diff --git a/examples/simple/my_plugin.js b/examples/simple/my_plugin.js
index 956683a..4cf983f 100644
--- a/examples/simple/my_plugin.js
+++ b/examples/simple/my_plugin.js
@@ -19,27 +19,25 @@ my_plugin.prototype.set_time = function(request, server, done){
 
 my_plugin.prototype.add_headers = function(request, server, done){
     var time = request.current_time;
-    request.extra_headers = {
-        request_time: time.getHours() + ":" + time.getMinutes() + ":" + time.getSeconds(),
-    };
+    request.addHeader("request_time", time.getHours() + ":" + time.getMinutes() + ":" + time.getSeconds());
     done();
 };
 
 my_plugin.prototype.handle_test = function(request, server, respond){
-    respond(200, "thanks for visiting /test", request.extra_headers);
+    respond(200, "thanks for visiting /test");
 };
 
 my_plugin.prototype.handle_root = function(request, server, respond){
-    respond(200, "check out /test", request.extra_headers);
+    respond(200, "check out /test");
 };
 
 my_plugin.prototype.no_respond = function(request, server, respond){
-    request.extra_headers.no_respond = "true";
+    request.addHeader("no_respond", "true");
     respond();
 };
 
 my_plugin.prototype.not_found = function(request, server, respond){
-    respond(404, "couldn't find handler for url: " + request.url, request.extra_headers);
+    respond(404, "couldn't find handler for url: " + request.url);
 };
 
 module.exports = my_plugin;
diff --git a/lib/server.js b/lib/server.js
index b3aebb6..b350c10 100644
--- a/lib/server.js
+++ b/lib/server.js
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ var yaps_plugin = require("./plugin.js");
 
 var handler_chain = function(handlers, request, server, response, not_found){
     if(handlers.length){
-        handlers[0](request, server, function(status, body, headers){
+        handlers[0](request, server, function(status, body){
             if(status === null || status === undefined){
                 handler_chain(handlers.slice(1), request, server, response, not_found);
             } else{
-                response.writeHead(status, headers);
+                response.writeHead(status, request.response_headers);
                 response.end(body);
             }
         });
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ var handler_chain = function(handlers, request, server, response, not_found){
     }
 };
 
+var setup_request = function(request, server){
+    request.response_headers = [];
+    request.addHeader = function(name, value){
+        request.response_headers.push([name, value]);
+    };
+    return request;
+};
+
 var server = function(settings, http_server){
     this.settings = settings || {};
     this.bind = this.settings.bind || "0.0.0.0:8000";
@@ -36,6 +44,7 @@ var server = function(settings, http_server){
 };
 
 server.prototype.rootHandler = function(request, response){
+    request = setup_request(request);
     var self = this.yaps;
     var handlers = [];
     var method = request.method.toUpperCase();
@@ -54,13 +63,13 @@ server.prototype.rootHandler = function(request, response){
     if(handlers.length){
         handler_chain(handlers, request, self, response, function(){
             handler_chain(self.notFound, request, self, response, function(){
-                response.writeHead(404);
+                response.writeHead(404, request.response_headers);
                 response.end("Not Found");
             });
         });
     } else{
         handler_chain(self.notFound, request, self, response, function(){
-            response.writeHead(404);
+            response.writeHead(404, request.response_headers);
             response.end("Not Found");
         });
     }
diff --git a/test/server.rootHandler.js b/test/server.rootHandler.js
index b5d6ba7..59ba1ee 100644
--- a/test/server.rootHandler.js
+++ b/test/server.rootHandler.js
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ suite("Server.RootHandler", function(){
 
     test("should properly end response when handler responds", function(done){
         var handler = function(request, server, respond){
-            respond(200, "here is a test", {extra: "header"});
+            request.addHeader("extra", "header");
+            respond(200, "here is a test");
         };
         var handler_spy = sinon.spy(handler);
 
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ suite("Server.RootHandler", function(){
             assert.ok(this.writeHead.calledOnce);
             assert.ok(this.end.calledOnce);
 
-            assert.ok(this.writeHead.calledWith(200, {extra: "header"}));
+            assert.ok(this.writeHead.calledWith(200, [["extra", "header"]]));
             assert.ok(this.end.calledWith("here is a test"));
             done();
         });