diff --git a/lib/httparty/request.rb b/lib/httparty/request.rb
index 830e4c9..1155338 100644
--- a/lib/httparty/request.rb
+++ b/lib/httparty/request.rb
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ module HTTParty
     
     def perform
       validate!
+      setup_raw_request
       handle_response!(get_response)
     end
 
@@ -41,22 +42,28 @@ module HTTParty
         http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE
         http
       end
-      
-      def get_response #:nodoc:
-        request = http_method.new(uri.request_uri)   
+
+      def setup_raw_request
+        @raw_request = http_method.new(uri.request_uri)
         
         if post? && options[:query]
-          request.set_form_data(options[:query])
+          @raw_request.set_form_data(options[:query])
         end
         
-        request.body = options[:body].is_a?(Hash) ? options[:body].to_params : options[:body] unless options[:body].blank?
-        request.initialize_http_header options[:headers]
+        @raw_request.body = options[:body].is_a?(Hash) ? options[:body].to_params : options[:body] unless options[:body].blank?
+        @raw_request.initialize_http_header options[:headers]
         
         if options[:basic_auth]
-          request.basic_auth(options[:basic_auth][:username], options[:basic_auth][:password])
+          @raw_request.basic_auth(options[:basic_auth][:username], options[:basic_auth][:password])
         end
-        
-        response = http(uri).request(request)
+      end
+
+      def perform_actual_request
+        http(uri).request(@raw_request)
+      end
+
+      def get_response #:nodoc:
+        response = perform_actual_request
         options[:format] ||= format_from_mimetype(response['content-type'])
         response
       end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 19c2e29..358b484 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -10,15 +10,12 @@ end
 def stub_http_response_with(filename)
   format = filename.split('.').last.intern
   data = file_fixture(filename)
-  http = Net::HTTP.new('localhost', 80)
-  
+
   response = Net::HTTPOK.new("1.1", 200, "Content for you")
   response.stub!(:body).and_return(data)
-  http.stub!(:request).and_return(response)
-  
-  http_request = HTTParty::Request.new(Net::HTTP::Get, '')
-  http_request.stub!(:get_response).and_return(response)
-  http_request.stub!(:format).and_return(format)
-  
+
+  http_request = HTTParty::Request.new(Net::HTTP::Get, 'http://localhost', :format => format)
+  http_request.stub!(:perform_actual_request).and_return(response)
+
   HTTParty::Request.should_receive(:new).and_return(http_request)
 end
\ No newline at end of file