diff --git a/httpretty/core.py b/httpretty/core.py
index 10d4090..31c5fb2 100644
--- a/httpretty/core.py
+++ b/httpretty/core.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import itertools
 import warnings
 import logging
 import traceback
+import json
 
 
 from .compat import (
@@ -102,13 +103,14 @@ class HTTPrettyRequest(BaseHTTPRequestHandler, BaseClass):
     def __init__(self, headers, body=''):
         self.body = utf8(body)
         self.raw_headers = utf8(headers)
-        self.rfile = StringIO(b'\r\n\r\n'.join([headers.strip(), body]))
+        self.rfile = StringIO(b'\r\n\r\n'.join([utf8(headers.strip()), self.body]))
         self.wfile = StringIO()
         self.raw_requestline = self.rfile.readline()
         self.error_code = self.error_message = None
         self.parse_request()
         self.method = self.command
         self.querystring = parse_qs(self.path.split("?", 1)[-1])
+        self.parsed_body = self.__parse_body(self.body)
 
     def __str__(self):
         return 'HTTPrettyRequest(headers={0}, body="{1}")'.format(
@@ -116,6 +118,19 @@ class HTTPrettyRequest(BaseHTTPRequestHandler, BaseClass):
             self.body,
         )
 
+    def __parse_body(self, body):
+        """ Attempt to parse the post based on the content-type passed. Return the regular body if not """
+        return_value = body.decode('utf-8')
+        try:
+            for header in self.headers.keys():
+                if header.lower() == 'content-type':
+                    if self.headers['content-type'].lower() == 'application/json':
+                        return_value = json.loads(return_value)
+                    elif self.headers['content-type'].lower() == 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded':
+                        return_value = parse_qs(return_value)
+        finally:
+            return return_value
+
 
 class EmptyRequestHeaders(dict):
     pass
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_httpretty.py b/tests/unit/test_httpretty.py
index 21d74fd..420aaee 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_httpretty.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_httpretty.py
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@
 # FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
 # OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
+import json
 from sure import expect
 from httpretty import HTTPretty, HTTPrettyError, core
-from httpretty.core import URIInfo, BaseClass, Entry, FakeSockFile
+from httpretty.core import URIInfo, BaseClass, Entry, FakeSockFile, HTTPrettyRequest
 from httpretty.http import STATUSES
 
 try:
@@ -35,6 +36,12 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
+TEST_HEADER = """
+GET /test/test.html HTTP/1.1
+Host: www.host1.com:80
+Content-Type: %(content_type)s
+"""
+
 
 def test_httpretty_should_raise_proper_exception_on_inconsistent_length():
     "HTTPretty should raise proper exception on inconsistent Content-Length / "\
@@ -344,3 +351,36 @@ def test_fake_socket_passes_through_shutdown():
     s.truesock = MagicMock()
     expect(s.shutdown).called_with(socket.SHUT_RD).should_not.throw(AttributeError)
     s.truesock.shutdown.assert_called_with(socket.SHUT_RD)
+
+
+def test_HTTPrettyRequest_json_body():
+    """ A content-type of application/json should parse a valid json body """
+    header = TEST_HEADER % {'content_type': 'application/json'}
+    test_dict = {'hello': 'world'}
+    request = HTTPrettyRequest(header, json.dumps(test_dict))
+    expect(request.parsed_body).to.equal(test_dict)
+
+
+def test_HTTPrettyRequest_invalid_json_body():
+    """ A content-type of application/json with an invalid json body should return the content unaltered """
+    header = TEST_HEADER % {'content_type': 'application/json'}
+    invalid_json = u"{'hello', 'world','thisstringdoesntstops}"
+    request = HTTPrettyRequest(header, invalid_json)
+    expect(request.parsed_body).to.equal(invalid_json)
+
+
+def test_HTTPrettyRequest_queryparam():
+    """ A content-type of x-www-form-urlencoded with a valid queryparam body should return parsed content """
+    header = TEST_HEADER % {'content_type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}
+    valid_queryparam = u"hello=world&this=isavalidquerystring"
+    valid_results = {'hello': ['world'], 'this': ['isavalidquerystring']}
+    request = HTTPrettyRequest(header, valid_queryparam)
+    expect(request.parsed_body).to.equal(valid_results)
+
+
+def test_HTTPrettyRequest_arbitrarypost():
+    """ A non-handled content type request's post body should return the content unaltered """
+    header = TEST_HEADER % {'content_type': 'thisis/notarealcontenttype'}
+    gibberish_body = "1234567890!@#$%^&*()"
+    request = HTTPrettyRequest(header, gibberish_body)
+    expect(request.parsed_body).to.equal(gibberish_body)