diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultFullHttpRequest.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultFullHttpRequest.java
index c2a1843066..2073824715 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultFullHttpRequest.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultFullHttpRequest.java
@@ -23,18 +23,24 @@ import io.netty.buffer.Unpooled;
  */
 public class DefaultFullHttpRequest extends DefaultHttpRequest implements FullHttpRequest {
     private final ByteBuf content;
-    private final HttpHeaders trailingHeader = new DefaultHttpHeaders();
+    private final HttpHeaders trailingHeader;
 
     public DefaultFullHttpRequest(HttpVersion httpVersion, HttpMethod method, String uri) {
         this(httpVersion, method, uri, Unpooled.buffer(0));
     }
 
     public DefaultFullHttpRequest(HttpVersion httpVersion, HttpMethod method, String uri, ByteBuf content) {
-        super(httpVersion, method, uri);
+        this(httpVersion, method, uri, content, true);
+    }
+
+    public DefaultFullHttpRequest(HttpVersion httpVersion, HttpMethod method, String uri,
+                                  ByteBuf content, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(httpVersion, method, uri, validateHeaders);
         if (content == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("content");
         }
         this.content = content;
+        trailingHeader = new DefaultHttpHeaders(validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultFullHttpResponse.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultFullHttpResponse.java
index fe12c234e2..1b13df96ce 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultFullHttpResponse.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultFullHttpResponse.java
@@ -25,18 +25,24 @@ import io.netty.buffer.Unpooled;
 public class DefaultFullHttpResponse extends DefaultHttpResponse implements FullHttpResponse {
 
     private final ByteBuf content;
-    private final HttpHeaders trailingHeaders = new DefaultHttpHeaders();
+    private final HttpHeaders trailingHeaders;
 
     public DefaultFullHttpResponse(HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatus status) {
         this(version, status, Unpooled.buffer(0));
     }
 
     public DefaultFullHttpResponse(HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatus status, ByteBuf content) {
-        super(version, status);
+        this(version, status, content, true);
+    }
+
+    public DefaultFullHttpResponse(HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatus status,
+                                   ByteBuf content, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(version, status, validateHeaders);
         if (content == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("content");
         }
         this.content = content;
+        trailingHeaders = new DefaultHttpHeaders(validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpHeaders.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpHeaders.java
index 14c05a1d33..72cacfe32a 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpHeaders.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpHeaders.java
@@ -80,8 +80,14 @@ public class DefaultHttpHeaders extends HttpHeaders {
 
     private final HeaderEntry[] entries = new HeaderEntry[BUCKET_SIZE];
     private final HeaderEntry head = new HeaderEntry(-1, null, null);
+    protected final boolean validate;
 
     public DefaultHttpHeaders() {
+        this(true);
+    }
+
+    public DefaultHttpHeaders(boolean validate) {
+        this.validate = validate;
         head.before = head.after = head;
     }
 
@@ -91,9 +97,14 @@ public class DefaultHttpHeaders extends HttpHeaders {
 
     @Override
     public HttpHeaders add(final String name, final Object value) {
-        validateHeaderName0(name);
-        String strVal = toString(value);
-        validateHeaderValue(strVal);
+        String strVal;
+        if (validate) {
+            validateHeaderName0(name);
+            strVal = toString(value);
+            validateHeaderValue(strVal);
+        } else {
+            strVal = toString(value);
+        }
         int h = hash(name);
         int i = index(h);
         add0(h, i, name, strVal);
@@ -102,12 +113,16 @@ public class DefaultHttpHeaders extends HttpHeaders {
 
     @Override
     public HttpHeaders add(String name, Iterable<?> values) {
-        validateHeaderName0(name);
+        if (validate) {
+            validateHeaderName0(name);
+        }
         int h = hash(name);
         int i = index(h);
         for (Object v: values) {
             String vstr = toString(v);
-            validateHeaderValue(vstr);
+            if (validate) {
+                validateHeaderValue(vstr);
+            }
             add0(h, i, name, vstr);
         }
         return this;
@@ -173,9 +188,14 @@ public class DefaultHttpHeaders extends HttpHeaders {
 
