diff --git a/websocketpp/connection.hpp b/websocketpp/connection.hpp
index 1fae7855a6..5e8e8c9320 100644
--- a/websocketpp/connection.hpp
+++ b/websocketpp/connection.hpp
@@ -142,10 +142,10 @@ public:
         typedef typename connection::ptr connection_ptr;
         typedef typename config::message_type::ptr message_ptr;
         
-        virtual void http(connection_ptr con) {}
+        //virtual void http(connection_ptr con) {}
 
         // TODO: validate is server only. hide from client handlers?
-        virtual bool validate(connection_ptr con) {return true;} 
+        //virtual bool validate(connection_ptr con) {return true;} 
         
         //virtual void on_inturrupt(connection_ptr con) {}
 
@@ -309,6 +309,37 @@ public:
         m_interrupt_handler = h;
     }
 
+    /// Set http handler
+    /**
+     * The http handler is called after an HTTP request other than a WebSocket
+     * upgrade request is received. It allows a WebSocket++ server to respond
+     * to regular HTTP requests on the same port as it processes WebSocket 
+     * connections. This can be useful for hosting error messages, flash 
+     * policy files, status pages, and other simple HTTP responses. It is not
+     * intended to be used as a primary web server.
+     *
+     * @param h The new http_handler
+     */
+    void set_http_handler(http_handler h) {
+        m_http_handler = h;
+    }
+    
+    /// Set validate handler
+    /**
+     * The validate handler is called after a WebSocket handshake has been 
+     * parsed but before a response is returned. It provides the application
+     * a chance to examine the request and determine whether or not it wants
+     * to accept the connection.
+     *
+     * Returning false from the validate handler will reject the connection.
+     * If no validate handler is present, all connections will be allowed.
+     *
+     * @param h The new validate_handler
+     */
+    void set_validate_handler(validate_handler h) {
+        m_validate_handler = h;
+    }
+    
     /// Set new connection handler
     /**
      * Will invoke the old handler's on_unload callback followed by the
@@ -799,6 +830,8 @@ private:
     pong_handler            m_pong_handler;
     pong_timeout_handler    m_pong_timeout_handler;
     interrupt_handler       m_interrupt_handler;
+    http_handler            m_http_handler;
+    validate_handler        m_validate_handler;
 
     /// Legacy Handler
     handler_ptr             m_handler;
diff --git a/websocketpp/endpoint.hpp b/websocketpp/endpoint.hpp
index 612c3da355..7340275890 100644
--- a/websocketpp/endpoint.hpp
+++ b/websocketpp/endpoint.hpp
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ public:
         m_pong_timeout_handler = h;
     }
     void set_interrupt_handler(interrupt_handler h) {m_interrupt_handler = h;}
+    void set_http_handler(http_handler h) {m_http_handler = h;}
+    void set_validate_handler(validate_handler h) {m_validate_handler = h;}
     
     /*************************************/
     /* Connection pass through functions */
@@ -181,6 +183,8 @@ private:
     pong_handler                m_pong_handler;
     pong_timeout_handler        m_pong_timeout_handler;
     interrupt_handler           m_interrupt_handler;
+    http_handler                m_http_handler;
+    validate_handler            m_validate_handler;
 
 	// endpoint resources
 	std::set<connection_ptr>	m_connections;
diff --git a/websocketpp/impl/connection_impl.hpp b/websocketpp/impl/connection_impl.hpp
index 3744b1792e..08f941dab3 100644
--- a/websocketpp/impl/connection_impl.hpp
+++ b/websocketpp/impl/connection_impl.hpp
@@ -762,7 +762,9 @@ bool connection<config>::process_handshake_request() {
         // this is not a websocket handshake. Process as plain HTTP
         std::cout << "HTTP REQUEST" << std::endl;
 
-        m_handler->http(type::shared_from_this());
+        if (m_http_handler) {
+            m_http_handler(m_connection_hdl);
+        }
 
         return true;
     }
@@ -809,7 +811,7 @@ bool connection<config>::process_handshake_request() {
     }
     
     // Ask application to validate the connection
-    if (m_handler->validate(type::shared_from_this())) {
+    if (!m_validate_handler || m_validate_handler(m_connection_hdl)) {
         m_response.set_status(http::status_code::SWITCHING_PROTOCOLS);
         
         // Write the appropriate response headers based on request and 
diff --git a/websocketpp/impl/endpoint_impl.hpp b/websocketpp/impl/endpoint_impl.hpp
index 41fe7abfb7..882b300515 100644
--- a/websocketpp/impl/endpoint_impl.hpp
+++ b/websocketpp/impl/endpoint_impl.hpp
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ endpoint<connection,config>::create_connection() {
     con->set_pong_handler(m_pong_handler);
     con->set_pong_timeout_handler(m_pong_timeout_handler);
     con->set_interrupt_handler(m_interrupt_handler);
+    con->set_http_handler(m_http_handler);
+    con->set_validate_handler(m_validate_handler);
 	
     con->set_termination_handler(
 	    lib::bind(