diff --git a/src/syndicate/drivers/http_driver.nim b/src/syndicate/drivers/http_driver.nim
index 04ea1a6..6cece94 100644
--- a/src/syndicate/drivers/http_driver.nim
+++ b/src/syndicate/drivers/http_driver.nim
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ when defined(posix):
   proc echo(args: varargs[string, `$`]) {.used.} =
     stderr.writeLine(args)
 
-proc `$`(b: seq[byte]): string = cast[string](b)
-
 proc badRequest(conn: Connection; msg: string) =
   conn.send(SupportedVersion & " 400 " & msg, endOfMessage = true)
 
@@ -33,6 +31,9 @@ proc extractQuery(s: var string): Table[Symbol, seq[QueryValue]] =
 
 proc parseRequest(conn: Connection; text: string): (int, HttpRequest) =
   ## Parse an `HttpRequest` request out of a `text` from a `Connection`.
+  result[1].host = RequestHost(orKind: RequestHostKind.absent)
+  result[1].body = RequestBody(orKind: RequestBodyKind.absent)
+
   var
     token: string
     off: int
@@ -91,13 +92,13 @@ proc parseRequest(conn: Connection; text: string): (int, HttpRequest) =
     for e in vals.mitems:
       e = e.toLowerAscii
       if k == Symbol"host":
-        result[1].host = e
+        result[1].host = RequestHost(orKind: RequestHostKind.`present`, present: e)
       if v == "": v = move e
       else:
         v.add ", "
         v.add e
       if k == Symbol"host":
-        result[1].host = v
+        result[1].host = RequestHost(orKind: RequestHostKind.`present`, present: v)
       result[1].headers[k] = v
 
   result[0] = off
@@ -140,6 +141,9 @@ proc send(ses: Session; chunk: Chunk) =
   of ChunkKind.bytes:
     ses.send(chunk.bytes)
 
+func `==`(s: string; rh: RequestHost): bool =
+  rh.orKind == RequestHostKind.present and rh.present == s
+
 proc match(b: HttpBinding, r: HttpRequest): bool =
   ## Check if `HttpBinding` `b` matches `HttpRequest` `r`.
   result =
@@ -241,9 +245,8 @@ proc service(turn: var Turn; exch: Exchange) =
     if handler.isNone:
       stop(turn)
     else:
-      let
-        cap =  newCap(turn, exch)
-        ctx = publish(turn, handler.get, HttpContext(
+      let cap =  newCap(turn, exch)
+      publish(turn, handler.get, HttpContext(
           req: exch.req,
           res: embed cap,
         ))
diff --git a/src/syndicate/protocols/http.nim b/src/syndicate/protocols/http.nim
index 747282a..42a5bbc 100644
--- a/src/syndicate/protocols/http.nim
+++ b/src/syndicate/protocols/http.nim
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ type
   
   HttpRequest* {.preservesRecord: "http-request".} = object
     `sequenceNumber`*: BiggestInt
-    `host`*: string
+    `host`*: RequestHost
     `port`*: BiggestInt
     `method`*: Symbol
     `path`*: seq[string]
@@ -115,6 +115,17 @@ type
     `req`*: HttpRequest
     `res`* {.preservesEmbedded.}: Value
 
+  RequestHostKind* {.pure.} = enum
+    `present`, `absent`
+  `RequestHost`* {.preservesOr.} = object
+    case orKind*: RequestHostKind
+    of RequestHostKind.`present`:
+        `present`*: string
+
+    of RequestHostKind.`absent`:
+        `absent`* {.preservesLiteral: "#f".}: bool
+
+  
   PathPatternElementKind* {.pure.} = enum
     `label`, `wildcard`, `rest`
   `PathPatternElement`* {.preservesOr.} = object
@@ -149,6 +160,7 @@ proc `$`*(x: HostPattern | HttpListener | MethodPattern | MimeType | QueryValue
     HttpService |
     HttpBinding |
     HttpContext |
+    RequestHost |
     PathPatternElement |
     Chunk |
     PathPattern): string =
@@ -163,6 +175,7 @@ proc encode*(x: HostPattern | HttpListener | MethodPattern | MimeType |
     HttpService |
     HttpBinding |
     HttpContext |
+    RequestHost |
     PathPatternElement |
     Chunk |
     PathPattern): seq[byte] =