     @Override
     public HttpHeaders set(final String name, final Object value) {
-        validateHeaderName0(name);
-        String strVal = toString(value);
-        validateHeaderValue(strVal);
+        String strVal;
+        if (validate) {
+            validateHeaderName0(name);
+            strVal = toString(value);
+            validateHeaderValue(strVal);
+        } else {
+            strVal = toString(value);
+        }
         int h = hash(name);
         int i = index(h);
         remove0(h, i, name);
@@ -188,8 +208,9 @@ public class DefaultHttpHeaders extends HttpHeaders {
         if (values == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("values");
         }
-
-        validateHeaderName0(name);
+        if (validate) {
+            validateHeaderName0(name);
+        }
 
         int h = hash(name);
         int i = index(h);
@@ -200,7 +221,9 @@ public class DefaultHttpHeaders extends HttpHeaders {
                 break;
             }
             String strVal = toString(v);
-            validateHeaderValue(strVal);
+            if (validate) {
+                validateHeaderValue(strVal);
+            }
             add0(h, i, name, strVal);
         }
 
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpMessage.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpMessage.java
index 8f66cb345d..b6e0889414 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpMessage.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpMessage.java
@@ -25,16 +25,21 @@ import java.util.Map;
 public abstract class DefaultHttpMessage extends DefaultHttpObject implements HttpMessage {
 
     private HttpVersion version;
-    private final HttpHeaders headers = new DefaultHttpHeaders();
+    private final HttpHeaders headers;
 
     /**
      * Creates a new instance.
      */
     protected DefaultHttpMessage(final HttpVersion version) {
+        this(version, true);
+    }
+
+    protected DefaultHttpMessage(final HttpVersion version, boolean validate) {
         if (version == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("version");
         }
         this.version = version;
+        headers = new DefaultHttpHeaders(validate);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpRequest.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpRequest.java
index e2f3463955..6212371136 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpRequest.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpRequest.java
@@ -33,7 +33,19 @@ public class DefaultHttpRequest extends DefaultHttpMessage implements HttpReques
      * @param uri         the URI or path of the request
      */
     public DefaultHttpRequest(HttpVersion httpVersion, HttpMethod method, String uri) {
-        super(httpVersion);
+        this(httpVersion, method, uri, true);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new instance.
+     *
+     * @param httpVersion       the HTTP version of the request
+     * @param method            the HTTP getMethod of the request
+     * @param uri               the URI or path of the request
+     * @param validateHeaders   validate the headers when adding them
+     */
+    public DefaultHttpRequest(HttpVersion httpVersion, HttpMethod method, String uri, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(httpVersion, validateHeaders);
         if (method == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("method");
         }
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpResponse.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpResponse.java
index 3eb95cf7e1..057839c0dd 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpResponse.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultHttpResponse.java
@@ -31,7 +31,18 @@ public class DefaultHttpResponse extends DefaultHttpMessage implements HttpRespo
      * @param status  the getStatus of this response
      */
     public DefaultHttpResponse(HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatus status) {
-        super(version);
+        this(version, status, true);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new instance.
+     *
+     * @param version           the HTTP version of this response
+     * @param status            the getStatus of this response
+     * @param validateHeaders   validate the headers when adding them
+     */
+    public DefaultHttpResponse(HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatus status, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(version, validateHeaders);
         if (status == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("status");
         }
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultLastHttpContent.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultLastHttpContent.java
index fbc47f6a12..7967801527 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultLastHttpContent.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/DefaultLastHttpContent.java
@@ -26,25 +26,19 @@ import java.util.Map;
  */
 public class DefaultLastHttpContent extends DefaultHttpContent implements LastHttpContent {
 
-    private final HttpHeaders trailingHeaders = new DefaultHttpHeaders() {
-        @Override
-        void validateHeaderName0(String name) {
-            super.validateHeaderName0(name);
-            if (name.equalsIgnoreCase(HttpHeaders.Names.CONTENT_LENGTH) ||
-                name.equalsIgnoreCase(HttpHeaders.Names.TRANSFER_ENCODING) ||
-                name.equalsIgnoreCase(HttpHeaders.Names.TRAILER)) {
-                throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-                        "prohibited trailing header: " + name);
-            }
-        }
-    };
+    private final HttpHeaders trailingHeaders;
 
     public DefaultLastHttpContent() {
         this(Unpooled.buffer(0));
     }
 
     public DefaultLastHttpContent(ByteBuf content) {
+        this(content, true);
+    }
+
+    public DefaultLastHttpContent(ByteBuf content, boolean validateHeaders) {
         super(content);
+        trailingHeaders = new TrailingHeaders(validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -97,4 +91,21 @@ public class DefaultLastHttpContent extends DefaultHttpContent implements LastHt
             buf.append(StringUtil.NEWLINE);
         }
     }
+
+    private static final class TrailingHeaders extends DefaultHttpHeaders {
+        TrailingHeaders(boolean validate) {
+            super(validate);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        void validateHeaderName0(String name) {
+            super.validateHeaderName0(name);
+            if (name.equalsIgnoreCase(HttpHeaders.Names.CONTENT_LENGTH) ||
+                    name.equalsIgnoreCase(HttpHeaders.Names.TRANSFER_ENCODING) ||
+                    name.equalsIgnoreCase(HttpHeaders.Names.TRAILER)) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+                        "prohibited trailing header: " + name);
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpObjectDecoder.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpObjectDecoder.java
index 7a54a435e8..2afc1f91dd 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpObjectDecoder.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpObjectDecoder.java
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ public abstract class HttpObjectDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<HttpObjectDecod
     private final int maxHeaderSize;
     private final int maxChunkSize;
     private final boolean chunkedSupported;
+    protected final boolean validateHeaders;
 
