diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7a86c0e..b25f105 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # =====CONFIG=====
 V_PATH ?= v
-V := $(V_PATH) -showcc -d use_openssl
+V := $(V_PATH) -showcc
 
 all: vdocker
 
@@ -10,10 +10,6 @@ all: vdocker
 vdocker:
 	$(V) -g -shared .
 
-.PHONY: c
-c:
-	$(V) -o docker.c .
-
 
 # =====DOCS=====
 .PHONY: api-docs
diff --git a/containers.v b/containers.v
index 14d295f..809ef38 100644
--- a/containers.v
+++ b/containers.v
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 module docker
 
+import json
 import time
-import net.http
+import net.http { Method }
 import types { ContainerListItem }
 
 [params]
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ pub struct ContainerListConfig {
 }
 
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) container_list(c ContainerListConfig) ![]ContainerListItem {
-	d.request(.get, '/containers/json', {})
+	d.get('/containers/json')
 	d.params(c)
 	d.send()!
 
@@ -36,18 +37,30 @@ pub:
 }
 
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) container_create(c NewContainer) !CreatedContainer {
-	d.request(.post, '/containers/create', {})
-	d.body_json(c)
-	d.send()!
+	d.send_request_with_json(Method.post, '/containers/create', c)!
+	head, res := d.read_response()!
 
-	return d.read_json_response<CreatedContainer>()
+	if head.status_code != 201 {
+		data := json.decode(DockerError, res)!
+
+		return error(data.message)
+	}
+
+	data := json.decode(CreatedContainer, res)!
+
+	return data
 }
 
 // start_container starts the container with the given id.
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) container_start(id string) ! {
-	d.request(.post, '/containers/$id/start', {})
-	d.send()!
-	d.read_response()!
+	d.send_request(Method.post, '/containers/$id/start')!
+	head, body := d.read_response()!
+
+	if head.status_code != 204 {
+		data := json.decode(DockerError, body)!
+
+		return error(data.message)
+	}
 }
 
 struct ContainerInspect {
@@ -69,10 +82,16 @@ pub mut:
 }
 
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) container_inspect(id string) !ContainerInspect {
-	d.request(.get, '/containers/$id/json', {})
-	d.send()!
+	d.send_request(Method.get, '/containers/$id/json')!
+	head, body := d.read_response()!
 
-	mut data := d.read_json_response<ContainerInspect>()!
+	if head.status_code != 200 {
+		data := json.decode(DockerError, body)!
+
+		return error(data.message)
+	}
+
+	mut data := json.decode(ContainerInspect, body)!
 
 	// The Docker engine API *should* always return UTC time.
 	data.state.start_time = time.parse_rfc3339(data.state.start_time_str)!
@@ -85,19 +104,27 @@ pub fn (mut d DockerConn) container_inspect(id string) !ContainerInspect {
 }
 
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) container_remove(id string) ! {
-	d.request(.delete, '/containers/$id', {})
-	d.send()!
-	d.read_response()!
+	d.send_request(Method.delete, '/containers/$id')!
+	head, body := d.read_response()!
+
+	if head.status_code != 204 {
+		data := json.decode(DockerError, body)!
+
+		return error(data.message)
+	}
 }
 
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) container_get_logs(id string) !&StreamFormatReader {
-	d.request(.get, '/containers/$id/logs', {
-		'stdout': 'true'
-		'stderr': 'true'
-	})
-	d.send()!
-	d.read_response_head()!
-	d.check_error()!
+	d.send_request(Method.get, '/containers/$id/logs?stdout=true&stderr=true')!
+	head := d.read_response_head()!
+
+	if head.status_code != 200 {
+		content_length := head.header.get(http.CommonHeader.content_length)!.int()
+		body := d.read_response_body(content_length)!
+		data := json.decode(DockerError, body)!
+
+		return error(data.message)
+	}
 
 	return d.get_stream_format_reader()
 }
diff --git a/docker.v b/docker.v
index 093e657..7eb5ea2 100644
--- a/docker.v
+++ b/docker.v
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import net.unix
 import io
 import net.http
 import strings
+import net.urllib
 import json
 import util
 
@@ -26,11 +27,7 @@ mut:
 	url          string
 	params       map[string]string
 	content_type string
-	// Before send: body of the request
-	// After send: body of response
-	body string
-	// HTTP head of the response
-	head http.Response
+	body         string
 }
 
 // new_conn creates a new connection to the Docker daemon.
@@ -50,65 +47,113 @@ pub fn (mut d DockerConn) close() ! {
 	d.socket.close()!
 }
 
