diff --git a/mux.go b/mux.go
index 3857173..6136ab9 100644
--- a/mux.go
+++ b/mux.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 // NewRouter returns a new router instance.
 func NewRouter() *Router {
-	return &Router{namedRoutes: make(map[string]*Route)}
+	return &Router{namedRoutes: make(map[string]*Route), KeepContext: false}
 }
 
 // Router registers routes to be matched and dispatches a handler.
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ type Router struct {
 	namedRoutes map[string]*Route
 	// See Router.StrictSlash(). This defines the flag for new routes.
 	strictSlash bool
+	// If true, do not clear the the request context after handling the request
+	KeepContext bool
 }
 
 // Match matches registered routes against the request.
@@ -82,7 +84,9 @@ func (r *Router) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 		}
 		handler = r.NotFoundHandler
 	}
-	defer context.Clear(req)
+	if !r.KeepContext {
+		defer context.Clear(req)
+	}
 	handler.ServeHTTP(w, req)
 }
 
diff --git a/mux_test.go b/mux_test.go
index 55159bd..8789697 100644
--- a/mux_test.go
+++ b/mux_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/gorilla/context"
 )
 
 type routeTest struct {
@@ -656,6 +658,36 @@ func testRoute(t *testing.T, test routeTest) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Tests that the context is cleared or not cleared properly depending on
+// the configuration of the router
+func TestKeepContext(t *testing.T) {
+	func1 := func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {}
+
+	r := NewRouter()
+	r.HandleFunc("/", func1).Name("func1")
+
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", "http://localhost/", nil)
+	context.Set(req, "t", 1)
+
+	res := new(http.ResponseWriter)
+	r.ServeHTTP(*res, req)
+
+	if _, ok := context.GetOk(req, "t"); ok {
+		t.Error("Context should have been cleared at end of request")
+	}
+
+	r.KeepContext = true
+
+	req, _ = http.NewRequest("GET", "http://localhost/", nil)
+	context.Set(req, "t", 1)
+
+	r.ServeHTTP(*res, req)
+	if _, ok := context.GetOk(req, "t"); !ok {
+		t.Error("Context should NOT have been cleared at end of request")
+	}
+
+}
+
 // https://plus.google.com/101022900381697718949/posts/eWy6DjFJ6uW
 func TestSubrouterHeader(t *testing.T) {
 	expected := "func1 response"