diff --git a/src/core/packet/wscontrolpacket.cpp b/src/core/packet/wscontrolpacket.cpp
index c8786005..ae545d5f 100644
--- a/src/core/packet/wscontrolpacket.cpp
+++ b/src/core/packet/wscontrolpacket.cpp
@@ -218,6 +218,9 @@ QVariant WsControlPacket::toVariant() const
 		if(item.logLevel >= 0)
 			vitem["log-level"] = item.logLevel;
 
+		if(item.trusted)
+			vitem["trusted"] = true;
+
 		if(!item.channel.isEmpty())
 			vitem["channel"] = item.channel;
 
@@ -395,6 +398,14 @@ bool WsControlPacket::fromVariant(const QVariant &in)
 			item.logLevel = vitem["log-level"].toInt();
 		}
 
+		if(vitem.contains("trusted"))
+		{
+			if(typeId(vitem["trusted"]) != QMetaType::Bool)
+				return false;
+
+			item.trusted = vitem["trusted"].toBool();
+		}
+
 		if(vitem.contains("channel"))
 		{
 			if(typeId(vitem["channel"]) != QMetaType::QByteArray)
diff --git a/src/core/packet/wscontrolpacket.h b/src/core/packet/wscontrolpacket.h
index ab8cf7f7..b3ddc6a2 100644
--- a/src/core/packet/wscontrolpacket.h
+++ b/src/core/packet/wscontrolpacket.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ class WsControlPacket
 		bool separateStats;
 		QByteArray channelPrefix;
 		int logLevel;
+		bool trusted;
 		QByteArray channel;
 		int ttl;
 		int timeout;
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ class WsControlPacket
 			code(-1),
 			separateStats(false),
 			logLevel(-1),
+			trusted(false),
 			ttl(-1),
 			timeout(-1)
 		{
diff --git a/src/handler/filter.cpp b/src/handler/filter.cpp
index cfb46623..d04e1e1b 100644
--- a/src/handler/filter.cpp
+++ b/src/handler/filter.cpp
@@ -23,9 +23,13 @@
 
 #include "filter.h"
 
+#include <QJsonDocument>
+#include <QJsonObject>
 #include "log.h"
 #include "format.h"
 #include "idformat.h"
+#include "zhttpmanager.h"
+#include "zhttprequest.h"
 
 namespace {
 
@@ -304,6 +308,192 @@ class VarSubstFilter : public Filter, public Filter::MessageFilter
 	}
 };
 
