diff --git a/http-internal.h b/http-internal.h
index 94059065..2d0ae8fc 100644
--- a/http-internal.h
+++ b/http-internal.h
@@ -215,6 +215,9 @@ void evhttp_start_write_(struct evhttp_connection *);
 void evhttp_response_code_(struct evhttp_request *, int, const char *);
 void evhttp_send_page_(struct evhttp_request *, struct evbuffer *);
 
+/* [] has been stripped */
+#define _EVHTTP_URI_HOST_HAS_BRACKETS 0x02
+
 EVENT2_EXPORT_SYMBOL
 int evhttp_decode_uri_internal(const char *uri, size_t length,
     char *ret, int decode_plus);
diff --git a/http.c b/http.c
index 8afb3600..45441f22 100644
--- a/http.c
+++ b/http.c
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ extern int debug;
 static evutil_socket_t create_bind_socket_nonblock(struct evutil_addrinfo *, int reuse);
 static evutil_socket_t bind_socket(const char *, ev_uint16_t, int reuse);
 static void name_from_addr(struct sockaddr *, ev_socklen_t, char **, char **);
-static struct evhttp_uri *evhttp_uri_parse_authority(char *source_uri);
+static struct evhttp_uri *evhttp_uri_parse_authority(char *source_uri, unsigned flags);
 static int evhttp_associate_new_request_with_connection(
 	struct evhttp_connection *evcon);
 static void evhttp_connection_start_detectclose(
@@ -2055,7 +2055,7 @@ evhttp_parse_request_line(struct evhttp_request *req, char *line, size_t len)
 	}
 
 	if (type == EVHTTP_REQ_CONNECT) {
-		if ((req->uri_elems = evhttp_uri_parse_authority(req->uri)) == NULL) {
+		if ((req->uri_elems = evhttp_uri_parse_authority(req->uri, 0)) == NULL) {
 			return -1;
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -4910,9 +4910,11 @@ bracket_addr_ok(const char *s, const char *eos)
 }
 
 static int
-parse_authority(struct evhttp_uri *uri, char *s, char *eos)
+parse_authority(struct evhttp_uri *uri, char *s, char *eos, unsigned *flags)
 {
+	size_t len;
 	char *cp, *port;
+
 	EVUTIL_ASSERT(eos);
 	if (eos == s) {
 		uri->host = mm_strdup("");
@@ -4952,22 +4954,31 @@ parse_authority(struct evhttp_uri *uri, char *s, char *eos)
 	/* Now, cp..eos holds the "host" port, which can be an IPv4Address,
 	 * an IP-Literal, or a reg-name */
 	EVUTIL_ASSERT(eos >= cp);
+	len = eos-cp;
 	if (*cp == '[' && eos >= cp+2 && *(eos-1) == ']') {
 		/* IPv6address, IP-Literal, or junk. */
 		if (! bracket_addr_ok(cp, eos))
 			return -1;
+		if (*flags & EVHTTP_URI_HOST_STRIP_BRACKETS)
+			len = eos-cp-2;
 	} else {
 		/* Make sure the host part is ok. */
 		if (! regname_ok(cp,eos)) /* Match IPv4Address or reg-name */
 			return -1;
 	}
-	uri->host = mm_malloc(eos-cp+1);
+
+	uri->host = mm_malloc(len+1);
 	if (uri->host == NULL) {
 		event_warn("%s: malloc", __func__);
 		return -1;
 	}
-	memcpy(uri->host, cp, eos-cp);
-	uri->host[eos-cp] = '\0';
+	if (*cp == '[' && *flags & EVHTTP_URI_HOST_STRIP_BRACKETS) {
+		memcpy(uri->host, cp+1, len);
+		*flags |= _EVHTTP_URI_HOST_HAS_BRACKETS;
+	} else {
+		memcpy(uri->host, cp, len);
+	}
+	uri->host[len] = '\0';
 	return 0;
 
