diff --git a/lib/request.ts b/lib/request.ts
index 91640e0..2e5fc87 100644
--- a/lib/request.ts
+++ b/lib/request.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ export default class Request extends Base {
   response: Response
   raw: any
   errored: Error
+  transport: TransportOptions
 
   aborted = false
   timedout = false
@@ -65,11 +66,6 @@ export default class Request extends Base {
   private _uploadedBytes: number = null
   private _downloadedBytes: number = null
 
-  // Properties populated by the request mechanism.
-  private _open: OpenHandler
-  private _abort: AbortHandler
-  private _use: Middleware[]
-
   private _promise: Promise<Response>
 
   private _before: Function[] = []
@@ -91,12 +87,10 @@ export default class Request extends Base {
       process.nextTick(() => start(this).then(resolve, reject))
     })
 
-    if (options.transport) {
-      this._transport(options.transport)
-    }
+    this.transport = options.transport
 
-    // Automatically set up middleware functions.
-    this.use(options.use || this._use)
+    // Automatically `use` default middleware functions.
+    this.use(options.use || this.transport.use)
 
     this.always(removeListeners)
   }
@@ -115,12 +109,6 @@ export default class Request extends Base {
     return err
   }
 
-  private _transport ({ open, abort, use }: TransportOptions) {
-    this._open = open
-    this._abort = abort
-    this._use = use
-  }
-
   then (onFulfilled: (response?: Response) => any, onRejected?: (error?: PopsicleError) => any) {
     return this._promise.then(onFulfilled, onRejected)
   }
@@ -176,8 +164,8 @@ export default class Request extends Base {
       emitProgress(this)
       this._progress = null
 
-      if (this._abort) {
-        this._abort(this)
+      if (this.transport.abort) {
+        this.transport.abort(this)
       }
     }
 
@@ -286,7 +274,7 @@ function start (request: Request) {
 
       req.opened = true
 
-      return req._open(request)
+      return req.transport.open(request)
     })
     .then(function (options: ResponseOptions) {
       if (request.errored) {
diff --git a/popsicle.js b/popsicle.js
index 5dba071..c9c27ac 100644
--- a/popsicle.js
+++ b/popsicle.js
@@ -325,10 +325,8 @@ var Request = (function (_super) {
         this._promise = new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
             process.nextTick(function () { return start(_this).then(resolve, reject); });
         });
-        if (options.transport) {
-            this._transport(options.transport);
-        }
-        this.use(options.use || this._use);
+        this.transport = options.transport;
+        this.use(options.use || this.transport.use);
         this.always(removeListeners);
     }
     Request.prototype.use = function (fn) {
@@ -343,12 +341,6 @@ var Request = (function (_super) {
         err.original = original;
         return err;
     };
-    Request.prototype._transport = function (_a) {
-        var open = _a.open, abort = _a.abort, use = _a.use;
-        this._open = open;
-        this._abort = abort;
-        this._use = use;
-    };
     Request.prototype.then = function (onFulfilled, onRejected) {
         return this._promise.then(onFulfilled, onRejected);
     };
@@ -391,8 +383,8 @@ var Request = (function (_super) {
         if (this.opened) {
             emitProgress(this);
             this._progress = null;
-            if (this._abort) {
-                this._abort(this);
+            if (this.transport.abort) {
+                this.transport.abort(this);
             }
         }
         return this;
@@ -498,7 +490,7 @@ function start(request) {
             }, timeout);
         }
         req.opened = true;
-        return req._open(request);
+        return req.transport.open(request);
     })
         .then(function (options) {
         if (request.errored) {