diff --git a/src/hackney_request.erl b/src/hackney_request.erl
index b484ae4a..e6fc4f6e 100644
--- a/src/hackney_request.erl
+++ b/src/hackney_request.erl
@@ -86,8 +86,14 @@ perform(Client0, {Method0, Path0, Headers0, Body0}) ->
   %% get expect headers
   Expect = expectation(Headers2),
 
+  %% convert iolist body to binary
+  Body1 = case is_list(Body0) of
+    true -> iolist_to_binary(Body0);
+    false -> Body0
+  end,
+
   %% build headers with the body.
-  {FinalHeaders, ReqType, Body, Client1} = case Body0 of
+  {FinalHeaders, ReqType, Body, Client1} = case Body1 of
                                             stream ->
                                                {Headers2, ReqType0, stream, Client0};
                                             stream_multipart ->
@@ -98,15 +104,11 @@ perform(Client0, {Method0, Path0, Headers0, Body0}) ->
                                               handle_multipart_body(Headers2, ReqType0,
                                                                     Size, Boundary, Client0);
                                             <<>> when Method =:= <<"POST">> orelse Method =:= <<"PUT">> ->
-                                              handle_body(Headers2, ReqType0, Body0, Client0);
-                                            [] when Method =:= <<"POST">> orelse Method =:= <<"PUT">> ->
-                                              handle_body(Headers2, ReqType0, Body0, Client0);
+                                              handle_body(Headers2, ReqType0, Body1, Client0);
                                             <<>> ->
-                                              {Headers2, ReqType0, Body0, Client0};
-                                            [] ->
-                                              {Headers2, ReqType0, Body0, Client0};
+                                              {Headers2, ReqType0, Body1, Client0};
                                             _ ->
-                                              handle_body(Headers2, ReqType0, Body0, Client0)
+                                              handle_body(Headers2, ReqType0, Body1, Client0)
                                           end,
 
   %% build final client record
@@ -370,13 +372,6 @@ handle_body(Headers, ReqType0, Body0, Client) ->
                             S = hackney_headers_new:get_value(<<"content-length">>, Headers),
                             {S, CT, Body0};
 
-                          _ when is_list(Body0) -> % iolist case
-                            Body1 = iolist_to_binary(Body0),
-                            S = erlang:byte_size(Body1),
-                            CT = hackney_headers_new:get_value(
-                                   <<"content-type">>, Headers, <<"application/octet-stream">>
-                                  ),
-                            {S, CT, Body1};
                           _ when is_binary(Body0) ->
                             S = erlang:byte_size(Body0),
                             CT = hackney_headers_new:get_value(
diff --git a/test/hackney_integration_tests.erl b/test/hackney_integration_tests.erl
index 00bac33c..aa6e151d 100644
--- a/test/hackney_integration_tests.erl
+++ b/test/hackney_integration_tests.erl
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ all_tests() ->
   % fun relative_redirect_request_no_follow/0,
    fun relative_redirect_request_follow/0,
    fun test_duplicate_headers/0,
+   fun test_post_includes_content_headers_with_body/0,
+   fun test_post_includes_content_headers_with_empty_body/0,
+   fun test_get_includes_content_headers_with_body/0,
+   fun test_get_excludes_content_headers_with_empty_body/0,
    fun test_custom_host_headers/0,
    fun async_request/0,
    fun async_head_request/0,
@@ -186,6 +190,48 @@ test_custom_host_headers() ->
   ReqHeaders = proplists:get_value(<<"headers">>, Obj),
   ?assertEqual(<<"myhost.com">>, proplists:get_value(<<"Host">>, ReqHeaders)).
 
+test_post_includes_content_headers_with_body() ->
+    URL = <<"http://localhost:8000/post">>,
+    Body = <<"{\"test\": \"ok\" }">>,
+    Options = [with_body],
+    {ok, 200, _H, JsonBody} = hackney:post(URL, [], Body, Options),
+    Obj = jsone:decode(JsonBody, [{object_format, proplist}]),
+    ReqHeaders = proplists:get_value(<<"headers">>, Obj),
+    ?assertEqual(<<"15">>, proplists:get_value(<<"Content-Length">>, ReqHeaders)),
+    ?assertEqual(<<"application/octet-stream">>, proplists:get_value(<<"Content-Type">>, ReqHeaders)).
+
+test_post_includes_content_headers_with_empty_body() ->
+    URL = <<"http://localhost:8000/post">>,
+    Body = <<>>,
+    Options = [with_body],
+    {ok, 200, _H, JsonBody} = hackney:post(URL, [], Body, Options),
+    Obj = jsone:decode(JsonBody, [{object_format, proplist}]),
+    ReqHeaders = proplists:get_value(<<"headers">>, Obj),
+    ?assertEqual(<<"0">>, proplists:get_value(<<"Content-Length">>, ReqHeaders)),
+    ?assertEqual(<<"application/octet-stream">>, proplists:get_value(<<"Content-Type">>, ReqHeaders)).
+
+test_get_includes_content_headers_with_body() ->
+    URL = <<"http://localhost:8000/get">>,
+    Body = <<"{\"test\": \"ok\" }">>,
+    Options = [with_body],
+    {ok, 200, _H, JsonBody} = hackney:get(URL, [], Body, Options),
+    Obj = jsone:decode(JsonBody, [{object_format, proplist}]),
+    ReqHeaders = proplists:get_value(<<"headers">>, Obj),
+    ?assertEqual(<<"15">>, proplists:get_value(<<"Content-Length">>, ReqHeaders)),
+    ?assertEqual(<<"application/octet-stream">>, proplists:get_value(<<"Content-Type">>, ReqHeaders)).
+
+test_get_excludes_content_headers_with_empty_body() ->
+    URL = <<"http://localhost:8000/get">>,
+    EmptyBodies = [<<>>, [], [<<>>]],
+    Options = [with_body],
+    lists:foreach(fun(Body) ->
+        {ok, 200, _H, JsonBody} = hackney:get(URL, [], Body, Options),
+        Obj = jsone:decode(JsonBody, [{object_format, proplist}]),
+        ReqHeaders = proplists:get_value(<<"headers">>, Obj),
+        ?assertEqual(undefined, proplists:get_value(<<"Content-Type">>, ReqHeaders)),
+        ?assertEqual(undefined, proplists:get_value(<<"Content-Length">>, ReqHeaders))
+    end, EmptyBodies).
+
 test_frees_manager_ets_when_body_is_in_client() ->
     URL = <<"http://localhost:8000/get">>,
     BeforeCount = ets:info(hackney_manager_refs, size),