 }
@@ -5103,7 +5114,7 @@ evhttp_uri_parse_with_flags(const char *source_uri, unsigned flags)
 		readp += 2;
 		authority = readp;
 		path = end_of_authority(readp);
-		if (parse_authority(uri, authority, path) < 0)
+		if (parse_authority(uri, authority, path, &uri->flags) < 0)
 			goto err;
 		readp = path;
 		got_authority = 1;
@@ -5182,7 +5193,7 @@ err:
 }
 
 static struct evhttp_uri *
-evhttp_uri_parse_authority(char *source_uri)
+evhttp_uri_parse_authority(char *source_uri, unsigned flags)
 {
 	struct evhttp_uri *uri = mm_calloc(1, sizeof(struct evhttp_uri));
 	char *end;
@@ -5192,10 +5203,10 @@ evhttp_uri_parse_authority(char *source_uri)
 		goto err;
 	}
 	uri->port = -1;
-	uri->flags = 0;
+	uri->flags = flags;
 
 	end = end_of_authority(source_uri);
-	if (parse_authority(uri, source_uri, end) < 0)
+	if (parse_authority(uri, source_uri, end, &uri->flags) < 0)
 		goto err;
 
 	uri->path = mm_strdup("");
@@ -5254,7 +5265,13 @@ evhttp_uri_join(struct evhttp_uri *uri, char *buf, size_t limit)
 		evbuffer_add(tmp, "//", 2);
 		if (uri->userinfo)
 			evbuffer_add_printf(tmp,"%s@", uri->userinfo);
-		URI_ADD_(host);
+		if (uri->flags & _EVHTTP_URI_HOST_HAS_BRACKETS) {
+			evbuffer_add(tmp, "[", 1);
+			URI_ADD_(host);
+			evbuffer_add(tmp, "]", 1);
+		} else {
+			URI_ADD_(host);
+		}
 		if (uri->port >= 0)
 			evbuffer_add_printf(tmp,":%d", uri->port);
 
@@ -5284,7 +5301,7 @@ evhttp_uri_join(struct evhttp_uri *uri, char *buf, size_t limit)
 		evbuffer_free(tmp);
 		return NULL;
 	}
-       	evbuffer_remove(tmp, buf, joined_size);
+	evbuffer_remove(tmp, buf, joined_size);
 
 	output = buf;
 err:
@@ -5363,17 +5380,39 @@ evhttp_uri_set_userinfo(struct evhttp_uri *uri, const char *userinfo)
 int
 evhttp_uri_set_host(struct evhttp_uri *uri, const char *host)
 {
+	size_t len = 0;
+
 	if (host) {
+		len = strlen(host);
+
 		if (host[0] == '[') {
-			if (! bracket_addr_ok(host, host+strlen(host)))
+			if (! bracket_addr_ok(host, host+len))
 				return -1;
 		} else {
-			if (! regname_ok(host, host+strlen(host)))
+			if (! regname_ok(host, host+len))
 				return -1;
 		}
 	}
 
-	URI_SET_STR_(host);
+	if (host && host[0] == '[' && uri->flags & EVHTTP_URI_HOST_STRIP_BRACKETS) {
+		char *new_host;
+
+		len -= 2;
+		new_host = mm_realloc(uri->host, len+1);
+		if (!new_host) {
+			free(uri->host);
+			uri->host = NULL;
+		} else {
+			memcpy(new_host, host+1, len);
+			new_host[len] = '\0';
+			uri->host = new_host;
+		}
+		uri->flags |= _EVHTTP_URI_HOST_HAS_BRACKETS;
+	} else {
+		URI_SET_STR_(host);
+		uri->flags &= ~_EVHTTP_URI_HOST_HAS_BRACKETS;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 int
diff --git a/include/event2/http.h b/include/event2/http.h
index aef8a45b..d32bd0b3 100644
--- a/include/event2/http.h
+++ b/include/event2/http.h
@@ -1378,6 +1378,15 @@ struct evhttp_uri *evhttp_uri_parse_with_flags(const char *source_uri,
  * </ul>
  */
 #define EVHTTP_URI_NONCONFORMANT 0x01
+/**
+ * Strip brackets from the IPv6 address and only for evhttp_uri_get_host(),
+ * evhttp_uri_join() returns the host with brackets.
+ *
+ * Thus you can use host part of the evhttp_uri for getaddrinfo().
+ *
+ * @see also _EVHTTP_URI_HOST_HAS_BRACKETS
+ */
+#define EVHTTP_URI_HOST_STRIP_BRACKETS 0x04
 
