diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXHttpServer.cpp b/ixwebsocket/IXHttpServer.cpp
index c015854c..406d7d25 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXHttpServer.cpp
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXHttpServer.cpp
@@ -74,28 +74,14 @@ namespace ix
                            int backlog,
                            size_t maxConnections,
                            int addressFamily,
-                           int timeoutSecs)
-        : SocketServer(port, host, backlog, maxConnections, addressFamily)
-        , _connectedClientsCount(0)
+                           int timeoutSecs,
+                           int handshakeTimeoutSecs)
+        : WebSocketServer(port, host, backlog, maxConnections, handshakeTimeoutSecs, addressFamily)
         , _timeoutSecs(timeoutSecs)
     {
         setDefaultConnectionCallback();
     }
 
-    HttpServer::~HttpServer()
-    {
-        stop();
-    }
-
-    void HttpServer::stop()
-    {
-        stopAcceptingConnections();
-
-        // FIXME: cancelling / closing active clients ...
-
-        SocketServer::stop();
-    }
-
     void HttpServer::setOnConnectionCallback(const OnConnectionCallback& callback)
     {
         _onConnectionCallback = callback;
@@ -104,34 +90,35 @@ namespace ix
     void HttpServer::handleConnection(std::unique_ptr<Socket> socket,
                                       std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState)
     {
-        _connectedClientsCount++;
-
         auto ret = Http::parseRequest(socket, _timeoutSecs);
         // FIXME: handle errors in parseRequest
 
         if (std::get<0>(ret))
         {
-            auto response = _onConnectionCallback(std::get<2>(ret), connectionState);
-            if (!Http::sendResponse(response, socket))
+            auto request = std::get<2>(ret);
+            std::shared_ptr<ix::HttpResponse> response;
+            if (request->headers["Upgrade"] == "websocket")
             {
-                logError("Cannot send response");
+                WebSocketServer::handleUpgrade(std::move(socket), connectionState, request);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                auto response = _onConnectionCallback(request, connectionState);
+                if (!Http::sendResponse(response, socket))
+                {
+                    logError("Cannot send response");
+                }
             }
         }
         connectionState->setTerminated();
-
-        _connectedClientsCount--;
-    }
-
-    size_t HttpServer::getConnectedClientsCount()
-    {
-        return _connectedClientsCount;
     }
 
     void HttpServer::setDefaultConnectionCallback()
     {
         setOnConnectionCallback(
             [this](HttpRequestPtr request,
-                   std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState) -> HttpResponsePtr {
+                   std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState) -> HttpResponsePtr
+            {
                 std::string uri(request->uri);
                 if (uri.empty() || uri == "/")
                 {
@@ -189,9 +176,9 @@ namespace ix
         // See https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Redirections
         //
         setOnConnectionCallback(
-            [this,
-             redirectUrl](HttpRequestPtr request,
-                          std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState) -> HttpResponsePtr {
+            [this, redirectUrl](HttpRequestPtr request,
+                                std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState) -> HttpResponsePtr
+            {
                 WebSocketHttpHeaders headers;
                 headers["Server"] = userAgent();
 
@@ -222,7 +209,8 @@ namespace ix
     {
         setOnConnectionCallback(
             [this](HttpRequestPtr request,
-                   std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState) -> HttpResponsePtr {
+                   std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState) -> HttpResponsePtr
+            {
                 WebSocketHttpHeaders headers;
                 headers["Server"] = userAgent();
 
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXHttpServer.h b/ixwebsocket/IXHttpServer.h
index 7de67631..0d74d709 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXHttpServer.h
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXHttpServer.h
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "IXHttp.h"
-#include "IXSocketServer.h"
 #include "IXWebSocket.h"
+#include "IXWebSocketServer.h"
 #include <functional>
 #include <memory>
 #include <mutex>
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 namespace ix
 {
-    class HttpServer final : public SocketServer
+    class HttpServer final : public WebSocketServer
     {
     public:
         using OnConnectionCallback =
@@ -30,9 +30,8 @@ namespace ix
                    int backlog = SocketServer::kDefaultTcpBacklog,
                    size_t maxConnections = SocketServer::kDefaultMaxConnections,
                    int addressFamily = SocketServer::kDefaultAddressFamily,
-                   int timeoutSecs = HttpServer::kDefaultTimeoutSecs);
-        virtual ~HttpServer();
-        virtual void stop() final;
+                   int timeoutSecs = HttpServer::kDefaultTimeoutSecs,
+                   int handshakeTimeoutSecs = WebSocketServer::kDefaultHandShakeTimeoutSecs);
 
         void setOnConnectionCallback(const OnConnectionCallback& callback);
 