     private ByteBuf content;
     private HttpMessage message;
@@ -159,13 +160,22 @@ public abstract class HttpObjectDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<HttpObjectDecod
      */
     protected HttpObjectDecoder(
             int maxInitialLineLength, int maxHeaderSize, int maxChunkSize, boolean chunkedSupported) {
+        this(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxChunkSize, chunkedSupported, true);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new instance with the specified parameters.
+     */
+    protected HttpObjectDecoder(
+            int maxInitialLineLength, int maxHeaderSize, int maxChunkSize,
+            boolean chunkedSupported, boolean validateHeaders) {
 
         super(State.SKIP_CONTROL_CHARS);
 
         if (maxInitialLineLength <= 0) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
                     "maxInitialLineLength must be a positive integer: " +
-                    maxInitialLineLength);
+                     maxInitialLineLength);
         }
         if (maxHeaderSize <= 0) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
@@ -181,6 +191,7 @@ public abstract class HttpObjectDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<HttpObjectDecod
         this.maxHeaderSize = maxHeaderSize;
         this.maxChunkSize = maxChunkSize;
         this.chunkedSupported = chunkedSupported;
+        this.validateHeaders = validateHeaders;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -279,7 +290,7 @@ public abstract class HttpObjectDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<HttpObjectDecod
             ByteBuf content = readBytes(ctx.alloc(), buffer, toRead);
             if (!buffer.isReadable()) {
                 reset();
-                out.add(new DefaultLastHttpContent(content));
+                out.add(new DefaultLastHttpContent(content, validateHeaders));
                 return;
             }
             out.add(new DefaultHttpContent(content));
@@ -321,7 +332,7 @@ public abstract class HttpObjectDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<HttpObjectDecod
             if (chunkSize == 0) {
                 // Read all content.
                 reset();
-                out.add(new DefaultLastHttpContent(content));
+                out.add(new DefaultLastHttpContent(content, validateHeaders));
                 return;
             }
             out.add(new DefaultHttpContent(content));
@@ -468,7 +479,7 @@ public abstract class HttpObjectDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<HttpObjectDecod
                 if (actualContentLength == 0) {
                     out.add(LastHttpContent.EMPTY_LAST_CONTENT);
                 } else {
-                    out.add(new DefaultLastHttpContent(content));
+                    out.add(new DefaultLastHttpContent(content, validateHeaders));
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -513,7 +524,7 @@ public abstract class HttpObjectDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<HttpObjectDecod
             if (content == null || !content.isReadable()) {
                 httpContent = LastHttpContent.EMPTY_LAST_CONTENT;
             } else {
-                httpContent = new DefaultLastHttpContent(content);
+                httpContent = new DefaultLastHttpContent(content, validateHeaders);
             }
 
             out.add(message);
@@ -629,7 +640,7 @@ public abstract class HttpObjectDecoder extends ReplayingDecoder<HttpObjectDecod
         StringBuilder line = readHeader(buffer);
         String lastHeader = null;
         if (line.length() > 0) {
-            LastHttpContent trailer = new DefaultLastHttpContent(Unpooled.EMPTY_BUFFER);
+            LastHttpContent trailer = new DefaultLastHttpContent(Unpooled.EMPTY_BUFFER, validateHeaders);
             do {
                 char firstChar = line.charAt(0);
                 if (lastHeader != null && (firstChar == ' ' || firstChar == '\t')) {
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpRequestDecoder.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpRequestDecoder.java
index 37bd1f3353..a1d073ec35 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpRequestDecoder.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpRequestDecoder.java
@@ -70,15 +70,21 @@ public class HttpRequestDecoder extends HttpObjectDecoder {
         super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxChunkSize, true);
     }
 
