diff --git a/http-internal.h b/http-internal.h
index fe14a230..d25753bb 100644
--- a/http-internal.h
+++ b/http-internal.h
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ struct evhttp {
 
 	size_t default_max_headers_size;
 	ev_uint64_t default_max_body_size;
+	const char *default_content_type;
 
 	/* Bitmask of all HTTP methods that we accept and pass to user
 	 * callbacks. */
diff --git a/http.c b/http.c
index 4452d31b..5eb91dfe 100644
--- a/http.c
+++ b/http.c
@@ -552,9 +552,11 @@ evhttp_make_header_response(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,
 	/* Potentially add headers for unidentified content. */
 	if (evhttp_response_needs_body(req)) {
 		if (evhttp_find_header(req->output_headers,
-			"Content-Type") == NULL) {
+			"Content-Type") == NULL
+		 && evcon->http_server->default_content_type) {
 			evhttp_add_header(req->output_headers,
-			    "Content-Type", "text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1");
+			    "Content-Type",
+				evcon->http_server->default_content_type);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -3389,6 +3391,7 @@ evhttp_new_object(void)
 	evutil_timerclear(&http->timeout);
 	evhttp_set_max_headers_size(http, EV_SIZE_MAX);
 	evhttp_set_max_body_size(http, EV_SIZE_MAX);
+	evhttp_set_default_content_type(http, "text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1");
 	evhttp_set_allowed_methods(http,
 	    EVHTTP_REQ_GET |
 	    EVHTTP_REQ_POST |
@@ -3595,6 +3598,12 @@ evhttp_set_max_body_size(struct evhttp* http, ev_ssize_t max_body_size)
 		http->default_max_body_size = max_body_size;
 }
 
+void
+evhttp_set_default_content_type(struct evhttp *http,
+	const char *content_type) {
+	http->default_content_type = content_type;
+}
+
 void
 evhttp_set_allowed_methods(struct evhttp* http, ev_uint16_t methods)
 {
diff --git a/include/event2/http.h b/include/event2/http.h
index 0db75ed4..cf44941d 100644
--- a/include/event2/http.h
+++ b/include/event2/http.h
@@ -206,6 +206,17 @@ void evhttp_set_max_headers_size(struct evhttp* http, ev_ssize_t max_headers_siz
 /** XXX Document. */
 void evhttp_set_max_body_size(struct evhttp* http, ev_ssize_t max_body_size);
 
+/**
+  Set the value to use for the Content-Type header when none was provided. If
+  the content type string is NULL, the Content-Type header will not be
+  automatically added.
+
+  @param http the http server on which to set the default content type
+  @param content_type the value for the Content-Type header
+*/
+void evhttp_set_default_content_type(struct evhttp *http,
+	const char *content_type);
+
 /**
   Sets the what HTTP methods are supported in requests accepted by this
   server, and passed to user callbacks.