diff --git a/lib/http/request.rb b/lib/http/request.rb
index 9d74c86d..66e11b8d 100644
--- a/lib/http/request.rb
+++ b/lib/http/request.rb
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ def initialize(opts)
       raise(UnsupportedSchemeError, "unknown scheme: #{scheme}") unless SCHEMES.include?(@scheme)
 
       @proxy   = opts[:proxy] || {}
-      @body    = request_body(opts[:body], opts)
+      @body    = Request::Body.new(opts[:body])
+      @deflate = opts[:auto_deflate]
       @version = opts[:version] || "1.1"
       @headers = HTTP::Headers.coerce(opts[:headers] || {})
 
@@ -100,18 +101,20 @@ def redirect(uri, verb = @verb)
       headers.delete(Headers::HOST)
 
       self.class.new(
-        :verb    => verb,
-        :uri     => @uri.join(uri),
-        :headers => headers,
-        :proxy   => proxy,
-        :body    => body,
-        :version => version
+        :verb         => verb,
+        :uri          => @uri.join(uri),
+        :headers      => headers,
+        :proxy        => proxy,
+        :body         => body.source,
+        :auto_deflate => @deflate,
+        :version      => version
       )
     end
 
     # Stream the request to a socket
     def stream(socket)
       include_proxy_headers if using_proxy? && !@uri.https?
+      body = @deflate ? @deflate.deflated_body(self.body) : self.body
       Request::Writer.new(socket, body, headers, headline).stream
     end
 
@@ -186,13 +189,6 @@ def socket_port
 
     private
 
-    # Transforms body to an object suitable for streaming.
-    def request_body(body, opts)
-      body = Request::Body.new(body) unless body.is_a?(Request::Body)
-      body = opts[:auto_deflate].deflated_body(body) if opts[:auto_deflate]
-      body
-    end
-
     # @!attribute [r] host
     #   @return [String]
     def_delegator :@uri, :host
diff --git a/lib/http/request/body.rb b/lib/http/request/body.rb
index cef79b5d..4c5379de 100644
--- a/lib/http/request/body.rb
+++ b/lib/http/request/body.rb
@@ -3,25 +3,27 @@
 module HTTP
   class Request
     class Body
-      def initialize(body)
-        @body = body
+      attr_reader :source
 
-        validate_body_type!
+      def initialize(source)
+        @source = source
+
+        validate_source_type!
       end
 
       # Returns size which should be used for the "Content-Length" header.
       #
       # @return [Integer]
       def size
-        if @body.is_a?(String)
-          @body.bytesize
-        elsif @body.respond_to?(:read)
-          raise RequestError, "IO object must respond to #size" unless @body.respond_to?(:size)
-          @body.size
-        elsif @body.nil?
+        if @source.is_a?(String)
+          @source.bytesize
+        elsif @source.respond_to?(:read)
+          raise RequestError, "IO object must respond to #size" unless @source.respond_to?(:size)
+          @source.size
+        elsif @source.nil?
           0
         else
-          raise RequestError, "cannot determine size of body: #{@body.inspect}"
+          raise RequestError, "cannot determine size of body: #{@source.inspect}"
         end
       end
 
@@ -29,24 +31,29 @@ def size
       #
       # @yieldparam [String]
       def each(&block)
-        if @body.is_a?(String)
-          yield @body
-        elsif @body.respond_to?(:read)
-          IO.copy_stream(@body, ProcIO.new(block))
-        elsif @body.is_a?(Enumerable)
-          @body.each(&block)
+        if @source.is_a?(String)
+          yield @source
+        elsif @source.respond_to?(:read)
+          IO.copy_stream(@source, ProcIO.new(block))
+        elsif @source.is_a?(Enumerable)
+          @source.each(&block)
         end
       end
 
+      # Request bodies are equivalent when they have the same source.
+      def ==(other)
+        self.class == other.class && self.source == other.source # rubocop:disable Style/RedundantSelf
+      end
+
       private
 
-      def validate_body_type!
-        return if @body.is_a?(String)
-        return if @body.respond_to?(:read)
-        return if @body.is_a?(Enumerable)
-        return if @body.nil?
+      def validate_source_type!
+        return if @source.is_a?(String)
+        return if @source.respond_to?(:read)
+        return if @source.is_a?(Enumerable)
+        return if @source.nil?
 
-        raise RequestError, "body of wrong type: #{@body.class}"
+        raise RequestError, "body of wrong type: #{@source.class}"
       end
 
       # This class provides a "writable IO" wrapper around a proc object, with
diff --git a/spec/lib/http/request/body_spec.rb b/spec/lib/http/request/body_spec.rb
index 020e34b4..3616ba29 100644
--- a/spec/lib/http/request/body_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/http/request/body_spec.rb
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe "#source" do
+    it "returns the original object" do
+      expect(subject.source).to eq ""
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#size" do
     context "when body is nil" do
       let(:body) { nil }
@@ -135,4 +141,33 @@
       end
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#==" do
+    context "when sources are equivalent" do
+      let(:body1) { HTTP::Request::Body.new("content") }
+      let(:body2) { HTTP::Request::Body.new("content") }
+
+      it "returns true" do
+        expect(body1).to eq body2
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when sources are not equivalent" do
+      let(:body1) { HTTP::Request::Body.new("content") }
+      let(:body2) { HTTP::Request::Body.new(nil) }
+
+      it "returns false" do
+        expect(body1).not_to eq body2
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when objects are not of the same class" do
+      let(:body1) { HTTP::Request::Body.new("content") }
+      let(:body2) { "content" }
+
+      it "returns false" do
+        expect(body1).not_to eq body2
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end