diff --git a/lib/webrick/cgi.rb b/lib/webrick/cgi.rb
index 94f385f1dd..33f1542731 100644
--- a/lib/webrick/cgi.rb
+++ b/lib/webrick/cgi.rb
@@ -265,6 +265,10 @@ module WEBrick
         @out_port << data
       end
 
+      def write(data)
+        @out_port.write(data)
+      end
+
       def cert
         return nil unless defined?(OpenSSL)
         if pem = @env["SSL_SERVER_CERT"]
diff --git a/lib/webrick/httpresponse.rb b/lib/webrick/httpresponse.rb
index d76310f935..eddd3388ed 100644
--- a/lib/webrick/httpresponse.rb
+++ b/lib/webrick/httpresponse.rb
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ module WEBrick
           data << "Set-Cookie: " << cookie.to_s << CRLF
         }
         data << CRLF
-        _write_data(socket, data)
+        socket.write(data)
       end
     end
 
@@ -401,14 +401,14 @@ module WEBrick
             @body.readpartial(@buffer_size, buf)
             size = buf.bytesize
             data = "#{size.to_s(16)}#{CRLF}#{buf}#{CRLF}"
-            _write_data(socket, data)
+            socket.write(data)
             data.clear
             @sent_size += size
           rescue EOFError
             break
           end while true
           buf.clear
-          _write_data(socket, "0#{CRLF}#{CRLF}")
+          socket.write("0#{CRLF}#{CRLF}")
         else
           size = @header['content-length'].to_i
           _send_file(socket, @body, 0, size)
@@ -429,13 +429,13 @@ module WEBrick
           size = buf.bytesize
           data = "#{size.to_s(16)}#{CRLF}#{buf}#{CRLF}"
           buf.clear
-          _write_data(socket, data)
+          socket.write(data)
           @sent_size += size
         end
-        _write_data(socket, "0#{CRLF}#{CRLF}")
+        socket.write("0#{CRLF}#{CRLF}")
       else
         if @body && @body.bytesize > 0
-          _write_data(socket, @body)
+          socket.write(@body)
           @sent_size = @body.bytesize
         end
       end
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ module WEBrick
         # do nothing
       elsif chunked?
         @body.call(ChunkedWrapper.new(socket, self))
-        _write_data(socket, "0#{CRLF}#{CRLF}")
+        socket.write("0#{CRLF}#{CRLF}")
       else
         size = @header['content-length'].to_i
         @body.call(socket)
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ module WEBrick
         @resp.instance_eval {
           size = buf.bytesize
           data = "#{size.to_s(16)}#{CRLF}#{buf}#{CRLF}"
-          _write_data(socket, data)
+          socket.write(data)
           data.clear
           @sent_size += size
         }
@@ -483,18 +483,19 @@ module WEBrick
 
       if size == 0
         while buf = input.read(@buffer_size)
-          _write_data(output, buf)
+          output.write(buf)
         end
       else
         while size > 0
           sz = @buffer_size < size ? @buffer_size : size
           buf = input.read(sz)
-          _write_data(output, buf)
+          output.write(buf)
           size -= buf.bytesize
         end
       end
     end
 
+    # preserved for compatibility with some 3rd-party handlers
     def _write_data(socket, data)
       socket << data
     end