diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 895311c..a874b60 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -60,5 +60,6 @@ var sepiaUtil = require('./src/util');
 module.exports.filter = sepiaUtil.addFilter;
 module.exports.fixtureDir = sepiaUtil.setFixtureDir;
 module.exports.configure = sepiaUtil.configure;
+module.exports.disableGzip = sepiaUtil.disableGzip;
 module.exports.withSepiaServer = withSepiaServer;
 module.exports.shutdown = shutdown;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cec7fd8..59de83d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "sepia",
   "author": "Avik Das <avik.das@berkeley.edu>",
-  "version": "2.0.1",
+  "version": "2.0.4",
   "description": "A VCR-like module that records HTTP interactions and plays them back for speed and reliability",
   "keywords": [
     "http",
diff --git a/src/cache.js b/src/cache.js
index b9f9522..ad7a6b5 100644
--- a/src/cache.js
+++ b/src/cache.js
@@ -52,6 +52,23 @@ module.exports.configure = function(mode) {
 
   protocolModule.request = function(options, callback) {
     var reqUrl = sepiaUtil.urlFromHttpRequestOptions(options, protocol);
+    var forceLive = sepiaUtil.shouldForceLive(reqUrl);
+
+    if (forceLive) {
+      // Just pass thru live requests
+      // websocket connections fail if we proxy
+      return oldRequest.apply(this, arguments);
+    }
+
+    // Remove any gzip headers
+    if (sepiaUtil.gzipDisabled()) {
+      if (options.headers && options.headers['accept-encoding']) {
+        var gzipHeaders = ['gzip,deflate'];
+        options.headers['accept-encoding'] = options.headers['accept-encoding']
+          .filter((h) => !gzipHeaders.includes(h));
+      }
+    }
+
     var reqBody = [];
     var debug = sepiaUtil.shouldFindMatchingFixtures();
 
@@ -81,8 +98,6 @@ module.exports.configure = function(mode) {
 
       options.headers = sepiaUtil.removeInternalHeaders(options.headers);
 
-      var forceLive = sepiaUtil.shouldForceLive(reqUrl);
-
       // Only called if either the fixture with the constructed filename
       // exists, or we're playing back passed in data.
       function playback(resHeaders, resBody) {
@@ -181,10 +196,12 @@ module.exports.configure = function(mode) {
         var timeLength = Date.now() - startTime;
         headers.url = reqUrl;
         headers.time = timeLength;
-        headers.request = {
-          method: options.method,
-          headers: options.headers
-        };
+        // Do not include the request in the header file
+        // it's not used and there is a separate debug option for this
+        // headers.request = {
+        //   method: options.method,
+        //   headers: sepiaUtil.parseHeaderNames(options.headers)
+        // };
 
         fs.writeFileSync(filename + '.headers',
           JSON.stringify(headers, null, 2));
diff --git a/src/util.js b/src/util.js
index 34ac2bc..69ea328 100644
--- a/src/util.js
+++ b/src/util.js
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ function reset() {
   // These test options are set via an HTTP request to the embedded HTTP server
   // provided by sepia. The options are reset each time any of them are set.
   globalOptions.testOptions = {};
+
+  // Strip out gzip headers so plain text is provided
+  globalOptions.doNotGzip = false;
 }
 
 // automatically reset the state of the module when 'required'.
@@ -91,6 +94,10 @@ function configure(options) {
   if (options.debug != null) {
     globalOptions.debug = options.debug;
   }
+
+  if (options.doNotGzip != null) {
+    globalOptions.doNotGzip = options.doNotGzip;
+  }
 }
 
 // This is a commonly-used option, and thus, it should have its own function to
@@ -99,6 +106,14 @@ function setFixtureDir(fixtureDir) {
   globalOptions.filenamePrefix = fixtureDir;
 }
 
+function disableGzip() {
+  globalOptions.doNotGzip = true;
+}
+
+function gzipDisabled() {
+  return globalOptions.doNotGzip;
+}
+
 function setTestOptions(options) {
   globalOptions.testOptions = {};
   globalOptions.testOptions.testName = options.testName;
@@ -431,6 +446,8 @@ module.exports.reset = reset;
 module.exports.configure = configure;
 module.exports.setFixtureDir = setFixtureDir;
 module.exports.setTestOptions = setTestOptions;
+module.exports.disableGzip = disableGzip;
+module.exports.gzipDisabled = gzipDisabled;
 module.exports.addFilter = addFilter;
 module.exports.constructFilename = constructFilename;
 module.exports.urlFromHttpRequestOptions = urlFromHttpRequestOptions;