diff --git a/lib/api/host.js b/lib/api/host.js
index e2e2bb2..7a88c93 100644
--- a/lib/api/host.js
+++ b/lib/api/host.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 var client = require("../client");
+var util = require("util");
 
 /*section: host
  *comment: mute the given host, if it is not already muted
@@ -27,20 +28,19 @@ function mute(hostname, options, callback){
         callback = options;
         options = {};
     }
-    var params = {
-        body: {
-            hostname: hostname
-        }
-    };
+    var params = {};
     if(typeof options === "object"){
+        params.body = {};   // create body property
         if(options.end){
             params.body.end = parseInt(options.end);
         }
         if(options.override){
             params.body.override = options.override;
         }
+    } else {
+        params.body = "";   // create empty body
     }
-    client.request("POST", "/host", params, callback);
+    client.request("POST", util.format("/host/%s/mute", hostname), params, callback);
 }
 
 /*section: host
@@ -62,12 +62,8 @@ function mute(hostname, options, callback){
  *  ```
  */
 function unmute(hostname, callback){
-    var params = {
-        body: {
-            hostname: hostname
-        }
-    };
-    client.request("POST", "/host", params, callback);
+    var params = {body: ""};    // create empty body
+    client.request("POST", util.format("/host/%s/unmute", hostname), params, callback);
 }
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/lib/api/monitor.js b/lib/api/monitor.js
index b7f4b5d..44bfcbd 100644
--- a/lib/api/monitor.js
+++ b/lib/api/monitor.js
@@ -237,8 +237,10 @@ function mute(monitorId, options, callback){
         if(options.end){
             params.body.end = parseInt(options.end);
         }
+    } else {
+        params.body = "";  // create empty body
     }
-    client.request("POST", util.format("/monitor/%s/mute"), params, callback);
+    client.request("POST", util.format("/monitor/%s/mute", monitorId), params, callback);
 }
 
 /*section: monitor
@@ -291,6 +293,8 @@ function unmute(monitorId, scope, callback){
         params.body = {
             scope: scope
         };
+    } else {
+        params.body = "";  // create empty body
     }
     client.request("POST", util.format("/monitor/%s/unmute", monitorId), params, callback);
 }
diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 9a9839c..f5b5ebc 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -49,10 +49,9 @@ var client = function(){
 client.prototype.request = function(method, path, params, callback){
     if(arguments.length === 3 && typeof arguments[2] === "function"){
         callback = arguments[2];
-        params = {};
+        params = {body: ''};  // create params with empty body property
     }
 
-    params = params || {};
     var body = (typeof params["body"] === "object") ? json.stringify(params["body"]) : params["body"];
     var query = {
         "api_key": this.api_key,