 /** Alias for evhttp_uri_parse_with_flags(source_uri, 0) */
 EVENT2_EXPORT_SYMBOL
diff --git a/sample/http-server.c b/sample/http-server.c
index cf928437..b006891e 100644
--- a/sample/http-server.c
+++ b/sample/http-server.c
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ struct options {
 
 	int unlink;
 	const char *unixsock;
+	const char *bind;
 	const char *docroot;
 };
 
@@ -351,6 +352,7 @@ print_usage(FILE *out, const char *prog, int exit_code)
 		"Syntax: %s [ OPTS ] <docroot>\n"
 		" -p      - port\n"
 		" -U      - bind to unix socket\n"
+		" -H      - address to bind (default: 0.0.0.0)\n"
 		" -u      - unlink unix socket before bind\n"
 		" -I      - IOCP\n"
 		" -m      - max body size\n"
@@ -365,7 +367,7 @@ parse_opts(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	memset(&o, 0, sizeof(o));
 
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "hp:U:m:uIv")) != -1) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "hp:U:m:uIvH:")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
 			case 'p': o.port = atoi(optarg); break;
 			case 'U': o.unixsock = optarg; break;
@@ -373,6 +375,7 @@ parse_opts(int argc, char **argv)
 			case 'I': o.iocp = 1; break;
 			case 'm': o.max_body_size = atoi(optarg); break;
 			case 'v': ++o.verbose; break;
+			case 'H': o.bind = optarg; break;
 			case 'h': print_usage(stdout, argv[0], 0); break;
 			default : fprintf(stderr, "Unknown option %c\n", opt); break;
 		}
@@ -548,9 +551,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 #endif /* EVENT__HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_UN */
 	}
 	else {
-		handle = evhttp_bind_socket_with_handle(http, "0.0.0.0", o.port);
+		handle = evhttp_bind_socket_with_handle(http, o.bind, o.port);
 		if (!handle) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "couldn't bind to port %d. Exiting.\n", o.port);
+			fprintf(stderr, "couldn't bind to %s:%d. Exiting.\n", o.bind, o.port);
 			ret = 1;
 			goto err;
 		}
diff --git a/sample/https-client.c b/sample/https-client.c
index bfb405e0..733655fb 100644
--- a/sample/https-client.c
+++ b/sample/https-client.c
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@
 #endif
 
 static int ignore_cert = 0;
+static int ipv6 = 0;
+static int ipv4 = 0;
 
 static void
 http_request_done(struct evhttp_request *req, void *ctx)
@@ -110,7 +112,7 @@ static void
 syntax(void)
 {
 	fputs("Syntax:\n", stderr);
-	fputs("   https-client -url <https-url> [-data data-file.bin] [-ignore-cert] [-retries num] [-timeout sec] [-crt crt]\n", stderr);
+	fputs("   https-client -url <https-url> [-data data-file.bin] [-ignore-cert] [-4] [-6] [-retries num] [-timeout sec] [-crt crt]\n", stderr);
 	fputs("Example:\n", stderr);
 	fputs("   https-client -url https://ip.appspot.com/\n", stderr);
 }
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ add_cert_for_store(X509_STORE *store, const char *name)
 
