diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 716415f8..2a21492d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
+Version 68:
+
+API Changes:
+
+* Change BodyReader, BodyWriter requirements
+
+Actions Required:
+
+* Change user defined instances of BodyReader and BodyWriter
+  to meet the new requirements.
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 Version 67:
 
 * Fix doc example link
diff --git a/doc/concept/BodyReader.qbk b/doc/concept/BodyReader.qbk
index 817743db..f1ee27f8 100644
--- a/doc/concept/BodyReader.qbk
+++ b/doc/concept/BodyReader.qbk
@@ -62,17 +62,11 @@ In this table:
         the HTTP header.
     ]
 ][
-    [`X(m);`]
+    [`X(m,ec);`]
     []
     [
         Constructible from `m`. The lifetime of `m` is guaranteed
         to end no earlier than after the `X` is destroyed.
-    ]
-][
-    [`a.init(ec)`]
-    []
-    [
-        Called immediately after construction.
         The function will ensure that `!ec` is `true` if there was
         no error or set to the appropriate error code if there was one. 
     ]
@@ -93,15 +87,6 @@ In this table:
         The function will ensure that `!ec` is `true` if there was
         no error or set to the appropriate error code if there was one. 
     ]
-][
-    [`a.finish(ec)`]
-    []
-    [
-        This function is called after the reader indicates there
-        are no more buffers remaining.
-        The function will ensure that `!ec` is `true` if there was
-        no error or set to the appropriate error code if there was one. 
-    ]
 ][
     [`is_body_reader<B>`]
     [`std::true_type`]
diff --git a/doc/concept/BodyWriter.qbk b/doc/concept/BodyWriter.qbk
index 9091d1ff..8ad355ed 100644
--- a/doc/concept/BodyWriter.qbk
+++ b/doc/concept/BodyWriter.qbk
@@ -29,35 +29,29 @@ In this table:
 
 * `a` denotes a value of type `X`.
 
-* `length` is a value of type `boost::optional<std::uint64_t>`.
-
 * `b` is an object whose type meets the requirements of __ConstBufferSequence__
 
 * `m` denotes a value of type `message&` where
     `std::is_same<decltype(m.body), Body::value_type>::value == true`.
 
+* `n` is a value of type `boost::optional<std::uint64_t>`.
+
 * `ec` is a value of type [link beast.ref.beast__error_code `error_code&`].
 
 [table Writer requirements
 [[expression] [type] [semantics, pre/post-conditions]]
 [
-    [`X(m);`]
+    [`X(m,n,ec);`]
     []
     [
         Constructible from `m`. The lifetime of `m` is guaranteed
         to end no earlier than after the `X` is destroyed. The constructor
-        will be called the complete header is stored in `m`, and before
+        will be called after a complete header is stored in `m`, and before
         parsing body octets for messages indicating that a body is present.
-    ]
-][
-    [`a.init(length,ec)`]
-    []
-    [
-        This function is called after construction and before any body
-        octets are presented to the writer. The value of `length` will
-        be set to the content length of the body if known, otherwise
-        `length` will be equal to `boost::none`. Implementations of
-        [*BodyWriter] may use this information to optimize allocation.
+        The value of `n` will be set to the content length of the
+        body if known, otherwise `n` will be equal to `boost::none`.
+        Implementations of [*BodyWriter] may use this information to
+        optimize allocation.
         The function will ensure that `!ec` is `true` if there was
         no error or set to the appropriate error code if there was one. 
     ]
diff --git a/example/common/file_body.hpp b/example/common/file_body.hpp
index a75386ff..f643061d 100644
--- a/example/common/file_body.hpp
+++ b/example/common/file_body.hpp
@@ -119,17 +119,12 @@ public:
     // always have the `file_body` as the body type.
     //
     template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
-    reader(beast::http::message<isRequest, file_body, Fields> const& m);
+    reader(beast::http::message<isRequest, file_body, Fields> const& m,
+        beast::error_code& ec);
 
     // Destructor
     ~reader();
 
