diff --git a/doc/modules/http.request.md b/doc/modules/http.request.md
index b4f11713..3295d136 100644
--- a/doc/modules/http.request.md
+++ b/doc/modules/http.request.md
@@ -119,6 +119,13 @@ Allows setting a request body. `body` may be a string, function or lua file obje
   - If `body` is a lua file object, it will be [`:seek`'d](http://www.lua.org/manual/5.3/manual.html#pdf-file:seek) to the start, then sent as a body. Any errors encountered during file operations **will be thrown**.
 
 
+### `request:set_form_data(dict)` <!-- --> {#http.request:set_form_data}
+
+Turns the request into a POST request with a `"application/x-www-form-urlencoded"` encoded body.
+
+`dict` should be a table with string keys and string values.
+
+
 ### `request:go(timeout)` <!-- --> {#http.request:timeout}
 
 Performs the request.
diff --git a/http/request.lua b/http/request.lua
index b4b4fd06..0d50214f 100644
--- a/http/request.lua
+++ b/http/request.lua
@@ -331,6 +331,13 @@ function request_methods:set_body(body)
 	return true
 end
 
+function request_methods:set_form_data(form)
+	local body = http_util.dict_to_query(form)
+	self.headers:upsert(":method", "POST")
+	self.headers:upsert("content-type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded")
+	return self:set_body(body)
+end
+
 local function non_final_status(status)
 	return status:sub(1, 1) == "1" and status ~= "101"
 end
diff --git a/spec/request_spec.lua b/spec/request_spec.lua
index d718916d..e3575d69 100644
--- a/spec/request_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/request_spec.lua
@@ -170,6 +170,17 @@ describe("http.request module", function()
 		req:set_body(io.tmpfile())
 		assert.same("100-continue", req.headers:get("expect"))
 	end)
+	it(":set_form_data works", function()
+		local req = request.new_from_uri("http://example.com")
+		assert.same("GET", req.headers:get(":method"))
+		assert.falsy(req.headers:has("content-type"))
+		req:set_form_data {
+			foo = "bar";
+		}
+		assert.same("POST", req.headers:get(":method"))
+		assert.same("application/x-www-form-urlencoded", req.headers:get("content-type"))
+		assert.same("foo=bar", req.body)
+	end)
 	describe(":handle_redirect method", function()
 		local headers = require "http.headers"
 		it("works", function()