+// send_request sends an HTTP request without body.
+fn (mut d DockerConn) send_request(method http.Method, url_str string) ! {
+	url := urllib.parse('/$docker.api_version$url_str')!
+	req := '$method $url.request_uri() HTTP/1.1\nHost: localhost\n\n'
+
+	d.socket.write_string(req)!
+
+	// When starting a new request, the reader needs to be reset.
+	d.reader = io.new_buffered_reader(reader: d.socket)
+}
+
+// send_request_with_body sends an HTTP request with the given body.
+fn (mut d DockerConn) send_request_with_body(method http.Method, url_str string, content_type string, body string) ! {
+	url := urllib.parse('/$docker.api_version$url_str')!
+	req := '$method $url.request_uri() HTTP/1.1\nHost: localhost\nContent-Type: $content_type\nContent-Length: $body.len\n\n$body\n\n'
+
+	d.socket.write_string(req)!
+
+	// When starting a new request, the reader needs to be reset.
+	d.reader = io.new_buffered_reader(reader: d.socket)
+}
+
+// send_request_with_json<T> is a convenience wrapper around
+// send_request_with_body that encodes the input as JSON.
+fn (mut d DockerConn) send_request_with_json<T>(method http.Method, url_str string, data &T) ! {
+	body := json.encode(data)
+
+	return d.send_request_with_body(method, url_str, 'application/json', body)
+}
+
 // read_response_head consumes the socket's contents until it encounters
 // '\r\n\r\n', after which it parses the response as an HTTP response.
 // Importantly, this function never consumes the reader past the HTTP
 // separator, so the body can be read fully later on.
-fn (mut d DockerConn) read_response_head() ! {
+fn (mut d DockerConn) read_response_head() !http.Response {
 	mut res := []u8{}
 
 	util.read_until_separator(mut d.reader, mut res, docker.http_separator)!
 
-	d.head = http.parse_response(res.bytestr())!
+	return http.parse_response(res.bytestr())
 }
 
-fn (mut d DockerConn) read_response_body() ! {
-	if d.head.status() == .no_content {
-		return
+// read_response_body reads `length` bytes from the stream. It can be used when
+// the response encoding isn't chunked to fully read it.
+fn (mut d DockerConn) read_response_body(length int) !string {
+	if length == 0 {
+		return ''
 	}
 
+	mut buf := []u8{len: docker.buf_len}
+	mut c := 0
 	mut builder := strings.new_builder(docker.buf_len)
 
-	if d.head.header.get(.transfer_encoding) or { '' } == 'chunked' {
-		mut body_stream := d.get_chunked_response_reader()
+	for builder.len < length {
+		c = d.reader.read(mut buf) or { break }
 
-		util.reader_to_writer(mut body_stream, mut builder)!
-	} else {
-		content_length := d.head.header.get(.content_length)!.int()
-
-		if content_length == 0 {
-			return
-		}
-
-		mut buf := []u8{len: docker.buf_len}
-		mut c := 0
-
-		for builder.len < content_length {
-			c = d.reader.read(mut buf)!
-
-			builder.write(buf[..c])!
-		}
+		builder.write(buf[..c])!
 	}
 
-	d.body = builder.str()
+	return builder.str()
 }
 
 // read_response is a convenience function which always consumes the entire
-// response and loads it into memory. It should only be used when we're certain
-// that the result isn't too large, as even chunked responses will get fully
-// loaded into memory.
-fn (mut d DockerConn) read_response() ! {
-	d.read_response_head()!
-	d.check_error()!
-	d.read_response_body()!
+// response & returns it. It should only be used when we're certain that the
+// result isn't too large.
+fn (mut d DockerConn) read_response() !(http.Response, string) {
+	head := d.read_response_head()!
+
+	if head.status().is_error() {
+		content_length := head.header.get(.content_length)!.int()
+		body := d.read_response_body(content_length)!
+		mut err := json.decode(DockerError, body)!
+		err.status = head.status_code
+
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// 204 means "No Content", so we can assume nothing follows after this
+	if head.status() == .no_content {
+		return head, ''
+	}
+
+	if head.header.get(http.CommonHeader.transfer_encoding) or { '' } == 'chunked' {
+		mut builder := strings.new_builder(1024)
+		mut body := d.get_chunked_response_reader()
+
+		util.reader_to_writer(mut body, mut builder)!
+
+		return head, builder.str()
+	}
+
+	content_length := head.header.get(http.CommonHeader.content_length)!.int()
+	body := d.read_response_body(content_length)!
+
+	return head, body
 }
 
-// read_json_response<T> is a convenience function that runs read_response
-// before parsing its contents, which is assumed to be JSON, into a struct.
 fn (mut d DockerConn) read_json_response<T>() !T {
-	d.read_response()!
+	head, body := d.read_response()!
 
-	data := json.decode(T, d.body)!
+	if head.status_code < 200 || head.status_code > 300 {
+		data := json.decode(DockerError, body)!
+
+		return docker_error(head.status_code, data.message)
+	}
+
+	mut data := json.decode(T, body)!
 
