diff --git a/channels/handler.py b/channels/handler.py
index 33068a5..4dc83e7 100644
--- a/channels/handler.py
+++ b/channels/handler.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from django.core.handlers import base
 from django.core import signals
 from django.core.urlresolvers import set_script_prefix
 from django.utils.functional import cached_property
+from django.utils import six
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('django.request')
 
@@ -21,8 +22,10 @@ class AsgiRequest(http.HttpRequest):
 
     def __init__(self, message):
         self.message = message
-        self.reply_channel = self.message['reply_channel']
+        self.reply_channel = self.message.reply_channel
         self._content_length = 0
+        self._post_parse_error = False
+        self.resolver_match = None
         # Path info
         self.path = self.message['path']
         self.script_name = self.message.get('root_path', '')
@@ -63,7 +66,7 @@ class AsgiRequest(http.HttpRequest):
             except (ValueError, TypeError):
                 pass
         # Body handling
-        self._body = message.get("body", "")
+        self._body = message.get("body", b"")
         if message.get("body_channel", None):
             while True:
                 # Get the next chunk from the request body channel
@@ -78,6 +81,7 @@ class AsgiRequest(http.HttpRequest):
                 # Exit loop if this was the last
                 if not chunk.get("more_content", False):
                     break
+        assert isinstance(self._body, six.binary_type), "Body is not bytes"
         # Other bits
         self.resolver_match = None
 
@@ -97,7 +101,13 @@ class AsgiRequest(http.HttpRequest):
     def _set_post(self, post):
         self._post = post
 
+    def _get_files(self):
+        if not hasattr(self, '_files'):
+            self._load_post_and_files()
+        return self._files
+
     POST = property(_get_post, _set_post)
+    FILES = property(_get_files)
 
     @cached_property
     def COOKIES(self):
@@ -114,6 +124,9 @@ class AsgiHandler(base.BaseHandler):
     initLock = Lock()
     request_class = AsgiRequest
 
+    # Size to chunk response bodies into for multiple response messages
+    chunk_size = 512 * 1024
+
     def __call__(self, message):
         # Set up middleware if needed. We couldn't do this earlier, because
         # settings weren't available.
@@ -148,7 +161,9 @@ class AsgiHandler(base.BaseHandler):
         """
         Encodes a Django HTTP response into an ASGI http.response message(s).
         """
-        # Collect cookies into headers
+        # Collect cookies into headers.
+        # Note that we have to preserve header case as there are some non-RFC
+        # compliant clients that want things like Content-Type correct. Ugh.
         response_headers = [(str(k), str(v)) for k, v in response.items()]
         for c in response.cookies.values():
             response_headers.append((str('Set-Cookie'), str(c.output(header=''))))
@@ -186,14 +201,13 @@ class AsgiHandler(base.BaseHandler):
 
         Yields (chunk, last_chunk) tuples.
         """
-        CHUNK_SIZE = 512 * 1024
         position = 0
         while position < len(data):
             yield (
-                data[position:position+CHUNK_SIZE],
-                (position + CHUNK_SIZE) >= len(data),
+                data[position:position + self.chunk_size],
+                (position + self.chunk_size) >= len(data),
             )
-            position += CHUNK_SIZE
+            position += self.chunk_size
 
 
 class ViewConsumer(object):
@@ -205,5 +219,5 @@ class ViewConsumer(object):
         self.handler = AsgiHandler()
 
     def __call__(self, message):
-        for reply_message in self.handler(message.content):
+        for reply_message in self.handler(message):
             message.reply_channel.send(reply_message)
diff --git a/channels/message.py b/channels/message.py
index 93b19fd..53a36cc 100644
--- a/channels/message.py
+++ b/channels/message.py
@@ -12,16 +12,20 @@ class Message(object):
     to use to reply to this message's end user, if that makes sense.
     """
 