@@ -41,10 +40,10 @@ namespace ix
         void makeDebugServer();
 
         int getTimeoutSecs();
+
     private:
         // Member variables
         OnConnectionCallback _onConnectionCallback;
-        std::atomic<int> _connectedClientsCount;
 
         const static int kDefaultTimeoutSecs;
         int _timeoutSecs;
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@ namespace ix
         // Methods
         virtual void handleConnection(std::unique_ptr<Socket>,
                                       std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState) final;
-        virtual size_t getConnectedClientsCount() final;
 
         void setDefaultConnectionCallback();
     };
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
index 7aab7902..5c3ec9ad 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ namespace ix
         , _pingIntervalSecs(kDefaultPingIntervalSecs)
     {
         _ws.setOnCloseCallback(
-            [this](uint16_t code, const std::string& reason, size_t wireSize, bool remote) {
+            [this](uint16_t code, const std::string& reason, size_t wireSize, bool remote)
+            {
                 _onMessageCallback(
                     ix::make_unique<WebSocketMessage>(WebSocketMessageType::Close,
                                                       emptyMsg,
@@ -240,7 +241,8 @@ namespace ix
 
     WebSocketInitResult WebSocket::connectToSocket(std::unique_ptr<Socket> socket,
                                                    int timeoutSecs,
-                                                   bool enablePerMessageDeflate)
+                                                   bool enablePerMessageDeflate,
+                                                   HttpRequestPtr request)
     {
         {
             std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(_configMutex);
@@ -249,7 +251,7 @@ namespace ix
         }
 
         WebSocketInitResult status =
-            _ws.connectToSocket(std::move(socket), timeoutSecs, enablePerMessageDeflate);
+            _ws.connectToSocket(std::move(socket), timeoutSecs, enablePerMessageDeflate, request);
         if (!status.success)
         {
             return status;
@@ -384,8 +386,9 @@ namespace ix
                 [this](const std::string& msg,
                        size_t wireSize,
                        bool decompressionError,
-                       WebSocketTransport::MessageKind messageKind) {
-                    WebSocketMessageType webSocketMessageType{WebSocketMessageType::Error};
+                       WebSocketTransport::MessageKind messageKind)
+                {
+                    WebSocketMessageType webSocketMessageType {WebSocketMessageType::Error};
                     switch (messageKind)
                     {
                         case WebSocketTransport::MessageKind::MSG_TEXT:
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.h b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.h
index 37df88ca..84ef3b85 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.h
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.h
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
 #include "IXWebSocketHttpHeaders.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketMessage.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketPerMessageDeflateOptions.h"
-#include "IXWebSocketSendInfo.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketSendData.h"
+#include "IXWebSocketSendInfo.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketTransport.h"
 #include <atomic>
 #include <condition_variable>
@@ -128,7 +128,8 @@ namespace ix
         // Server
         WebSocketInitResult connectToSocket(std::unique_ptr<Socket>,
                                             int timeoutSecs,
-                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate);
+                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate,
+                                            HttpRequestPtr request = nullptr);
 
         WebSocketTransport _ws;
 
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketHandshake.cpp b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketHandshake.cpp
index 53b3c806..a0216dd7 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketHandshake.cpp
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketHandshake.cpp
@@ -240,28 +240,42 @@ namespace ix
     }
 
     WebSocketInitResult WebSocketHandshake::serverHandshake(int timeoutSecs,
-                                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate)
+                                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate,
+                                                            HttpRequestPtr request)
     {
         _requestInitCancellation = false;
 
         auto isCancellationRequested =
             makeCancellationRequestWithTimeout(timeoutSecs, _requestInitCancellation);
 
-        // Read first line
-        auto lineResult = _socket->readLine(isCancellationRequested);
-        auto lineValid = lineResult.first;
-        auto line = lineResult.second;
+        std::string method;
+        std::string uri;
+        std::string httpVersion;
 