-    // This function is called once before serialization
-    // of the body is started.
-    //
-    void
-    init(beast::error_code& ec);
-
     // This function is called zero or more times to
     // retrieve buffers. A return value of `boost::none`
     // means there are no more buffers. Otherwise,
@@ -138,15 +133,6 @@ public:
     // or not there may be additional buffers.
     boost::optional<std::pair<const_buffers_type, bool>>
     get(beast::error_code& ec);
-
-    // This function is called when reading is complete.
-    // It is an opportunity to perform any final actions
-    // which might fail, in order to return an error code.
-    // Operations that might fail should not be attemped in
-    // destructors, since an exception thrown from there
-    // would terminate the program.
-    void
-    finish(beast::error_code& ec);
 };
 
 //]
@@ -159,20 +145,9 @@ public:
 //
 template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
 file_body::reader::
-reader(beast::http::message<isRequest, file_body, Fields> const& m)
+reader(beast::http::message<isRequest, file_body, Fields> const& m,
+        beast::error_code& ec)
     : path_(m.body)
-{
-}
-
-// This gets called right after construction, and provides
-// the opportunity to return an error code. The error code
-// will be propagated to the serializer and eventually
-// returned to the caller.
-//
-inline
-void
-file_body::reader::
-init(beast::error_code& ec)
 {
     // Attempt to open the file for reading
     file_ = fopen(path_.string().c_str(), "rb");
@@ -185,9 +160,11 @@ init(beast::error_code& ec)
         return;
     }
 
+    // This is required by the error_code specification
+    ec = {};
+
     // The file was opened successfully, get the size
     // of the file to know how much we need to read.
-    ec = {};
     remain_ = boost::filesystem::file_size(path_);
 }
 
@@ -248,17 +225,6 @@ get(beast::error_code& ec) ->
         }};
 }
 
-// Called after reading is done when there's no error.
-inline
-void
-file_body::reader::
-finish(beast::error_code& ec)
-{
-    // Functions which pass back errors are
-    // responsible for clearing the error code.
-    ec = {};
-}
-
 // The destructor is always invoked if construction succeeds.
 //
 inline
@@ -291,13 +257,9 @@ public:
     //
     template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
     explicit
-    writer(beast::http::message<isRequest, file_body, Fields>& m);
-
-    // This function is called once before parsing
-    // of the body is started.
-    //
-    void
-    init(boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const& content_length, beast::error_code& ec);
+    writer(beast::http::message<isRequest, file_body, Fields>& m,
+        boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const& content_length,
+            beast::error_code& ec);
 
     // This function is called one or more times to store
     // buffer sequences corresponding to the incoming body.
@@ -330,21 +292,10 @@ public:
 // Just stash a reference to the path so we can open the file later.
 template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
 file_body::writer::
-writer(beast::http::message<isRequest, file_body, Fields>& m)
+writer(beast::http::message<isRequest, file_body, Fields>& m,
+    boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const& content_length,
+        beast::error_code& ec)
     : path_(m.body)
-{
-}
-
-// This gets called once when we know there's a body.
-// If the content_length is set, it lets us know the exact size
-// of the body. An implementation could use this to optimize its
-// storage strategy. For example by attempting to reserve space
-// ahead of time.
-//
-inline
-void
-file_body::writer::
-init(boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const& content_length, beast::error_code& ec)
 {
     boost::ignore_unused(content_length);
 
@@ -359,7 +310,7 @@ init(boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const& content_length, beast::error_code& ec
         return;
     }
 
-    // Indicate success
+    // This is required by the error_code specification
     ec = {};
 }
 
diff --git a/include/beast/http/buffer_body.hpp b/include/beast/http/buffer_body.hpp
index 485e87df..139f5b50 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/buffer_body.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/buffer_body.hpp
@@ -104,13 +104,8 @@ struct buffer_body
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
         reader(message<isRequest, buffer_body,
-                Fields> const& msg)
+                Fields> const& msg, error_code& ec)
             : body_(msg.body)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(error_code& ec)
         {
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
         }
@@ -145,12 +140,6 @@ struct buffer_body
                 ec.assign(0, ec.category());
             return boost::none;
         }
-
-        void
-        finish(error_code& ec)
-        {
-            ec.assign(0, ec.category());
-        }
     };
 #endif
 
@@ -165,13 +154,10 @@ struct buffer_body
     public:
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
-        writer(message<isRequest, buffer_body, Fields>& m)
+        writer(message<isRequest, buffer_body, Fields>& m,
+                boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const&,
+                    error_code& ec)
             : body_(m.body)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(boost::optional<std::uint64_t>, error_code& ec)
         {
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
         }
diff --git a/include/beast/http/dynamic_body.hpp b/include/beast/http/dynamic_body.hpp
index eb4d7586..501b5cd7 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/dynamic_body.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/dynamic_body.hpp
@@ -52,14 +52,9 @@ struct basic_dynamic_body
 
