diff --git a/falcon/exceptions.py b/falcon/exceptions.py
index 3535459..a9ebb5b 100644
--- a/falcon/exceptions.py
+++ b/falcon/exceptions.py
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ class HTTPPreconditionFailed(HTTPError):
 class HTTPUnsupportedMediaType(HTTPError):
     """415 Unsupported Media Type
 
-    Sets title to "Unsupported Media Type".
+    Sets title to "Unsupported media type".
 
     Args:
         description: Human-friendly description of the error, along with a
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ class HTTPUnsupportedMediaType(HTTPError):
 
     """
     def __init__(self, description, **kwargs):
-        HTTPError.__init__(self, status.HTTP_415, 'Unsupported Media Type',
+        HTTPError.__init__(self, status.HTTP_415, 'Unsupported media type',
                            description, **kwargs)
 
 
@@ -220,8 +220,7 @@ class HTTPUpgradeRequired(HTTPError):
 
     """
     def __init__(self, title, description, **kwargs):
-        HTTPError.__init__(self, status.HTTP_426, 'Upgrade Required',
-                           description, **kwargs)
+        HTTPError.__init__(self, status.HTTP_426, title, description, **kwargs)
 
 
 class HTTPInternalServerError(HTTPError):
diff --git a/falcon/request.py b/falcon/request.py
index 61c9bb4..2fea229 100644
--- a/falcon/request.py
+++ b/falcon/request.py
@@ -238,8 +238,8 @@ class Request(object):
             if not required:
                 return default
 
-            raise HTTPBadRequest('Missing header',
-                                 'The "' + name + '" header is required.')
+            description = 'The "' + name + '" header is required.'
+            raise HTTPBadRequest('Missing header', description)
 
     def get_param(self, name, default=None, required=False):
         """Return the value of a query string parameter as a string
@@ -269,8 +269,8 @@ class Request(object):
         if not required:
             return default
 
-        raise HTTPBadRequest('Missing query parameter',
-                             'The "' + name + '" query parameter is required.')
+        message = 'The "' + name + '" query parameter is required.'
+        raise HTTPBadRequest('Missing query parameter', message)
 
     def get_param_as_int(self, name, default=None, required=False):
         """Return the value of a query string parameter as an int
@@ -306,8 +306,8 @@ class Request(object):
         if not required:
             return default
 
-        raise HTTPBadRequest('Missing query parameter',
-                             'The "' + name + '" query parameter is required.')
+        message = 'The "' + name + '" query parameter is required.'
+        raise HTTPBadRequest('Missing query parameter', message)
 
     def get_param_as_list(self, name, default=None, required=False):
         """Return the value of a query string parameter as an int
diff --git a/tests/test_headers.py b/tests/test_headers.py
index e0fd340..38bf051 100644
--- a/tests/test_headers.py
+++ b/tests/test_headers.py
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@ class TestHeaders(testing.TestSuite):
         value = self.resource.req.get_header('X-Not-Found', '876')
         self.assertEquals(value, '876')
 
+    def test_required_header(self):
+        self._simulate_request(self.test_route)
+
+        self.assertRaises(falcon.HTTPBadRequest,
+                          self.resource.req.get_header, 'X-Not-Found',
+                          required=True)
+
     def test_prefer_host_header(self):
         self._simulate_request(self.test_route)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_query_params.py b/tests/test_query_params.py
index 0815a32..ddfa3b1 100644
--- a/tests/test_query_params.py
+++ b/tests/test_query_params.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import falcon
 import falcon.testing as testing
 
 
@@ -23,6 +24,18 @@ class TestQueryParams(testing.TestSuite):
         self.assertEquals(req.get_param('marker'), 'deadbeef')
         self.assertEquals(req.get_param('limit'), '25')
 
+    def test_required(self):
+        query_string = ''
+        self._simulate_request('/', query_string=query_string)
+
+        req = self.resource.req
+        self.assertRaises(falcon.HTTPBadRequest, req.get_param,
+                          'marker', required=True)
+        self.assertRaises(falcon.HTTPBadRequest, req.get_param_as_int,
+                          'marker', required=True)
+        self.assertRaises(falcon.HTTPBadRequest, req.get_param_as_list,
+                          'marker', required=True)
+
     def test_int(self):
         query_string = 'marker=deadbeef&limit=25'
         self._simulate_request('/', query_string=query_string)