-        if (!lineValid)
+        if (request)
         {
-            return sendErrorResponse(400, "Error reading HTTP request line");
+            method = request->method;
+            uri = request->uri;
+            httpVersion = request->version;
         }
+        else
+        {
+            // Read first line
+            auto lineResult = _socket->readLine(isCancellationRequested);
+            auto lineValid = lineResult.first;
+            auto line = lineResult.second;
 
-        // Validate request line (GET /foo HTTP/1.1\r\n)
-        auto requestLine = Http::parseRequestLine(line);
-        auto method = std::get<0>(requestLine);
-        auto uri = std::get<1>(requestLine);
-        auto httpVersion = std::get<2>(requestLine);
+            if (!lineValid)
+            {
+                return sendErrorResponse(400, "Error reading HTTP request line");
+            }
+
+            // Validate request line (GET /foo HTTP/1.1\r\n)
+            auto requestLine = Http::parseRequestLine(line);
+            method = std::get<0>(requestLine);
+            uri = std::get<1>(requestLine);
+            httpVersion = std::get<2>(requestLine);
+        }
 
         if (method != "GET")
         {
@@ -274,14 +288,22 @@ namespace ix
                                      "Invalid HTTP version, need HTTP/1.1, got: " + httpVersion);
         }
 
-        // Retrieve and validate HTTP headers
-        auto result = parseHttpHeaders(_socket, isCancellationRequested);
-        auto headersValid = result.first;
-        auto headers = result.second;
-
-        if (!headersValid)
+        WebSocketHttpHeaders headers;
+        if (request)
         {
-            return sendErrorResponse(400, "Error parsing HTTP headers");
+            headers = request->headers;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // Retrieve and validate HTTP headers
+            auto result = parseHttpHeaders(_socket, isCancellationRequested);
+            auto headersValid = result.first;
+            headers = result.second;
+
+            if (!headersValid)
+            {
+                return sendErrorResponse(400, "Error parsing HTTP headers");
+            }
         }
 
         if (headers.find("sec-websocket-key") == headers.end())
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketHandshake.h b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketHandshake.h
index 0a275e43..3c153791 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketHandshake.h
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketHandshake.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "IXCancellationRequest.h"
+#include "IXHttp.h"
 #include "IXSocket.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketHttpHeaders.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketInitResult.h"
@@ -35,7 +36,9 @@ namespace ix
                                             int port,
                                             int timeoutSecs);
 
-        WebSocketInitResult serverHandshake(int timeoutSecs, bool enablePerMessageDeflate);
+        WebSocketInitResult serverHandshake(int timeoutSecs,
+                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate,
+                                            HttpRequestPtr request = nullptr);
 
     private:
         std::string genRandomString(const int len);
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketServer.cpp b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketServer.cpp
index 90593d50..03b0ea50 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketServer.cpp
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketServer.cpp
@@ -78,6 +78,15 @@ namespace ix
 
     void WebSocketServer::handleConnection(std::unique_ptr<Socket> socket,
                                            std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState)
+    {
+        handleUpgrade(std::move(socket), connectionState);
+
+        connectionState->setTerminated();
+    }
+
+    void WebSocketServer::handleUpgrade(std::unique_ptr<Socket> socket,
+                                        std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState,
+                                        HttpRequestPtr request)
     {
         setThreadName("Srv:ws:" + connectionState->getId());
 
@@ -89,7 +98,7 @@ namespace ix
             if (!webSocket->isOnMessageCallbackRegistered())
             {
                 logError("WebSocketServer Application developer error: Server callback improperly "
-                         "registerered.");
+                         "registered.");
                 logError("Missing call to setOnMessageCallback inside setOnConnectionCallback.");
                 connectionState->setTerminated();
                 return;
@@ -99,9 +108,8 @@ namespace ix
         {
             WebSocket* webSocketRawPtr = webSocket.get();
             webSocket->setOnMessageCallback(
-                [this, webSocketRawPtr, connectionState](const WebSocketMessagePtr& msg) {
-                    _onClientMessageCallback(connectionState, *webSocketRawPtr, msg);
-                });
+                [this, webSocketRawPtr, connectionState](const WebSocketMessagePtr& msg)
+                { _onClientMessageCallback(connectionState, *webSocketRawPtr, msg); });
         }
         else
         {
@@ -130,7 +138,7 @@ namespace ix
         }
 
