diff --git a/Lib/httplib.py b/Lib/httplib.py
index ba58e20..85e49ab 100644
--- a/Lib/httplib.py
+++ b/Lib/httplib.py
@@ -325,13 +325,18 @@
 
     # See RFC 2616 sec 19.6 and RFC 1945 sec 6 for details.
 
-    def __init__(self, sock, debuglevel=0, strict=0, method=None):
-        # The buffer size is specified as zero, because the headers of
-        # the response are read with readline().  If the reads were
-        # buffered the readline() calls could consume some of the
-        # response, which make be read via a recv() on the underlying
-        # socket.
-        self.fp = sock.makefile('rb', 0)
+    def __init__(self, sock, debuglevel=0, strict=0, method=None, buffering=False):
+        if buffering:
+            # The caller won't be using any sock.recv() calls, so buffering
+            # is fine and recommendef for performance
+            self.fp = sock.makefile('rb')
+        else:
+            # The buffer size is specified as zero, because the headers of
+            # the response are read with readline().  If the reads were
+            # buffered the readline() calls could consume some of the
+            # response, which make be read via a recv() on the underlying
+            # socket.
+            self.fp = sock.makefile('rb', 0)
         self.debuglevel = debuglevel
         self.strict = strict
         self._method = method
@@ -935,7 +940,7 @@
             self.putheader(hdr, value)
         self.endheaders(body)
 
-    def getresponse(self):
+    def getresponse(self, buffering=False):
         "Get the response from the server."
 
         # if a prior response has been completed, then forget about it.
@@ -961,13 +966,15 @@
         if self.__state != _CS_REQ_SENT or self.__response:
             raise ResponseNotReady()
 
+        args = (self.sock,)
+        kwds = {"strict":self.strict, "method":self._method}
         if self.debuglevel > 0:
-            response = self.response_class(self.sock, self.debuglevel,
-                                           strict=self.strict,
-                                           method=self._method)
-        else:
-            response = self.response_class(self.sock, strict=self.strict,
-                                           method=self._method)
+            args += (self.debuglevel,)
+        if buffering:
+            #only add this keyword if non-default, for compatibility with
+            #other response_classes.
+            kwds["buffering"] = True;
+        response = self.response_class(*args, **kwds)
 
         response.begin()
         assert response.will_close != _UNKNOWN
@@ -1031,7 +1038,7 @@
         "Provide a getfile, since the superclass' does not use this concept."
         return self.file
 
-    def getreply(self):
+    def getreply(self, buffering=False):
         """Compat definition since superclass does not define it.
 
         Returns a tuple consisting of:
@@ -1040,7 +1047,12 @@
         - any RFC822 headers in the response from the server
         """
         try:
-            response = self._conn.getresponse()
+            if not buffering:
+                response = self._conn.getresponse()
+            else:
+                #only add this keyword if non-default for compatibility
+                #with other connection classes
+                response = self._conn.getresponse(buffering)
         except BadStatusLine, e:
             ### hmm. if getresponse() ever closes the socket on a bad request,
             ### then we are going to have problems with self.sock