+class HttpFilter : public Filter::MessageFilter
+{
+public:
+	enum Mode
+	{
+		Check,
+		Modify
+	};
+
+	Mode mode;
+	std::unique_ptr<ZhttpRequest> req;
+	boost::signals2::scoped_connection readyReadConnection;
+	boost::signals2::scoped_connection errorConnection;
+	QByteArray origContent;
+	bool haveResponseHeader;
+	QByteArray responseBody;
+
+	HttpFilter(Mode _mode) :
+		mode(_mode),
+		haveResponseHeader(false)
+	{
+	}
+
+	virtual void start(const Filter::Context &context, const QByteArray &content)
+	{
+		QUrl url = QUrl(context.subscriptionMeta.value("url"), QUrl::StrictMode);
+		if(!url.isValid())
+		{
+			Result r;
+			r.errorMessage = "invalid or missing url value";
+			finished(r);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		QUrl currentUri = context.currentUri;
+		if(currentUri.scheme() == "wss")
+			currentUri.setScheme("https");
+		else if(currentUri.scheme() == "ws")
+			currentUri.setScheme("http");
+
+		QUrl destUri = currentUri.resolved(url);
+
+		origContent = content;
+
+		req.reset(context.zhttpOut->createRequest());
+		readyReadConnection = req->readyRead.connect(boost::bind(&HttpFilter::req_readyRead, this));
+		errorConnection = req->error.connect(boost::bind(&HttpFilter::req_error, this));
+
+		int currentPort = currentUri.port(currentUri.scheme() == "https" ? 443 : 80);
+		int destPort = destUri.port(destUri.scheme() == "https" ? 443 : 80);
+
+		QVariantHash passthroughData;
+
+		passthroughData["route"] = context.route.toUtf8();
+
+		// if dest link points to the same service as the current request,
+		//   then we can assume the network would send the request back to
+		//   us, so we can handle it internally. if the link points to a
+		//   different service, then we can't make this assumption and need
+		//   to make the request over the network. note that such a request
+		//   could still end up looping back to us
+		if(destUri.scheme() == currentUri.scheme() && destUri.host() == currentUri.host() && destPort == currentPort)
+		{
+			// tell the proxy that we prefer the request to be handled
+			//   internally, using the same route
+			passthroughData["prefer-internal"] = true;
+		}
+
+		// needed in case internal routing is not used
+		if(context.trusted)
+			passthroughData["trusted"] = true;
+
+		req->setPassthroughData(passthroughData);
+
+		HttpHeaders headers;
+
+		{
+			QVariantMap vmap;
+			QHashIterator<QString, QString> it(context.subscriptionMeta);
+			while(it.hasNext())
+			{
+				it.next();
+				vmap[it.key()] = it.value();
+			}
+
+			QJsonDocument doc = QJsonDocument(QJsonObject::fromVariantMap(vmap));
+			headers += HttpHeader("Sub-Meta", doc.toJson(QJsonDocument::Compact));
+		}
+
+		{
+			QVariantMap vmap;
+			QHashIterator<QString, QString> it(context.publishMeta);
+			while(it.hasNext())
+			{
+				it.next();
+				vmap[it.key()] = it.value();
+			}
+
+			QJsonDocument doc = QJsonDocument(QJsonObject::fromVariantMap(vmap));
+			headers += HttpHeader("Pub-Meta", doc.toJson(QJsonDocument::Compact));
+		}
+
+		{
+			QHashIterator<QString, QString> it(context.prevIds);
+			while(it.hasNext())
+			{
+				it.next();
+				const QString &name = it.key();
+				const QString &prevId = it.value();
+
+				if(!prevId.isNull())
+					headers += HttpHeader("Grip-Last", name.toUtf8() + "; last-id=" + prevId.toUtf8());
+			}
+		}
+
+		req->start("POST", destUri, headers);
+
+		if(mode == Modify)
+			req->writeBody(content);
+
+		req->endBody();
+	}
+
+	void req_readyRead()
+	{
+		if(!haveResponseHeader)
+		{
+			haveResponseHeader = true;
+
+			switch(req->responseCode())
+			{
+				case 200:
+				case 204:
+					break;
+				default:
+					Result r;
+					r.errorMessage = "unexpected network request status";
+					finished(r);
+					return;
+			}
+		}
+
+		QByteArray body = req->readBody();
+
+		if(mode == Modify)
+			responseBody += body;
+
+		if(!req->isFinished())
+			return;
+
+		Result r;
+
+		if(req->responseHeaders().get("Action") == "drop")
+		{
+			// drop
+			r.sendAction = Filter::Drop;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			// accept
+			r.sendAction = Filter::Send;
+
+			switch(req->responseCode())
+			{
+				case 204:
+					// as-is
+					r.content = origContent;
+					break;
+				default:
+					// replace content
+					r.content = responseBody;
+					break;
+			}
+		}
+
+		finished(r);
+	}
+
+	void req_error()
+	{
+		Result r;
+		r.errorMessage = "network request failed";
+		finished(r);
+	}
+};
+
 }
 
 Filter::MessageFilter::~MessageFilter()
@@ -375,6 +565,10 @@ Filter::MessageFilter *Filter::createMessageFilter(const QString &name)
 		return new BuildIdFilter;
 	else if(name == "var-subst")
 		return new VarSubstFilter;
+	else if(name == "http-check")
+		return new HttpFilter(HttpFilter::Check);
+	else if(name == "http-modify")
+		return new HttpFilter(HttpFilter::Modify);
 	else
 		return 0;
 }
@@ -386,7 +580,9 @@ QStringList Filter::names()
 		<< "skip-users"
 		<< "require-sub"
 		<< "build-id"
-		<< "var-subst");
+		<< "var-subst"
+		<< "http-check"
+		<< "http-modify");
 }
 
 Filter::Targets Filter::targets(const QString &name)
@@ -401,6 +597,10 @@ Filter::Targets Filter::targets(const QString &name)
 		return Filter::Targets(Filter::MessageContent | Filter::ResponseContent);
 	else if(name == "var-subst")
 		return Filter::MessageContent;
+	else if(name == "http-check")
+		return Filter::MessageDelivery;
+	else if(name == "http-modify")
+		return Filter::Targets(Filter::MessageDelivery | Filter::MessageContent);
 	else
 		return Filter::Targets(0);
 }
diff --git a/src/handler/filter.h b/src/handler/filter.h
index e614497c..a3114813 100644
--- a/src/handler/filter.h
+++ b/src/handler/filter.h
@@ -28,8 +28,11 @@
 #include <QStringList>
 #include <QHash>
 #include <QMetaType>
+#include <QUrl>
 #include <boost/signals2.hpp>
 
