diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 60366874..62648465 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ WebSocket
 * stream tidying
 * Add rd_close_ to websocket stream state
 * stream uses flat_buffer
+* accept requires a message
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/include/beast/websocket/impl/accept.ipp b/include/beast/websocket/impl/accept.ipp
index 892dcffa..6702364f 100644
--- a/include/beast/websocket/impl/accept.ipp
+++ b/include/beast/websocket/impl/accept.ipp
@@ -42,24 +42,22 @@ class stream<NextLayer>::response_op
         response_type res;
         int state = 0;
 
-        template<class Allocator, class Decorator>
-        data(Handler&, stream<NextLayer>& ws_, http::header<
-            true, http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
-                Decorator const& decorator,
-                    bool cont_)
+        template<class Body, class Allocator, class Decorator>
+        data(Handler&, stream<NextLayer>& ws_, http::request<
+            Body, http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
+                Decorator const& decorator, bool cont_)
             : cont(cont_)
             , ws(ws_)
             , res(ws_.build_response(req, decorator))
         {
         }
 
-        template<class Allocator,
+        template<class Body, class Allocator,
             class Buffers, class Decorator>
-        data(Handler&, stream<NextLayer>& ws_, http::header<
-            true, http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
-                Buffers const& buffers,
-                    Decorator const& decorator,
-                        bool cont_)
+        data(Handler&, stream<NextLayer>& ws_, http::request<
+            Body, http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
+                Buffers const& buffers, Decorator const& decorator,
+                    bool cont_)
             : cont(cont_)
             , ws(ws_)
             , res(ws_.build_response(req, decorator))
@@ -443,10 +441,10 @@ accept_ex(ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator>
+template<class Body, class Allocator>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-accept(http::header<true,
+accept(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req)
 {
     static_assert(is_sync_stream<next_layer_type>::value,
@@ -458,10 +456,11 @@ accept(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator, class ResponseDecorator>
+template<class Body,
+    class Allocator, class ResponseDecorator>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-accept_ex(http::header<true,
+accept_ex(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
     ResponseDecorator const& decorator)
 {
@@ -477,10 +476,10 @@ accept_ex(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator>
+template<class Body, class Allocator>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-accept(http::header<true,
+accept(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         error_code& ec)
 {
@@ -491,10 +490,11 @@ accept(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator, class ResponseDecorator>
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
+    class ResponseDecorator>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-accept_ex(http::header<true,
+accept_ex(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         ResponseDecorator const& decorator, error_code& ec)
 {
@@ -508,10 +508,11 @@ accept_ex(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator, class ConstBufferSequence>
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
+    class ConstBufferSequence>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-accept(http::header<true,
+accept(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         ConstBufferSequence const& buffers)
 {
@@ -527,11 +528,11 @@ accept(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator,
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
     class ConstBufferSequence, class ResponseDecorator>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-accept_ex(http::header<true,
+accept_ex(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
             ResponseDecorator const& decorator)
@@ -551,11 +552,12 @@ accept_ex(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator, class ConstBufferSequence>
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
+    class ConstBufferSequence>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-accept(http::header<true,
-    Allocator> const& req,
+accept(http::request<Body,
+    http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         ConstBufferSequence const& buffers, error_code& ec)
 {
     static_assert(is_sync_stream<next_layer_type>::value,
@@ -573,11 +575,11 @@ accept(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator,
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
     class ConstBufferSequence, class ResponseDecorator>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-accept_ex(http::header<true,
+accept_ex(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
             ResponseDecorator const& decorator,
@@ -696,11 +698,12 @@ async_accept_ex(ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator, class AcceptHandler>
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
+    class AcceptHandler>
 async_return_type<
     AcceptHandler, void(error_code)>
 stream<NextLayer>::
-async_accept(http::header<true,
+async_accept(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         AcceptHandler&& handler)
 {
@@ -719,12 +722,12 @@ async_accept(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator,
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
     class ResponseDecorator, class AcceptHandler>
 async_return_type<
     AcceptHandler, void(error_code)>
 stream<NextLayer>::
-async_accept_ex(http::header<true,
+async_accept_ex(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         ResponseDecorator const& decorator, AcceptHandler&& handler)
 {
@@ -746,12 +749,12 @@ async_accept_ex(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator,
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
     class ConstBufferSequence, class AcceptHandler>
 async_return_type<
     AcceptHandler, void(error_code)>
 stream<NextLayer>::
-async_accept(http::header<true,
+async_accept(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
             AcceptHandler&& handler)
@@ -774,12 +777,13 @@ async_accept(http::header<true,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator, class ConstBufferSequence,
-    class ResponseDecorator, class AcceptHandler>
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
+    class ConstBufferSequence, class ResponseDecorator,
+        class AcceptHandler>
 async_return_type<
     AcceptHandler, void(error_code)>
 stream<NextLayer>::
-async_accept_ex(http::header<true,
+async_accept_ex(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
             ResponseDecorator const& decorator,
diff --git a/include/beast/websocket/impl/stream.ipp b/include/beast/websocket/impl/stream.ipp
index 03a00258..286b7e9a 100644
--- a/include/beast/websocket/impl/stream.ipp
+++ b/include/beast/websocket/impl/stream.ipp
@@ -501,10 +501,10 @@ build_request(detail::sec_ws_key_type& key,
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator, class Decorator>
+template<class Body, class Allocator, class Decorator>
 response_type
 stream<NextLayer>::
-build_response(http::header<true,
+build_response(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         Decorator const& decorator)
 {
@@ -598,10 +598,11 @@ do_accept(
 }
 