 	//$for field in T.fields {
 	//$if field.typ is time.Time {
@@ -135,21 +180,3 @@ fn (mut d DockerConn) get_stream_format_reader() &StreamFormatReader {
 
 	return r2
 }
-
-struct DockerError {
-pub:
-	message string
-}
-
-// check_error should be called after read_response_head. If the status code of
-// the response is an error, the body is consumed and the Docker HTTP error is
-// returned as a V error. If the status isn't the error, this function is a
-// no-op.
-fn (mut d DockerConn) check_error() ! {
-	if d.head.status().is_error() {
-		d.read_response_body()!
-		d_err := json.decode(DockerError, d.body)!
-
-		return error_with_code('$d.head.status(): $d_err.message', d.head.status_code)
-	}
-}
diff --git a/errors.v b/errors.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31ed81a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/errors.v
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+module docker
+
+struct DockerError {
+pub mut:
+	status  int    [skip]
+	message string
+}
+
+fn (err DockerError) code() int {
+	return err.status
+}
+
+fn (err DockerError) msg() string {
+	return err.message
+}
+
+fn docker_error(status int, message string) DockerError {
+	return DockerError{
+		status: status
+		message: message
+	}
+}
diff --git a/images.v b/images.v
index d879cd9..a6f2a23 100644
--- a/images.v
+++ b/images.v
@@ -1,26 +1,31 @@
 module docker
 
-import net.http
+import net.http { Method }
 import types { Image }
+import json
 
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) image_inspect(image string) !Image {
-	d.request(.get, '/images/$image/json', {})
-	d.send()!
+	d.send_request(.get, '/images/$image/json')!
+	_, body := d.read_response()!
 
-	data := d.read_json_response<Image>()!
+	data := json.decode(Image, body)!
 
 	return data
 }
 
 // pull_image pulls the given image:tag.
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) pull_image(image string, tag string) ! {
-	d.request(.post, '/images/create', {
-		'fromImage': image
-		'tag':       tag
-	})
-	d.send()!
-	d.read_response_head()!
-	d.check_error()!
+	d.send_request(Method.post, '/images/create?fromImage=$image&tag=$tag')!
+	head := d.read_response_head()!
+
+	if head.status().is_error() {
+		content_length := head.header.get(.content_length)!.int()
+		body := d.read_response_body(content_length)!
+		mut err := json.decode(DockerError, body)!
+		err.status = head.status_code
+
+		return err
+	}
 
 	// Keep reading the body until the pull has completed
 	mut body := d.get_chunked_response_reader()
@@ -34,19 +39,16 @@ pub fn (mut d DockerConn) pull_image(image string, tag string) ! {
 
 // create_image_from_container creates a new image from a container.
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) create_image_from_container(id string, repo string, tag string) !Image {
-	d.request(.post, '/commit', {
-		'container': id
-		'repo':      repo
-		'tag':       tag
-	})
-	d.send()!
+	d.send_request(.post, '/commit?container=$id&repo=$repo&tag=$tag')!
+	_, body := d.read_response()!
 
-	return d.read_json_response<Image>()!
+	data := json.decode(Image, body)!
+
+	return data
 }
 
 // remove_image removes the image with the given id.
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) remove_image(id string) ! {
-	d.request(.delete, '/images/$id', {})
-	d.send()!
+	d.send_request(.delete, '/images/$id')!
 	d.read_response()!
 }
diff --git a/request.v b/request.v
index f844717..fdee0d4 100644
--- a/request.v
+++ b/request.v
@@ -3,29 +3,17 @@ module docker
 import net.http
 import net.urllib
 import io
-import json
 
-fn (mut d DockerConn) request(method http.Method, url string, params map[string]string) {
+fn (mut d DockerConn) request(method http.Method, url_str string) {
 	d.method = method
-	d.url = url
+	d.url = url_str
+	d.params.clear()
 	d.content_type = ''
 	d.body = ''
-
-	d.params.clear()
-
-	for key, value in params {
-		d.params[key] = urllib.query_escape(value.replace("'", '"'))
-	}
 }
 
-fn (mut d DockerConn) body(content_type string, body string) {
-	d.content_type = content_type
-	d.body = body
-}
-
-fn (mut d DockerConn) body_json<T>(data T) {
-	d.content_type = 'application/json'
-	d.body = json.encode(data)
+fn (mut d DockerConn) get(url_str string) {
+	d.request(http.Method.get, url_str)
 }
 
 fn (mut d DockerConn) params<T>(o T) {
diff --git a/volumes.v b/volumes.v
index 6ce9905..5bd9936 100644
--- a/volumes.v
+++ b/volumes.v
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module docker
 
-import net.http
+import net.http { Method }
 import time
 
 struct UsageData {
@@ -36,8 +36,7 @@ struct VolumeListResponse {
 }
 
 pub fn (mut d DockerConn) volume_list() !VolumeListResponse {
-	d.request(.get, '/volumes', {})
-	d.send()!
+	d.send_request(Method.get, '/volumes')!
 
 	mut data := d.read_json_response<VolumeListResponse>()!