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
-        reader(message<
-                isRequest, basic_dynamic_body, Fields> const& m)
+        reader(message<isRequest, basic_dynamic_body,
+                Fields> const& m, error_code& ec)
             : body_(m.body)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(error_code& ec)
         {
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
         }
@@ -70,12 +65,6 @@ struct basic_dynamic_body
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
             return {{body_.data(), false}};
         }
-
-        void
-        finish(error_code& ec)
-        {
-            ec.assign(0, ec.category());
-        }
     };
 #endif
 
@@ -90,15 +79,10 @@ struct basic_dynamic_body
     public:
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
-        writer(message<isRequest,
-                basic_dynamic_body, Fields>& msg)
+        writer(message<isRequest, basic_dynamic_body, Fields>& msg,
+            boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const&,
+                error_code& ec)
             : body_(msg.body)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(boost::optional<
-            std::uint64_t> const&, error_code& ec)
         {
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
         }
diff --git a/include/beast/http/empty_body.hpp b/include/beast/http/empty_body.hpp
index 9aa1b118..35632ac9 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/empty_body.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/empty_body.hpp
@@ -56,13 +56,8 @@ struct empty_body
 
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
-        reader(message<
-            isRequest, empty_body, Fields> const&)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(error_code& ec)
+        reader(message<isRequest, empty_body,
+            Fields> const&, error_code& ec)
         {
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
         }
@@ -73,12 +68,6 @@ struct empty_body
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
             return boost::none;
         }
-
-        void
-        finish(error_code& ec)
-        {
-            ec.assign(0, ec.category());
-        }
     };
 #endif
 
@@ -90,13 +79,9 @@ struct empty_body
     {
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
-        writer(message<isRequest, empty_body, Fields>&)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const&,
-            error_code& ec)
+        writer(message<isRequest, empty_body, Fields>&,
+            boost::optional<std::uint64_t> const&,
+                error_code& ec)
         {
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
         }
diff --git a/include/beast/http/impl/serializer.ipp b/include/beast/http/impl/serializer.ipp
index 22299a90..7094537a 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/impl/serializer.ipp
+++ b/include/beast/http/impl/serializer.ipp
@@ -70,8 +70,7 @@ get(error_code& ec, Visit&& visit)
     {
         if(split_)
             goto go_header_only;
-        rd_.emplace(m_);
-        rd_->init(ec);
+        rd_.emplace(m_, ec);
         if(ec)
             return;
         auto result = rd_->get(ec);
@@ -105,8 +104,7 @@ get(error_code& ec, Visit&& visit)
 
     case do_body:
         BOOST_ASSERT(! rd_);
-        rd_.emplace(m_);
-        rd_->init(ec);
+        rd_.emplace(m_, ec);
         if(ec)
             return;
         s_ = do_body + 1;
@@ -137,8 +135,7 @@ get(error_code& ec, Visit&& visit)
     {
         if(split_)
             goto go_header_only_c;
-        rd_.emplace(m_);
-        rd_->init(ec);
+        rd_.emplace(m_, ec);
         if(ec)
             return;
         auto result = rd_->get(ec);
@@ -183,8 +180,7 @@ get(error_code& ec, Visit&& visit)
 
     case do_body_c:
         BOOST_ASSERT(! rd_);
-        rd_.emplace(m_);
-        rd_->init(ec);
+        rd_.emplace(m_, ec);
         if(ec)
             return;
         s_ = do_body_c + 1;
@@ -249,10 +245,6 @@ get(error_code& ec, Visit&& visit)
         break;
 
     go_complete:
-        if(rd_)
-            rd_->finish(ec);
-        if(ec)
-            return;
         s_ = do_complete;
         break;
     }
diff --git a/include/beast/http/parser.hpp b/include/beast/http/parser.hpp
index 132046d8..4c35e746 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/parser.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/parser.hpp
@@ -258,8 +258,7 @@ private:
         std::uint64_t> const& content_length,
             error_code& ec)
     {
-        wr_.emplace(m_);
-        wr_->init(content_length, ec);
+        wr_.emplace(m_, content_length, ec);
     }
 
     void
diff --git a/include/beast/http/string_body.hpp b/include/beast/http/string_body.hpp
index faee6943..41df300c 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/string_body.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/string_body.hpp
@@ -54,14 +54,9 @@ struct string_body
 