 template<class NextLayer>
-template<class Allocator, class Decorator>
+template<class Body, class Allocator,
+    class Decorator>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-do_accept(http::header<true,
+do_accept(http::request<Body,
     http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
         Decorator const& decorator, error_code& ec)
 {
@@ -652,7 +653,7 @@ do_handshake(response_type* res_p,
 template<class NextLayer>
 void
 stream<NextLayer>::
-do_response(http::header<false> const& res,
+do_response(response_type const& res,
     detail::sec_ws_key_type const& key, error_code& ec)
 {
     bool const success = [&]()
diff --git a/include/beast/websocket/stream.hpp b/include/beast/websocket/stream.hpp
index 5d39b6cc..70864135 100644
--- a/include/beast/websocket/stream.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/websocket/stream.hpp
@@ -999,9 +999,10 @@ public:
 
         @throws system_error Thrown on failure.
     */
-    template<class Allocator>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator>
     void
-    accept(http::header<true, http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req);
+    accept(http::request<Body,
+        http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req);
 
     /** Respond to a WebSocket HTTP Upgrade request
 
@@ -1040,9 +1041,10 @@ public:
 
         @throws system_error Thrown on failure.
     */
-    template<class Allocator, class ResponseDecorator>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
+        class ResponseDecorator>
     void
-    accept_ex(http::header<true,
+    accept_ex(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             ResponseDecorator const& decorator);
 
@@ -1074,10 +1076,11 @@ public:
 
         @param ec Set to indicate what error occurred, if any.
     */
-    template<class Allocator>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator>
     void
-    accept(http::header<true, http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
-        error_code& ec);
+    accept(http::request<Body,
+        http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
+            error_code& ec);
 
     /** Respond to a WebSocket HTTP Upgrade request
 
@@ -1116,9 +1119,10 @@ public:
 
         @param ec Set to indicate what error occurred, if any.
     */
-    template<class Allocator, class ResponseDecorator>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
+        class ResponseDecorator>
     void
-    accept_ex(http::header<true,
+    accept_ex(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             ResponseDecorator const& decorator,
                 error_code& ec);
@@ -1156,10 +1160,12 @@ public:
 
         @throws system_error Thrown on failure.
     */
-    template<class Allocator, class ConstBufferSequence>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
+        class ConstBufferSequence>
     void
-    accept(http::header<true, http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
-        ConstBufferSequence const& buffers);
+    accept(http::request<Body,
+        http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
+            ConstBufferSequence const& buffers);
 
     /** Respond to a WebSocket HTTP Upgrade request
 
@@ -1203,10 +1209,10 @@ public:
 
