diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index eb6362c4..fd854c09 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ API Changes:
 * Refactor prepare
 * Protect basic_fields special members
 * Remove message connection settings
+* Remove message free functions
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/doc/quickref.xml b/doc/quickref.xml
index 4e0e7e71..45362956 100644
--- a/doc/quickref.xml
+++ b/doc/quickref.xml
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__async_write">async_write</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__async_write_header">async_write_header</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__async_write_some">async_write_some</link></member>
-            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__is_keep_alive">is_keep_alive</link></member>
-            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__is_upgrade">is_upgrade</link></member>
+            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__int_to_status">int_to_status</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__make_serializer">make_serializer</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__obsolete_reason">obsolete_reason</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__operator_ls_">operator&lt;&lt;</link></member>
@@ -76,6 +75,7 @@
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__string_to_verb">string_to_verb</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__swap">swap</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__to_string">to_string</link></member>
+            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__to_status_class">to_status_class</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__write">write</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__write_header">write_header</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__write_some">write_some</link></member>
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@
         <entry valign="top">
           <bridgehead renderas="sect3">Constants</bridgehead>
           <simplelist type="vert" columns="1">
-            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__connection">connection</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__error">error</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__field">field</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.http__status">status</link></member>
diff --git a/include/beast/http/impl/message.ipp b/include/beast/http/impl/message.ipp
index 6b28a746..acd05f1e 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/impl/message.ipp
+++ b/include/beast/http/impl/message.ipp
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@
 #define BEAST_HTTP_IMPL_MESSAGE_IPP
 
 #include <beast/core/error.hpp>
-#include <beast/http/rfc7230.hpp>
 #include <beast/core/detail/ci_char_traits.hpp>
 #include <beast/core/detail/type_traits.hpp>
 #include <boost/assert.hpp>
+#include <boost/throw_exception.hpp>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
 namespace beast {
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ method(verb v)
 {
     if(v == verb::unknown)
         BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(
-            std::invalid_argument{"unknown verb"});
+            std::invalid_argument{"unknown method"});
     method_ = v;
     this->set_method_impl({});
 }
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ result(unsigned v)
     if(v > 999)
         BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(
             std::invalid_argument{
-                "invalid result-code"});
+                "invalid status-code"});
     result_ = static_cast<status>(v);
 }
 
@@ -307,8 +307,8 @@ message<isRequest, Body, Fields>::
 prepare(std::true_type)
 {
     auto const n = size();
-    if(this->method_ == verb::trace &&
-            (! n || *n > 0))
+    if(this->method_ == verb::trace && (
+            ! n || *n > 0))
         BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(std::invalid_argument{
             "invalid request body"});
     if(n)
@@ -366,34 +366,6 @@ swap(
     swap(m1.body, m2.body);
 }
 
-template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
-bool
-is_keep_alive(header<isRequest, Fields> const& msg)
-{
-    BOOST_ASSERT(msg.version == 10 || msg.version == 11);
-    if(msg.version == 11)
-    {
-        if(token_list{msg["Connection"]}.exists("close"))
-            return false;
-        return true;
-    }
-    if(token_list{msg["Connection"]}.exists("keep-alive"))
-        return true;
-    return false;
-}
-
-template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
-bool
-is_upgrade(header<isRequest, Fields> const& msg)
-{
-    BOOST_ASSERT(msg.version == 10 || msg.version == 11);
-    if(msg.version == 10)
-        return false;
-    if(token_list{msg["Connection"]}.exists("upgrade"))
-        return true;
-    return false;
-}
-
 } // http
 } // beast
 
diff --git a/include/beast/http/message.hpp b/include/beast/http/message.hpp
index 1942b5c0..b776f6b0 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/message.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/message.hpp
@@ -595,24 +595,6 @@ swap(
     message<isRequest, Body, Fields>& m1,
     message<isRequest, Body, Fields>& m2);
 
-//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-/** Returns `true` if the HTTP/1 message indicates a keep alive.
-
-    Undefined behavior if version is greater than 11.
-*/
-template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
-bool
-is_keep_alive(header<isRequest, Fields> const& msg);
-
-/** Returns `true` if the HTTP/1 message indicates an Upgrade request or response.
-
-    Undefined behavior if version is greater than 11.
-*/
-template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
-bool
-is_upgrade(header<isRequest, Fields> const& msg);
-
 } // http
 } // beast
 
diff --git a/include/beast/websocket/impl/rfc6455.ipp b/include/beast/websocket/impl/rfc6455.ipp
index 582d2dee..a1269ae1 100644
--- a/include/beast/websocket/impl/rfc6455.ipp
+++ b/include/beast/websocket/impl/rfc6455.ipp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ is_upgrade(http::header<true, Fields> const& req)
         return false;
     if(req.method() != http::verb::get)
         return false;
-    if(! http::is_upgrade(req))
+    if(! http::token_list{req["Connection"]}.exists("upgrade"))
         return false;
     if(! http::token_list{req["Upgrade"]}.exists("websocket"))
         return false;
diff --git a/include/beast/websocket/impl/stream.ipp b/include/beast/websocket/impl/stream.ipp
index 2b5a4e82..74178fe9 100644
--- a/include/beast/websocket/impl/stream.ipp
+++ b/include/beast/websocket/impl/stream.ipp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #ifndef BEAST_WEBSOCKET_IMPL_STREAM_IPP
 #define BEAST_WEBSOCKET_IMPL_STREAM_IPP
 
+#include <beast/websocket/rfc6455.hpp>
 #include <beast/websocket/teardown.hpp>
 #include <beast/websocket/detail/hybi13.hpp>
 #include <beast/websocket/detail/pmd_extension.hpp>
@@ -285,7 +286,7 @@ do_response(http::header<false> const& res,
             return false;
         if(res.result() != http::status::switching_protocols)
             return false;
-        if(! is_upgrade(res))
+        if(! http::token_list{res["Connection"]}.exists("upgrade"))
             return false;
         if(! http::token_list{res["Upgrade"]}.exists("websocket"))
             return false;
diff --git a/test/http/message.cpp b/test/http/message.cpp
index 19355d06..32babbf4 100644
--- a/test/http/message.cpp
+++ b/test/http/message.cpp
@@ -194,25 +194,6 @@ public:
         }
     }
 
-    void
-    testFreeFunctions()
-    {
-        {
-            request<string_body> m;
-            m.method(verb::get);
-            m.target("/");
-            m.version = 11;
-            m.insert("Upgrade", "test");
-            BEAST_EXPECT(! is_upgrade(m));
-
-            m.insert(field::connection, "upgrade");
-            BEAST_EXPECT(is_upgrade(m));
-
-            m.version = 10;
-            BEAST_EXPECT(! is_upgrade(m));
-        }
-    }
-
     void
     testSwap()
     {
@@ -312,7 +293,6 @@ public:
     {
         testMessage();
         testHeaders();
-        testFreeFunctions();
         testSwap();
         testSpecialMembers();
         testMethod();