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
-        reader(message<
-                isRequest, string_body, Fields> const& msg)
+        reader(message<isRequest, string_body,
+                Fields> const& msg, error_code& ec)
             : body_(msg.body)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(error_code& ec)
         {
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
         }
@@ -73,12 +68,6 @@ struct string_body
             return {{const_buffers_type{
                 body_.data(), body_.size()}, false}};
         }
-
-        void
-        finish(error_code& ec)
-        {
-            ec.assign(0, ec.category());
-        }
     };
 #endif
 
@@ -93,14 +82,10 @@ struct string_body
     public:
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
-        writer(message<isRequest, string_body, Fields>& m)
+        writer(message<isRequest, string_body, Fields>& m,
+            boost::optional<std::uint64_t> content_length,
+                error_code& ec)
             : body_(m.body)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(boost::optional<
-            std::uint64_t> content_length, error_code& ec)
         {
             if(content_length)
             {
@@ -115,6 +100,10 @@ struct string_body
                 body_.reserve(static_cast<
                     std::size_t>(*content_length));
             }
+            else
+            {
+                ec.assign(0, ec.category());
+            }
         }
 
         template<class ConstBufferSequence>
diff --git a/include/beast/http/string_view_body.hpp b/include/beast/http/string_view_body.hpp
index de57c48c..2a37f75c 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/string_view_body.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/string_view_body.hpp
@@ -55,14 +55,9 @@ struct string_view_body
 
         template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
         explicit
-        reader(message<
-                isRequest, string_view_body, Fields> const& m)
+        reader(message<isRequest, string_view_body,
+                Fields> const& m, error_code& ec)
             : body_(m.body)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void
-        init(error_code& ec)
         {
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
         }
@@ -73,12 +68,6 @@ struct string_view_body
             ec.assign(0, ec.category());
             return {{{body_.data(), body_.size()}, false}};
         }
-
-        void
-        finish(error_code& ec)
-        {
-            ec.assign(0, ec.category());
-        }
     };
 #endif
 };
diff --git a/include/beast/http/type_traits.hpp b/include/beast/http/type_traits.hpp
index 97ca0a5c..64d73b14 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/type_traits.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/type_traits.hpp
@@ -79,17 +79,19 @@ struct is_body_reader<T, beast::detail::void_t<
     typename T::reader,
     typename T::reader::const_buffers_type,
         decltype(
-    std::declval<typename T::reader&>().init(std::declval<error_code&>()),
     std::declval<boost::optional<std::pair<
             typename T::reader::const_buffers_type, bool>>&>() =
             std::declval<typename T::reader>().get(std::declval<error_code&>()),
-    std::declval<typename T::reader&>().finish(std::declval<error_code&>()),
         (void)0)>> : std::integral_constant<bool,
     is_const_buffer_sequence<
         typename T::reader::const_buffers_type>::value &&
     std::is_constructible<typename T::reader,
-        message<true, T, detail::fields_model> const& >::value
-        > {};
+        message<true, T, detail::fields_model> const&,
+        error_code&>::value &&
+    std::is_constructible<typename T::reader,
+        message<false, T, detail::fields_model> const&,
+        error_code&>::value
+    > {};
 #endif
 
 /** Determine if a @b Body type has a writer.
@@ -120,19 +122,17 @@ struct is_body_writer : std::false_type {};
 
 template<class T>
 struct is_body_writer<T, beast::detail::void_t<decltype(
-    std::declval<typename T::writer&>().init(
-        std::declval<boost::optional<std::uint64_t>>(),
-        std::declval<error_code&>()),
     std::declval<typename T::writer&>().put(
         std::declval<boost::asio::const_buffers_1>(),
         std::declval<error_code&>()),
     std::declval<typename T::writer&>().finish(
         std::declval<error_code&>()),
     (void)0)>> : std::integral_constant<bool,
-        true
-        && std::is_constructible<typename T::writer,
-            message<true, T, detail::fields_model>&>::value
-        >
+        std::is_constructible<typename T::writer,
+            message<true, T, detail::fields_model>&,
+            boost::optional<std::uint64_t>,
+            error_code&
+        >::value>
 {
 };
 #endif
diff --git a/test/exemplars.cpp b/test/exemplars.cpp
index 5ccc4c0d..304d3b71 100644
--- a/test/exemplars.cpp
+++ b/test/exemplars.cpp
@@ -62,23 +62,13 @@ public:
     /** Construct the reader.
 