-    class Requeue(Exception):
-        """
-        Raise this while processing a message to requeue it back onto the
-        channel. Useful if you're manually ensuring partial ordering, etc.
-        """
-        pass
-
-    def __init__(self, content, channel, channel_layer, reply_channel=None):
+    def __init__(self, content, channel, channel_layer):
         self.content = content
         self.channel = channel
         self.channel_layer = channel_layer
-        if reply_channel:
-            self.reply_channel = Channel(reply_channel, channel_layer=self.channel_layer)
+        if content.get("reply_channel", None):
+            self.reply_channel = Channel(
+                content["reply_channel"],
+                channel_layer=self.channel_layer,
+            )
+        else:
+            self.reply_channel = None
+
+    def __getitem__(self, key):
+        return self.content[key]
+
+    def get(self, key, default=None):
+        return self.content.get(key, default)
diff --git a/channels/tests/test_handler.py b/channels/tests/test_handler.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..192c036
--- /dev/null
+++ b/channels/tests/test_handler.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+from django.test import SimpleTestCase
+from django.http import HttpResponse
+
+from asgiref.inmemory import ChannelLayer
+from channels.handler import AsgiHandler
+from channels.message import Message
+
+
+class FakeAsgiHandler(AsgiHandler):
+    """
+    Handler subclass that just returns a premade response rather than
+    go into the view subsystem.
+    """
+
+    chunk_size = 30
+
+    def __init__(self, response):
+        assert isinstance(response, HttpResponse)
+        self._response = response
+        super(FakeAsgiHandler, self).__init__()
+
+    def get_response(self, request):
+        return self._response
+
+
+class HandlerTests(SimpleTestCase):
+    """
+    Tests that the handler works correctly and round-trips things into a
+    correct response.
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """
+        Make an in memory channel layer for testing
+        """
+        self.channel_layer = ChannelLayer()
+        self.make_message = lambda m, c: Message(m, c, self.channel_layer)
+
+    def test_basic(self):
+        """
+        Tests a simple request
+        """
+        # Make stub request and desired response
+        message = self.make_message({
+            "reply_channel": "test",
+            "http_version": "1.1",
+            "method": "GET",
+            "path": "/test/",
+        }, "test")
+        response = HttpResponse(b"Hi there!", content_type="text/plain")
+        # Run the handler
+        handler = FakeAsgiHandler(response)
+        reply_messages = list(handler(message))
+        # Make sure we got the right number of messages
+        self.assertEqual(len(reply_messages), 1)
+        reply_message = reply_messages[0]
+        # Make sure the message looks correct
+        self.assertEqual(reply_message["content"], b"Hi there!")
+        self.assertEqual(reply_message["status"], 200)
+        self.assertEqual(reply_message["status_text"], "OK")
+        self.assertEqual(reply_message.get("more_content", False), False)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            reply_message["headers"],
+            [("Content-Type", b"text/plain")],
+        )
+
+    def test_large(self):
+        """
+        Tests a large response (will need chunking)
+        """
+        # Make stub request and desired response
+        message = self.make_message({
+            "reply_channel": "test",
+            "http_version": "1.1",
+            "method": "GET",
+            "path": "/test/",
+        }, "test")
+        response = HttpResponse(b"Thefirstthirtybytesisrighthereandhereistherest")
+        # Run the handler
+        handler = FakeAsgiHandler(response)
+        reply_messages = list(handler(message))
+        # Make sure we got the right number of messages
+        self.assertEqual(len(reply_messages), 2)
+        # Make sure the messages look correct
+        self.assertEqual(reply_messages[0]["content"], b"Thefirstthirtybytesisrighthere")
+        self.assertEqual(reply_messages[0]["status"], 200)
+        self.assertEqual(reply_messages[0]["more_content"], True)
+        self.assertEqual(reply_messages[1]["content"], b"andhereistherest")
+        self.assertEqual(reply_messages[1].get("more_content", False), False)
diff --git a/channels/tests/test_request.py b/channels/tests/test_request.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a103b28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/channels/tests/test_request.py
@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+from django.test import SimpleTestCase
+from django.utils import six
+
+from asgiref.inmemory import ChannelLayer
+from channels.handler import AsgiRequest
+from channels.message import Message
+
+
+class RequestTests(SimpleTestCase):
+    """
+    Tests that ASGI request handling correctly decodes HTTP requests.
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """
+        Make an in memory channel layer for testing
+        """
+        self.channel_layer = ChannelLayer()
+        self.make_message = lambda m, c: Message(m, c, self.channel_layer)
+
+    def test_basic(self):
+        """
+        Tests that the handler can decode the most basic request message,
+        with all optional fields omitted.
+        """
+        message = self.make_message({
+            "reply_channel": "test-reply",
+            "http_version": "1.1",
+            "method": "GET",
+            "path": "/test/",
+        }, "test")
+        request = AsgiRequest(message)
+        self.assertEqual(request.path, "/test/")
+        self.assertEqual(request.method, "GET")
+        self.assertFalse(request.body)
+        self.assertNotIn("HTTP_HOST", request.META)
+        self.assertNotIn("REMOTE_ADDR", request.META)
+        self.assertNotIn("REMOTE_HOST", request.META)
+        self.assertNotIn("REMOTE_PORT", request.META)
+        self.assertNotIn("SERVER_NAME", request.META)
+        self.assertNotIn("SERVER_PORT", request.META)
+        self.assertFalse(request.GET)
+        self.assertFalse(request.POST)
+        self.assertFalse(request.COOKIES)
+