 	sys_store = CertOpenSystemStore(0, name);
 	if (!sys_store) {
-		err("failed to open system certificate store");
+		err("failed to open system certificate store\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
 	while ((ctx = CertEnumCertificatesInStore(sys_store, ctx))) {
@@ -305,6 +307,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			}
 		} else if (!strcmp("-ignore-cert", argv[i])) {
 			ignore_cert = 1;
+		} else if (!strcmp("-4", argv[i])) {
+			ipv4 = 1;
+		} else if (!strcmp("-6", argv[i])) {
+			ipv6 = 1;
 		} else if (!strcmp("-data", argv[i])) {
 			if (i < argc - 1) {
 				data_file = argv[i + 1];
@@ -355,20 +361,20 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	http_uri = evhttp_uri_parse(url);
 	if (http_uri == NULL) {
-		err("malformed url");
+		err("malformed url\n");
 		goto error;
 	}
 
 	scheme = evhttp_uri_get_scheme(http_uri);
 	if (scheme == NULL || (strcasecmp(scheme, "https") != 0 &&
 	                       strcasecmp(scheme, "http") != 0)) {
-		err("url must be http or https");
+		err("url must be http or https\n");
 		goto error;
 	}
 
 	host = evhttp_uri_get_host(http_uri);
 	if (host == NULL) {
-		err("url must have a host");
+		err("url must have a host\n");
 		goto error;
 	}
 
@@ -542,6 +548,13 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
+	if (ipv4) {
+		evhttp_connection_set_family(evcon, AF_INET);
+	}
+	if (ipv6) {
+		evhttp_connection_set_family(evcon, AF_INET6);
+	}
+
 	if (retries > 0) {
 		evhttp_connection_set_retries(evcon, retries);
 	}
diff --git a/test/regress_http.c b/test/regress_http.c
index b952ff47..959fcc28 100644
--- a/test/regress_http.c
+++ b/test/regress_http.c
@@ -2835,6 +2835,8 @@ http_parse_uri_test(void *ptr)
 	    nonconform ? EVHTTP_URI_NONCONFORMANT : 0;
 	struct evhttp_uri *uri = NULL;
 	char url_tmp[4096];
+#define URI_PARSE_FLAGS(uri, flags) \
+	evhttp_uri_parse_with_flags((uri), flags)
 #define URI_PARSE(uri) \
 	evhttp_uri_parse_with_flags((uri), parse_flags)
 
@@ -3205,6 +3207,29 @@ http_parse_uri_test(void *ptr)
 	tt_want(strcmp(evhttp_uri_get_fragment(uri), "fr?ed") == 0);
 	TT_URI("#fr?ed");
 	evhttp_uri_free(uri);
+
+	// EVHTTP_URI_HOST_STRIP_BRACKETS
+	uri = URI_PARSE_FLAGS("ftp://[ff00::127.0.0.1]/?q=test", EVHTTP_URI_HOST_STRIP_BRACKETS);
+	tt_want(strcmp(evhttp_uri_get_scheme(uri), "ftp") == 0);
+	tt_want(strcmp(evhttp_uri_get_host(uri), "ff00::127.0.0.1") == 0);
+	tt_want(strcmp(evhttp_uri_get_path(uri), "/") == 0);
+	tt_want(strcmp(evhttp_uri_get_query(uri), "q=test") == 0);
+	tt_want(evhttp_uri_get_userinfo(uri) == NULL);
+	tt_want(evhttp_uri_get_port(uri) == -1);
+	tt_want(evhttp_uri_get_fragment(uri) == NULL);
+	TT_URI("ftp://[ff00::127.0.0.1]/?q=test");
+
+	tt_want(0 == evhttp_uri_set_host(uri, "foo"));
+	tt_want(strcmp(evhttp_uri_get_host(uri), "foo") == 0);
+	TT_URI("ftp://foo/?q=test");
+
+	tt_want(0 == evhttp_uri_set_host(uri, "[ff00::127.0.0.1]"));
+	tt_want(strcmp(evhttp_uri_get_host(uri), "ff00::127.0.0.1") == 0);
+	TT_URI("ftp://[ff00::127.0.0.1]/?q=test");
+
+	evhttp_uri_free(uri);
+
+#undef URI_PARSE_FLAGS
 #undef URI_PARSE
 #undef TT_URI
 #undef BAD