diff --git a/http-common.cabal b/http-common.cabal
--- a/http-common.cabal
+++ b/http-common.cabal
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cabal-version:       >= 1.10
 name:                http-common
-version:             0.7.2.0
+version:             0.8.2.0
 synopsis:            Common types for HTTP clients and servers
 description:
  /Overview/
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 license-file:        LICENCE
 author:              Andrew Cowie <andrew@operationaldynamics.com>
 maintainer:          Andrew Cowie <andrew@operationaldynamics.com>
-copyright:           © 2012-2014 Operational Dynamics Consulting, Pty Ltd and Others
+copyright:           © 2012-2015 Operational Dynamics Consulting, Pty Ltd and Others
 category:            Web
 tested-with:         GHC == 7.8
 stability:           experimental
diff --git a/lib/Network/Http/Internal.hs b/lib/Network/Http/Internal.hs
--- a/lib/Network/Http/Internal.hs
+++ b/lib/Network/Http/Internal.hs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 --
 -- HTTP types for use with io-streams and pipes
 --
--- Copyright © 2012-2013 Operational Dynamics Consulting, Pty Ltd
+-- Copyright © 2012-2014 Operational Dynamics Consulting, Pty Ltd
 --
 -- The code in this file, and the program it is a part of, is
 -- made available to you by its authors as open source software:
diff --git a/lib/Network/Http/RequestBuilder.hs b/lib/Network/Http/RequestBuilder.hs
--- a/lib/Network/Http/RequestBuilder.hs
+++ b/lib/Network/Http/RequestBuilder.hs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 --
 -- HTTP types for use with io-streams and pipes
 --
--- Copyright © 2012-2013 Operational Dynamics Consulting, Pty Ltd
+-- Copyright © 2012-2014 Operational Dynamics Consulting, Pty Ltd and Others
 --
 -- The code in this file, and the program it is a part of, is
 -- made available to you by its authors as open source software:
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 module Network.Http.RequestBuilder (
     RequestBuilder,
     buildRequest,
+    buildRequest1,
     http,
     setHostname,
     setAccept,
@@ -57,17 +58,17 @@
 -- | Run a RequestBuilder, yielding a Request object you can use on the
 -- given connection.
 --
--- >     q <- buildRequest $ do
--- >         http POST "/api/v1/messages"
--- >         setContentType "application/json"
--- >         setHostname "clue.example.com" 80
--- >         setAccept "text/html"
--- >         setHeader "X-WhoDoneIt" "The Butler"
+-- >     let q = buildRequest1 $ do
+-- >                 http POST "/api/v1/messages"
+-- >                 setContentType "application/json"
+-- >                 setHostname "clue.example.com" 80
+-- >                 setAccept "text/html"
+-- >                 setHeader "X-WhoDoneIt" "The Butler"
 --
 -- Obviously it's up to you to later actually /send/ JSON data.
 --
-buildRequest :: RequestBuilder α -> IO Request
-buildRequest mm = do
+buildRequest1 :: RequestBuilder α -> Request
+buildRequest1 mm = do
     let (RequestBuilder s) = (mm)
     let q = Request {
         qHost = Nothing,
@@ -77,8 +78,21 @@
         qExpect = Normal,
         qHeaders = emptyHeaders
     }
-    return $ execState s q
+    execState s q
 
+--
+-- | Run a RequestBuilder from within a monadic action.
+--
+-- Older versions of this library had 'buildRequest' in IO; there's
+-- no longer a need for that, but this code path will continue to
+-- work for existing users.
+--
+-- >     q <- buildRequest $ do
+-- >              http GET "/"
+--
+buildRequest :: Monad ν => RequestBuilder α -> ν Request
+buildRequest = return . buildRequest1
+{-# INLINE buildRequest #-}
 
 --
 -- | Begin constructing a Request, starting with the request line.
diff --git a/lib/Network/Http/Types.hs b/lib/Network/Http/Types.hs
--- a/lib/Network/Http/Types.hs
+++ b/lib/Network/Http/Types.hs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 --
 -- HTTP types for use with io-streams and pipes
 --
--- Copyright © 2012-2013 Operational Dynamics Consulting, Pty Ltd
+-- Copyright © 2012-2014 Operational Dynamics Consulting, Pty Ltd
 --
 -- The code in this file, and the program it is a part of, is
 -- made available to you by its authors as open source software:
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
     RequestBuilder,
     buildRequest,
+    buildRequest1,
     http,
     setHostname,
     setAccept,