+    def test_extended(self):
+        """
+        Tests a more fully-featured GET request
+        """
+        message = self.make_message({
+            "reply_channel": "test",
+            "http_version": "1.1",
+            "method": "GET",
+            "path": "/test2/",
+            "query_string": b"x=1&y=foo%20bar+baz",
+            "headers": {
+                "host": b"example.com",
+                "cookie": b"test-time=1448995585123; test-value=yeah",
+            },
+            "client": ["10.0.0.1", 1234],
+            "server": ["10.0.0.2", 80],
+        }, "test")
+        request = AsgiRequest(message)
+        self.assertEqual(request.path, "/test2/")
+        self.assertEqual(request.method, "GET")
+        self.assertFalse(request.body)
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["HTTP_HOST"], "example.com")
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["REMOTE_ADDR"], "10.0.0.1")
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["REMOTE_HOST"], "10.0.0.1")
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["REMOTE_PORT"], 1234)
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["SERVER_NAME"], "10.0.0.2")
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["SERVER_PORT"], 80)
+        self.assertEqual(request.GET["x"], "1")
+        self.assertEqual(request.GET["y"], "foo bar baz")
+        self.assertEqual(request.COOKIES["test-time"], "1448995585123")
+        self.assertEqual(request.COOKIES["test-value"], "yeah")
+        self.assertFalse(request.POST)
+
+    def test_post_single(self):
+        """
+        Tests a POST body contained within a single message.
+        """
+        message = self.make_message({
+            "reply_channel": "test",
+            "http_version": "1.1",
+            "method": "POST",
+            "path": "/test2/",
+            "query_string": b"django=great",
+            "body": b"ponies=are+awesome",
+            "headers": {
+                "host": b"example.com",
+                "content-type": b"application/x-www-form-urlencoded",
+                "content-length": b"18",
+            },
+        }, "test")
+        request = AsgiRequest(message)
+        self.assertEqual(request.path, "/test2/")
+        self.assertEqual(request.method, "POST")
+        self.assertEqual(request.body, b"ponies=are+awesome")
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["HTTP_HOST"], "example.com")
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["CONTENT_TYPE"], "application/x-www-form-urlencoded")
+        self.assertEqual(request.GET["django"], "great")
+        self.assertEqual(request.POST["ponies"], "are awesome")
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            request.POST["django"]
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            request.GET["ponies"]
+
+    def test_post_multiple(self):
+        """
+        Tests a POST body across multiple messages (first part in 'body').
+        """
+        message = self.make_message({
+            "reply_channel": "test",
+            "http_version": "1.1",
+            "method": "POST",
+            "path": "/test/",
+            "body": b"there_a",
+            "body_channel": "test-input",
+            "headers": {
+                "host": b"example.com",
+                "content-type": b"application/x-www-form-urlencoded",
+                "content-length": b"21",
+            },
+        }, "test")
+        self.channel_layer.send("test-input", {
+            "content": b"re=fou",
+            "more_content": True,
+        })
+        self.channel_layer.send("test-input", {
+            "content": b"r+lights",
+        })
+        request = AsgiRequest(message)
+        self.assertEqual(request.method, "POST")
+        self.assertEqual(request.body, b"there_are=four+lights")
+        self.assertEqual(request.META["CONTENT_TYPE"], "application/x-www-form-urlencoded")
+        self.assertEqual(request.POST["there_are"], "four lights")
+
+    def test_post_files(self):
+        """
+        Tests POSTing files using multipart form data and multiple messages,
+        with no body in the initial message.
+        """
+        body = (
+            b'--BOUNDARY\r\n' +
+            b'Content-Disposition: form-data; name="title"\r\n\r\n' +
+            b'My First Book\r\n' +
+            b'--BOUNDARY\r\n' +
+            b'Content-Disposition: form-data; name="pdf"; filename="book.pdf"\r\n\r\n' +
+            b'FAKEPDFBYTESGOHERE' +
+            b'--BOUNDARY--'
+        )
+        message = self.make_message({
+            "reply_channel": "test",
+            "http_version": "1.1",
+            "method": "POST",
+            "path": "/test/",
+            "body_channel": "test-input",
+            "headers": {
+                "content-type": b"multipart/form-data; boundary=BOUNDARY",
+                "content-length": six.binary_type(len(body)),
+            },
+        }, "test")
+        self.channel_layer.send("test-input", {
+            "content": body[:20],
+            "more_content": True,
+        })
+        self.channel_layer.send("test-input", {
+            "content": body[20:],
+        })
+        request = AsgiRequest(message)
+        self.assertEqual(request.method, "POST")
+        self.assertEqual(len(request.body), len(body))
+        self.assertTrue(request.META["CONTENT_TYPE"].startswith("multipart/form-data"))
+        self.assertFalse(request._post_parse_error)
+        self.assertEqual(request.POST["title"], "My First Book")
+        self.assertEqual(request.FILES["pdf"].read(), "FAKEPDFBYTESGOHERE")
diff --git a/channels/worker.py b/channels/worker.py
index 73fc5c6..0111ff2 100644
--- a/channels/worker.py
+++ b/channels/worker.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ class Worker(object):
                 content=content,
                 channel=channel,
                 channel_layer=self.channel_layer,
-                reply_channel=content.get("reply_channel", None),
             )
             # Handle the message
             consumer = self.channel_layer.registry.consumer_for_channel(channel)
diff --git a/docs/asgi.rst b/docs/asgi.rst
index 09dde5f..019f7a3 100644
--- a/docs/asgi.rst
+++ b/docs/asgi.rst
@@ -431,30 +431,30 @@ Keys:
 * ``method``: Unicode string HTTP method name, uppercased.
 