         auto status = webSocket->connectToSocket(
-            std::move(socket), _handshakeTimeoutSecs, _enablePerMessageDeflate);
+            std::move(socket), _handshakeTimeoutSecs, _enablePerMessageDeflate, request);
         if (status.success)
         {
             // Process incoming messages and execute callbacks
@@ -155,8 +163,6 @@ namespace ix
                 logError("Cannot delete client");
             }
         }
-
-        connectionState->setTerminated();
     }
 
     std::set<std::shared_ptr<WebSocket>> WebSocketServer::getClients()
@@ -176,28 +182,30 @@ namespace ix
     //
     void WebSocketServer::makeBroadcastServer()
     {
-        setOnClientMessageCallback([this](std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState,
-                                          WebSocket& webSocket,
-                                          const WebSocketMessagePtr& msg) {
-            auto remoteIp = connectionState->getRemoteIp();
-            if (msg->type == ix::WebSocketMessageType::Message)
+        setOnClientMessageCallback(
+            [this](std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState,
+                   WebSocket& webSocket,
+                   const WebSocketMessagePtr& msg)
             {
-                for (auto&& client : getClients())
+                auto remoteIp = connectionState->getRemoteIp();
+                if (msg->type == ix::WebSocketMessageType::Message)
                 {
-                    if (client.get() != &webSocket)
+                    for (auto&& client : getClients())
                     {
-                        client->send(msg->str, msg->binary);
-
-                        // Make sure the OS send buffer is flushed before moving on
-                        do
+                        if (client.get() != &webSocket)
                         {
-                            std::chrono::duration<double, std::milli> duration(500);
-                            std::this_thread::sleep_for(duration);
-                        } while (client->bufferedAmount() != 0);
+                            client->send(msg->str, msg->binary);
+
+                            // Make sure the OS send buffer is flushed before moving on
+                            do
+                            {
+                                std::chrono::duration<double, std::milli> duration(500);
+                                std::this_thread::sleep_for(duration);
+                            } while (client->bufferedAmount() != 0);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
-            }
-        });
+            });
     }
 
     bool WebSocketServer::listenAndStart()
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketServer.h b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketServer.h
index 6cae6331..dcb21e81 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketServer.h
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketServer.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ namespace ix
         int getHandshakeTimeoutSecs();
         bool isPongEnabled();
         bool isPerMessageDeflateEnabled();
+
     private:
         // Member variables
         int _handshakeTimeoutSecs;
@@ -73,5 +74,10 @@ namespace ix
         virtual void handleConnection(std::unique_ptr<Socket> socket,
                                       std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState);
         virtual size_t getConnectedClientsCount() final;
+
+    protected:
+        void handleUpgrade(std::unique_ptr<Socket> socket,
+                           std::shared_ptr<ConnectionState> connectionState,
+                           HttpRequestPtr request = nullptr);
     };
 } // namespace ix
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.cpp b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.cpp
index 86ec52e8..f4d89e7e 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.cpp
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.cpp
@@ -170,7 +170,8 @@ namespace ix
     // Server
     WebSocketInitResult WebSocketTransport::connectToSocket(std::unique_ptr<Socket> socket,
                                                             int timeoutSecs,
-                                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate)
+                                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate,
+                                                            HttpRequestPtr request)
     {
         std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(_socketMutex);
 
@@ -187,7 +188,8 @@ namespace ix
                                               _perMessageDeflateOptions,
                                               _enablePerMessageDeflate);
 
-        auto result = webSocketHandshake.serverHandshake(timeoutSecs, enablePerMessageDeflate);
+        auto result =
+            webSocketHandshake.serverHandshake(timeoutSecs, enablePerMessageDeflate, request);
         if (result.success)
         {
             setReadyState(ReadyState::OPEN);
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.h b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.h
index bdfd409f..7e906daa 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.h
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.h
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 #include "IXWebSocketHttpHeaders.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketPerMessageDeflate.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketPerMessageDeflateOptions.h"
-#include "IXWebSocketSendInfo.h"
 #include "IXWebSocketSendData.h"
+#include "IXWebSocketSendInfo.h"
 #include <atomic>
 #include <functional>
 #include <list>
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ namespace ix
         // Server
         WebSocketInitResult connectToSocket(std::unique_ptr<Socket> socket,
                                             int timeoutSecs,
-                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate);
+                                            bool enablePerMessageDeflate,
+                                            HttpRequestPtr request = nullptr);
 
         PollResult poll();
         WebSocketSendInfo sendBinary(const IXWebSocketSendData& message,