         @throws system_error Thrown on failure.
     */
-    template<class Allocator, class ConstBufferSequence,
-        class ResponseDecorator>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
+        class ConstBufferSequence, class ResponseDecorator>
     void
-    accept_ex(http::header<true,
+    accept_ex(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
                 ResponseDecorator const& decorator);
@@ -1244,10 +1250,13 @@ public:
 
         @param ec Set to indicate what error occurred, if any.
     */
-    template<class Allocator, class ConstBufferSequence>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
+        class ConstBufferSequence>
     void
-    accept(http::header<true, Allocator> const& req,
-        ConstBufferSequence const& buffers, error_code& ec);
+    accept(http::request<Body,
+        http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
+            ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
+                error_code& ec);
 
     /** Respond to a WebSocket HTTP Upgrade request
 
@@ -1291,10 +1300,10 @@ public:
 
         @param ec Set to indicate what error occurred, if any.
     */
-    template<class Allocator, class ConstBufferSequence,
-        class ResponseDecorator>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
+        class ConstBufferSequence, class ResponseDecorator>
     void
-    accept_ex(http::header<true,
+    accept_ex(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
                 ResponseDecorator const& decorator,
@@ -1580,14 +1589,15 @@ public:
         this function. Invocation of the handler will be performed in a
         manner equivalent to using `boost::asio::io_service::post`.
     */
-    template<class Allocator, class AcceptHandler>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
+        class AcceptHandler>
 #if BEAST_DOXYGEN
     void_or_deduced
 #else
     async_return_type<
         AcceptHandler, void(error_code)>
 #endif
-    async_accept(http::header<true,
+    async_accept(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             AcceptHandler&& handler);
 
@@ -1645,7 +1655,7 @@ public:
         this function. Invocation of the handler will be performed in a
         manner equivalent to using `boost::asio::io_service::post`.
     */
-    template<class Allocator,
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
         class ResponseDecorator, class AcceptHandler>
 #if BEAST_DOXYGEN
     void_or_deduced
@@ -1653,7 +1663,7 @@ public:
     async_return_type<
         AcceptHandler, void(error_code)>
 #endif
-    async_accept_ex(http::header<true,
+    async_accept_ex(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             ResponseDecorator const& decorator,
                 AcceptHandler&& handler);
@@ -1710,7 +1720,7 @@ public:
         this function. Invocation of the handler will be performed in a
         manner equivalent to using `boost::asio::io_service::post`.
     */
-    template<class Allocator,
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
         class ConstBufferSequence, class AcceptHandler>
 #if BEAST_DOXYGEN
     void_or_deduced
@@ -1718,7 +1728,7 @@ public:
     async_return_type<
         AcceptHandler, void(error_code)>
 #endif
-    async_accept(http::header<true,
+    async_accept(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
                 AcceptHandler&& handler);
@@ -1784,19 +1794,23 @@ public:
         this function. Invocation of the handler will be performed in a
         manner equivalent to using `boost::asio::io_service::post`.
     */
-    template<class Allocator, class ConstBufferSequence,
-        class ResponseDecorator, class AcceptHandler>
+    template<
+        class Body, class Allocator,
+        class ConstBufferSequence,
+        class ResponseDecorator,
+        class AcceptHandler>
 #if BEAST_DOXYGEN
     void_or_deduced
 #else
     async_return_type<
         AcceptHandler, void(error_code)>
 #endif
-    async_accept_ex(http::header<true,
-        http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
-            ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
-                ResponseDecorator const& decorator,
-                    AcceptHandler&& handler);
+    async_accept_ex(
+        http::request<Body,
+            http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
+        ConstBufferSequence const& buffers,
+        ResponseDecorator const& decorator,
+        AcceptHandler&& handler);
 
     /** Send an HTTP WebSocket Upgrade request and receive the response.
 