+class ZhttpManager;
+
 class Filter
 {
 public:
@@ -52,6 +55,18 @@ class Filter
 		QHash<QString, QString> prevIds;
 		QHash<QString, QString> subscriptionMeta;
 		QHash<QString, QString> publishMeta;
+
+		// for network access
+		ZhttpManager *zhttpOut;
+		QUrl currentUri;
+		QString route;
+		bool trusted;
+
+		Context() :
+			zhttpOut(0),
+			trusted(false)
+		{
+		}
 	};
 
 	class MessageFilter
diff --git a/src/handler/handlerengine.cpp b/src/handler/handlerengine.cpp
index 0fd96140..371771ec 100644
--- a/src/handler/handlerengine.cpp
+++ b/src/handler/handlerengine.cpp
@@ -1813,6 +1813,10 @@ class HandlerEngine::Private : public QObject
 			Filter::Context fc;
 			fc.subscriptionMeta = s->meta;
 			fc.publishMeta = item.meta;
+			fc.zhttpOut = zhttpOut;
+			fc.currentUri = s->requestData.uri;
+			fc.route = s->route;
+			fc.trusted = s->targetTrusted;
 
 			FilterStack filters(fc, s->channelFilters[item.channel]);
 
@@ -2701,6 +2705,7 @@ class HandlerEngine::Private : public QObject
 
 				s->route = item.route;
 				s->statsRoute = item.separateStats ? item.route : QString();
+				s->targetTrusted = item.trusted;
 				s->channelPrefix = QString::fromUtf8(item.channelPrefix);
 				if(item.logLevel >= 0)
 					s->logLevel = item.logLevel;
diff --git a/src/handler/httpsession.cpp b/src/handler/httpsession.cpp
index d97c3396..cbd8028e 100644
--- a/src/handler/httpsession.cpp
+++ b/src/handler/httpsession.cpp
@@ -468,6 +468,10 @@ class HttpSession::Private : public QObject
 			fc.prevIds = prevIds;
 			fc.subscriptionMeta = instruct.meta;
 			fc.publishMeta = item.meta;
+			fc.zhttpOut = outZhttp;
+			fc.currentUri = currentUri;
+			fc.route = adata.route;
+			fc.trusted = adata.trusted;
 
 			FilterStack fs(fc, channels[item.channel].filters);
 
@@ -875,6 +879,10 @@ class HttpSession::Private : public QObject
 			fc.prevIds = prevIds;
 			fc.subscriptionMeta = instruct.meta;
 			fc.publishMeta = item.meta;
+			fc.zhttpOut = outZhttp;
+			fc.currentUri = currentUri;
+			fc.route = adata.route;
+			fc.trusted = adata.trusted;
 
 			FilterStack fs(fc, channels[item.channel].filters);
 
@@ -1229,7 +1237,7 @@ class HttpSession::Private : public QObject
 			passthroughData["prefer-internal"] = true;
 		}
 
-		// these fields are needed in case proxy routing is not used
+		// needed in case internal routing is not used
 		if(adata.trusted)
 			passthroughData["trusted"] = true;
 
diff --git a/src/handler/wssession.cpp b/src/handler/wssession.cpp
index fc646596..d1bf9ff7 100644
--- a/src/handler/wssession.cpp
+++ b/src/handler/wssession.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@
 WsSession::WsSession(QObject *parent) :
 	QObject(parent),
 	nextReqId(0),
-	logLevel(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG)
+	logLevel(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG),
+	targetTrusted(false),
+	ttl(0)
 {
 	expireTimer = new QTimer(this);
 	expireTimer->setSingleShot(true);
diff --git a/src/handler/wssession.h b/src/handler/wssession.h
index efd684fd..b502cc91 100644
--- a/src/handler/wssession.h
+++ b/src/handler/wssession.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class WsSession : public QObject
 	HttpRequestData requestData;
 	QString route;
 	QString statsRoute;
+	bool targetTrusted;
 	QString sid;
 	QHash<QString, QString> meta;
 	QHash<QString, QStringList> channelFilters; // k=channel, v=list(filters)
diff --git a/src/proxy/proxyutil.cpp b/src/proxy/proxyutil.cpp
index ec39ee2a..41f9d8dc 100644
--- a/src/proxy/proxyutil.cpp
+++ b/src/proxy/proxyutil.cpp
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ void manipulateRequestHeaders(const char *logprefix, void *object, HttpRequestDa
 