 * ``scheme``: Unicode string URL scheme portion (likely ``http`` or ``https``).
-  Optional (but must not be empty), default is ``http``.
+  Optional (but must not be empty), default is ``"http"``.
 
 * ``path``: Byte string HTTP path from URL.
 
 * ``query_string``: Byte string URL portion after the ``?``. Optional, default
-  is empty string.
+  is ``""``.
 
 * ``root_path``: Byte string that indicates the root path this application
   is mounted at; same as ``SCRIPT_NAME`` in WSGI. Optional, defaults
-  to empty string.
+  to ``""``.
 
 * ``headers``: Dict of ``{name: value}``, where ``name`` is the lowercased
-  HTTP header name as byte string and ``value`` is the header value as a byte
+  HTTP header name as unicode string and ``value`` is the header value as a byte
   string. If multiple headers with the same name are received, they should
   be concatenated into a single header as per RFC 2616. Header names containing
-  underscores should be discarded by the server.
+  underscores should be discarded by the server. Optional, defaults to ``{}``.
 
-* ``body``: Body of the request, as a byte string. Optional, defaults to empty
-  string. If ``body_channel`` is set, treat as start of body and concatenate
+* ``body``: Body of the request, as a byte string. Optional, defaults to ``""``.
+  If ``body_channel`` is set, treat as start of body and concatenate
   on further chunks.
 
 * ``body_channel``: Single-reader channel name that contains
   Request Body Chunk messages representing a large request body.
-  Optional, defaults to None. Chunks append to ``body`` if set. Presence of
+  Optional, defaults to ``None``. Chunks append to ``body`` if set. Presence of
   a channel indicates at least one Request Body Chunk message needs to be read,
   and then further consumption keyed off of the ``more_content`` key in those
   messages.
@@ -501,9 +501,9 @@ Keys:
   Ignored for HTTP/2 clients. Optional, default should be based on ``status``
   or left as empty string if no default found.
 
-* ``headers``: A list of ``[name, value]`` pairs, where ``name`` is the byte
-  string header name, and ``value`` is the byte string header value. Order
-  should be preserved in the HTTP response.
+* ``headers``: A list of ``[name, value]`` pairs, where ``name`` is the
+  unicode string header name, and ``value`` is the byte string
+  header value. Order should be preserved in the HTTP response.
 
 * ``content``: Byte string of HTTP body content.
   Optional, defaults to empty string.