tls) if client && client.req.ssl?
       succeed
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/em-http/http_connection_options.rb b/lib/em-http/http_connection_options.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7db81635
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/em-http/http_connection_options.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+class HttpConnectionOptions
+  attr_reader :host, :port, :tls, :proxy
+  attr_reader :connect_timeout, :inactivity_timeout
+
+  def initialize(uri, options)
+    @connect_timeout     = options[:connect_timeout] || 5        # default connection setup timeout
+    @inactivity_timeout  = options[:inactivity_timeout] ||= 10   # default connection inactivity (post-setup) timeout
+
+    @tls   = options[:tls] || options[:ssl] || {}
+    @proxy = options[:proxy]
+
+    uri = uri.kind_of?(Addressable::URI) ? uri : Addressable::URI::parse(uri.to_s)
+    uri.port = (uri.scheme == "https" ? (uri.port || 443) : (uri.port || 80))
+
+    if proxy = options[:proxy]
+      @host = proxy[:host]
+      @port = proxy[:port]
+    else
+      @host = uri.host
+      @port = uri.port
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/em-http/http_options.rb b/lib/em-http/http_options.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index c8c100ea..00000000
--- a/lib/em-http/http_options.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
-class HttpOptions
-  attr_reader :uri, :method, :host, :port, :options
-
-  def initialize(uri, options, method = :none)
-    @options = options
-    @method = method.to_s.upcase
-
-    set_uri(uri)
-
-    @options[:keepalive]  ||= false # default to single request per connection
-    @options[:redirects]  ||= 0     # default number of redirects to follow
-    @options[:followed]   ||= 0     # keep track of number of followed requests
-
-    @options[:connect_timeout] ||= 5        # default connection setup timeout
-    @options[:inactivity_timeout] ||= 10    # default connection inactivity (post-setup) timeout
-  end
-
-  def proxy
-    @options[:proxy]
-  end
-
-  def follow_redirect?
-    @options[:followed] < @options[:redirects]
-  end
-
-  def set_uri(uri)
-    uri = uri.kind_of?(Addressable::URI) ? uri : Addressable::URI::parse(uri.to_s)
-
-    uri.path = '/' if uri.path.empty?
-    if path = @options.delete(:path)
-      uri.path = path
-    end
-
-    @uri = uri
-
-    # Make sure the ports are set as Addressable::URI doesn't
-    # set the port if it isn't there
-    if @uri.scheme == "https"
-      @uri.port ||= 443
-    else
-      @uri.port ||= 80
-    end
-
-    if proxy = @options[:proxy]
-      @host = proxy[:host]
-      @port = proxy[:port]
-    else
-      @host = @uri.host
-      @port = @uri.port
-    end
-
-  end
-end
diff --git a/lib/em-http/request.rb b/lib/em-http/request.rb
index 2bbcb4c9..7cad3e82 100644
--- a/lib/em-http/request.rb
+++ b/lib/em-http/request.rb
@@ -4,13 +4,14 @@ class HttpRequest
 
     def self.new(uri, options={})
       begin
-        req = HttpOptions.new(uri, options)
+        connopt = HttpConnectionOptions.new(uri, options)
 
-        EventMachine.connect(req.host, req.port, HttpConnection) do |c|
-          c.opts = req
+        EventMachine.connect(connopt.host, connopt.port, HttpConnection) do |c|
+          c.connopts = connopt
+          c.uri = uri
 
-          c.pending_connect_timeout = req.options[:connect_timeout]
-          c.comm_inactivity_timeout = req.options[:inactivity_timeout]
+          c.pending_connect_timeout = connopt.connect_timeout
+          c.comm_inactivity_timeout = connopt.inactivity_timeout
         end
 
       rescue EventMachine::ConnectionError => e
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ def self.new(uri, options={})
         # Net outcome: failed connection will invoke the same ConnectionError
         # message on the connection deferred, and on the client deferred.
         #
-        conn = EventMachine::FailedConnection.new(req)
+        conn = EventMachine::FailedConnection.new(uri, connopt)
         conn.error = e.message
         conn.fail
         conn