@@ -3326,9 +3340,10 @@ private:
             string_view target,
                 Decorator const& decorator);
 
-    template<class Allocator, class Decorator>
+    template<class Body,
+        class Allocator, class Decorator>
     response_type
-    build_response(http::header<true,
+    build_response(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             Decorator const& decorator);
 
@@ -3337,22 +3352,22 @@ private:
     do_accept(Decorator const& decorator,
         error_code& ec);
 
-    template<class Allocator, class Decorator>
+    template<class Body, class Allocator,
+        class Decorator>
     void
-    do_accept(http::header<true,
+    do_accept(http::request<Body,
         http::basic_fields<Allocator>> const& req,
             Decorator const& decorator, error_code& ec);
 
     template<class RequestDecorator>
     void
     do_handshake(response_type* res_p,
-        string_view host,
-            string_view target,
-                RequestDecorator const& decorator,
-                    error_code& ec);
+        string_view host, string_view target,
+            RequestDecorator const& decorator,
+                error_code& ec);
 
     void
-    do_response(http::header<false> const& resp,
+    do_response(response_type const& resp,
         detail::sec_ws_key_type const& key, error_code& ec);
 };
 
diff --git a/test/websocket/stream.cpp b/test/websocket/stream.cpp
index 02bab544..a129cd45 100644
--- a/test/websocket/stream.cpp
+++ b/test/websocket/stream.cpp
@@ -138,19 +138,18 @@ public:
             ws.accept(buffers);
         }
 
-        template<class NextLayer, class Fields>
+        template<class NextLayer>
         void
         accept(stream<NextLayer>& ws,
-            http::header<true, Fields> const& req) const
+            http::request<http::empty_body> const& req) const
         {
             ws.accept(req);
         }
 
-        template<class NextLayer,
-            class Fields, class Buffers>
+        template<class NextLayer, class Buffers>
         void
         accept(stream<NextLayer>& ws,
-            http::header<true, Fields> const& req,
+            http::request<http::empty_body> const& req,
                 Buffers const& buffers) const
         {
             ws.accept(req, buffers);
@@ -175,22 +174,20 @@ public:
             ws.accept_ex(buffers, d);
         }
 
-        template<class NextLayer,
-            class Fields, class Decorator>
+        template<class NextLayer, class Decorator>
         void
         accept_ex(stream<NextLayer>& ws,
-            http::header<true, Fields> const& req,
+            http::request<http::empty_body> const& req,
                 Decorator const& d) const
         {
             ws.accept_ex(req, d);
         }
 
         template<class NextLayer,
-            class Fields, class Buffers,
-                class Decorator>
+            class Buffers, class Decorator>
         void
         accept_ex(stream<NextLayer>& ws,
-            http::header<true, Fields> const& req,
+            http::request<http::empty_body> const& req,
                 Buffers const& buffers,
                     Decorator const& d) const
         {
@@ -332,10 +329,10 @@ public:
                 throw system_error{ec};
         }
 
-        template<class NextLayer, class Fields>
+        template<class NextLayer>
         void
         accept(stream<NextLayer>& ws,
-            http::header<true, Fields> const& req) const
+            http::request<http::empty_body> const& req) const
         {
             error_code ec;
             ws.async_accept(req, yield_[ec]);
@@ -343,11 +340,10 @@ public:
                 throw system_error{ec};
         }
 
-        template<class NextLayer,
-            class Fields, class Buffers>
+        template<class NextLayer, class Buffers>
         void
         accept(stream<NextLayer>& ws,
-            http::header<true, Fields> const& req,
+            http::request<http::empty_body> const& req,
                 Buffers const& buffers) const
         {
             error_code ec;
@@ -382,11 +378,10 @@ public:
                 throw system_error{ec};
         }
 
-        template<class NextLayer,
-            class Fields, class Decorator>
+        template<class NextLayer, class Decorator>
         void
         accept_ex(stream<NextLayer>& ws,
-            http::header<true, Fields> const& req,
+            http::request<http::empty_body> const& req,
                 Decorator const& d) const
         {
             error_code ec;
@@ -395,11 +390,11 @@ public:
                 throw system_error{ec};
         }
 
-        template<class NextLayer, class Fields,
+        template<class NextLayer,
             class Buffers, class Decorator>
         void
         accept_ex(stream<NextLayer>& ws,
-            http::header<true, Fields> const& req,
+            http::request<http::empty_body> const& req,
                 Buffers const& buffers,
                     Decorator const& d) const
         {