 		requestData->headers.removeAll("Grip-Feature");
 		requestData->headers += HttpHeader("Grip-Feature",
-			"status, session, link:next, link:gone, filter:skip-self, filter:skip-users, filter:require-sub, filter:build-id, filter:var-subst");
+			"status, session, link:next, link:gone, filter:skip-self, filter:skip-users, filter:require-sub, filter:build-id, filter:var-subst, filter:http-check, filter:http-modify");
 
 		if(!idata.sid.isEmpty())
 		{
diff --git a/src/proxy/wscontrolsession.cpp b/src/proxy/wscontrolsession.cpp
index 0fc108ab..934ef4fc 100644
--- a/src/proxy/wscontrolsession.cpp
+++ b/src/proxy/wscontrolsession.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class WsControlSession::Private : public QObject
 	QByteArray channelPrefix;
 	int logLevel;
 	QUrl uri;
+	bool targetTrusted;
 	Connection requestTimerConnection;
 
 	Private(WsControlSession *_q) :
@@ -62,7 +63,8 @@ class WsControlSession::Private : public QObject
 		manager(0),
 		nextReqId(0),
 		separateStats(false),
-		logLevel(-1)
+		logLevel(-1),
+		targetTrusted(false)
 	{
 		requestTimer = std::make_unique<RTimer>();
 		requestTimerConnection = requestTimer->timeout.connect(boost::bind(&Private::requestTimer_timeout, this));
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ class WsControlSession::Private : public QObject
 		i.channelPrefix = channelPrefix;
 		i.logLevel = logLevel;
 		i.uri = uri;
+		i.trusted = targetTrusted;
 		i.ttl = SESSION_TTL;
 		write(i, true);
 	}
@@ -326,13 +329,14 @@ QByteArray WsControlSession::cid() const
 	return d->cid;
 }
 
-void WsControlSession::start(const QByteArray &routeId, bool separateStats, const QByteArray &channelPrefix, int logLevel, const QUrl &uri)
+void WsControlSession::start(const QByteArray &routeId, bool separateStats, const QByteArray &channelPrefix, int logLevel, const QUrl &uri, bool targetTrusted)
 {
 	d->route = routeId;
 	d->separateStats = separateStats;
 	d->channelPrefix = channelPrefix;
 	d->logLevel = logLevel;
 	d->uri = uri;
+	d->targetTrusted = targetTrusted;
 	d->start();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/proxy/wscontrolsession.h b/src/proxy/wscontrolsession.h
index 1c1a933e..a2ac08fd 100644
--- a/src/proxy/wscontrolsession.h
+++ b/src/proxy/wscontrolsession.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class WsControlSession : public QObject
 	QByteArray peer() const;
 	QByteArray cid() const;
 
-	void start(const QByteArray &routeId, bool separateStats, const QByteArray &channelPrefix, int logLevel, const QUrl &uri);
+	void start(const QByteArray &routeId, bool separateStats, const QByteArray &channelPrefix, int logLevel, const QUrl &uri, bool targetTrusted);
 	void sendGripMessage(const QByteArray &message);
 	void sendNeedKeepAlive();
 	void sendSubscribe(const QByteArray &channel);
diff --git a/src/proxy/wsproxysession.cpp b/src/proxy/wsproxysession.cpp
index aa659e03..ace6a189 100644
--- a/src/proxy/wsproxysession.cpp
+++ b/src/proxy/wsproxysession.cpp
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ private slots:
 					wsControl->cancelEventReceived.connect(boost::bind(&Private::wsControl_cancelEventReceived, this)),
 					wsControl->error.connect(boost::bind(&Private::wsControl_error, this))
 				};
-				wsControl->start(route.id, route.separateStats, channelPrefix, route.logLevel, inSock->requestUri());
+				wsControl->start(route.id, route.separateStats, channelPrefix, route.logLevel, inSock->requestUri(), target.trusted);
 
 				foreach(const QString &subChannel, target.subscriptions)
 				{