+    public HttpRequestDecoder(
+            int maxInitialLineLength, int maxHeaderSize, int maxChunkSize, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxChunkSize, true, validateHeaders);
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected HttpMessage createMessage(String[] initialLine) throws Exception {
         return new DefaultHttpRequest(
-                HttpVersion.valueOf(initialLine[2]), HttpMethod.valueOf(initialLine[0]), initialLine[1]);
+                HttpVersion.valueOf(initialLine[2]),
+                HttpMethod.valueOf(initialLine[0]), initialLine[1], validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
     protected HttpMessage createInvalidMessage() {
-        return new DefaultHttpRequest(HttpVersion.HTTP_1_0, HttpMethod.GET, "/bad-request");
+        return new DefaultHttpRequest(HttpVersion.HTTP_1_0, HttpMethod.GET, "/bad-request", validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpResponseDecoder.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpResponseDecoder.java
index 7f30dea9f9..2d9d90af79 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpResponseDecoder.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http/HttpResponseDecoder.java
@@ -101,16 +101,21 @@ public class HttpResponseDecoder extends HttpObjectDecoder {
         super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxChunkSize, true);
     }
 
+    public HttpResponseDecoder(
+            int maxInitialLineLength, int maxHeaderSize, int maxChunkSize, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxChunkSize, true, validateHeaders);
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected HttpMessage createMessage(String[] initialLine) {
         return new DefaultHttpResponse(
                 HttpVersion.valueOf(initialLine[0]),
-                new HttpResponseStatus(Integer.valueOf(initialLine[1]), initialLine[2]));
+                new HttpResponseStatus(Integer.valueOf(initialLine[1]), initialLine[2]), validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
     protected HttpMessage createInvalidMessage() {
-        return new DefaultHttpResponse(HttpVersion.HTTP_1_0, UNKNOWN_STATUS);
+        return new DefaultHttpResponse(HttpVersion.HTTP_1_0, UNKNOWN_STATUS, validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspObjectDecoder.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspObjectDecoder.java
index 441017f272..7023569e22 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspObjectDecoder.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspObjectDecoder.java
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ public abstract class RtspObjectDecoder extends HttpObjectDecoder {
         super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxContentLength * 2, false);
     }
 
+    protected RtspObjectDecoder(
+            int maxInitialLineLength, int maxHeaderSize, int maxContentLength, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxContentLength * 2, false, validateHeaders);
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected boolean isContentAlwaysEmpty(HttpMessage msg) {
         // Unlike HTTP, RTSP always assumes zero-length body if Content-Length
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspRequestDecoder.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspRequestDecoder.java
index 3cb47a58af..2222ee91c5 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspRequestDecoder.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspRequestDecoder.java
@@ -65,15 +65,20 @@ public class RtspRequestDecoder extends RtspObjectDecoder {
         super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxContentLength);
     }
 
+    public RtspRequestDecoder(
+            int maxInitialLineLength, int maxHeaderSize, int maxContentLength, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxContentLength, validateHeaders);
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected HttpMessage createMessage(String[] initialLine) throws Exception {
         return new DefaultHttpRequest(RtspVersions.valueOf(initialLine[2]),
-                RtspMethods.valueOf(initialLine[0]), initialLine[1]);
+                RtspMethods.valueOf(initialLine[0]), initialLine[1], validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
     protected HttpMessage createInvalidMessage() {
-        return new DefaultHttpRequest(RtspVersions.RTSP_1_0, RtspMethods.OPTIONS, "/bad-request");
+        return new DefaultHttpRequest(RtspVersions.RTSP_1_0, RtspMethods.OPTIONS, "/bad-request", validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspResponseDecoder.java b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspResponseDecoder.java
index 6de6b060ae..0137157567 100644
--- a/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspResponseDecoder.java
+++ b/codec-http/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/rtsp/RtspResponseDecoder.java
@@ -69,16 +69,21 @@ public class RtspResponseDecoder extends RtspObjectDecoder {
         super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxContentLength);
     }
 
+    public RtspResponseDecoder(int maxInitialLineLength, int maxHeaderSize,
+                               int maxContentLength, boolean validateHeaders) {
+        super(maxInitialLineLength, maxHeaderSize, maxContentLength, validateHeaders);
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected HttpMessage createMessage(String[] initialLine) throws Exception {
         return new DefaultHttpResponse(
                 RtspVersions.valueOf(initialLine[0]),
-                new HttpResponseStatus(Integer.valueOf(initialLine[1]), initialLine[2]));
+                new HttpResponseStatus(Integer.valueOf(initialLine[1]), initialLine[2]), validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override
     protected HttpMessage createInvalidMessage() {
-        return new DefaultHttpResponse(RtspVersions.RTSP_1_0, UNKNOWN_STATUS);
+        return new DefaultHttpResponse(RtspVersions.RTSP_1_0, UNKNOWN_STATUS, validateHeaders);
     }
 
     @Override