         @param msg The message whose body is to be retrieved.
-    */
-    template<bool isRequest, class Body, class Headers>
-    explicit
-    BodyReader(message<isRequest, Body, Headers> const& msg);
-
-    /** Initialization.
-
-        Called once immediately after construction.
 
         @param ec Set to the error, if any occurred.
     */
-    void
-    init(error_code& ec)
-    {
-        // The specification requires this to indicate "no error"
-        ec = {};
-    }
+    template<bool isRequest, class Body, class Headers>
+    explicit
+    BodyReader(message<isRequest, Body, Headers> const& msg,
+        error_code &ec);
 
     /** Returns the next buffer in the body.
 
@@ -106,17 +96,6 @@ public:
 
         return boost::none; // for exposition only
     }
-
-    /** Called after `get` indicates there are no more buffers.
-
-        @param ec Set to the error, if any occurred.
-    */
-    void
-    finish(error_code& ec)
-    {
-        // The specification requires this to indicate "no error"
-        ec = {};
-    }
 };
 
 //]
@@ -137,19 +116,12 @@ struct BodyWriter
     */
     template<bool isRequest, class Body, class Fields>
     explicit
-    BodyWriter(message<isRequest, Body, Fields>& msg);
-
-    /** Initialization.
-
-        Called once immediately before storing any buffers.
-
-        @param content_length The content length if known, else `boost::none`.
-
-        @param ec Set to the error, if any occurred.
-    */
-    void
-    init(boost::optional<std::uint64_t> content_length, error_code& ec)
+    BodyWriter(message<isRequest, Body, Fields>& msg,
+        boost::optional<std::uint64_t> content_length,
+            error_code& ec)
     {
+        boost::ignore_unused(msg, content_length);
+
         // The specification requires this to indicate "no error"
         ec = {};
     }
diff --git a/test/http/write.cpp b/test/http/write.cpp
index 8c6f790a..6ab516ae 100644
--- a/test/http/write.cpp
+++ b/test/http/write.cpp
@@ -49,13 +49,9 @@ public:
 
             template<bool isRequest, class Allocator>
             explicit
-            reader(message<isRequest, unsized_body, Allocator> const& msg)
+            reader(message<isRequest, unsized_body,
+                    Allocator> const& msg, error_code &ec)
                 : body_(msg.body)
-            {
-            }
-
-            void
-            init(error_code& ec)
             {
                 ec.assign(0, ec.category());
             }
@@ -67,12 +63,6 @@ public:
                 return {{const_buffers_type{
                     body_.data(), body_.size()}, false}};
             }
-
-            void
-            finish(error_code& ec)
-            {
-                ec.assign(0, ec.category());
-            }
         };
     };
 
@@ -104,13 +94,8 @@ public:
             template<bool isRequest, class Fields>
             explicit
             reader(message<isRequest, test_body,
-                    Fields> const& msg)
+                    Fields> const& msg, error_code& ec)
                 : body_(msg.body)
-            {
-            }
-
-            void
-            init(error_code& ec)
             {
                 ec.assign(0, ec.category());
             }
@@ -125,12 +110,6 @@ public:
                     std::integral_constant<bool, isFinalEmpty>{});
             }
 
-            void
-            finish(error_code& ec)
-            {
-                ec.assign(0, ec.category());
-            }
-
         private:
             boost::optional<std::pair<const_buffers_type, bool>>
             get(
@@ -248,13 +227,9 @@ public:
 
             template<bool isRequest, class Allocator>
             explicit
-            reader(message<isRequest, fail_body, Allocator> const& msg)
+            reader(message<isRequest, fail_body,
+                    Allocator> const& msg, error_code& ec)
                 : body_(msg.body)
-            {
-            }
-
-            void
-            init(error_code& ec)
             {
                 body_.fc_.fail(ec);
             }
@@ -269,12 +244,6 @@ public:
                 return {{const_buffers_type{
                     body_.s_.data() + n_++, 1}, true}};
             }
-
-            void
-            finish(error_code& ec)
-            {
-                body_.fc_.fail(ec);
-            }
         };
     };