diff --git a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientBuilder.java b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientBuilder.java
index 7a5cfba1e..ec31f3b09 100644
--- a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientBuilder.java
+++ b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientBuilder.java
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ public class H2AsyncClientBuilder {
         }
 
         final AsyncPushConsumerRegistry pushConsumerRegistry = new AsyncPushConsumerRegistry();
-        final IOEventHandlerFactory ioEventHandlerFactory = new H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory(
+        final IOEventHandlerFactory ioEventHandlerFactory = new H2AsyncClientProtocolStarter(
                 new DefaultHttpProcessor(new H2RequestContent(), new H2RequestTargetHost(), new H2RequestConnControl()),
                 (request, context) -> pushConsumerRegistry.get(request),
                 h2Config != null ? h2Config : H2Config.DEFAULT,
diff --git a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory.java b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientProtocolStarter.java
similarity index 95%
rename from httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory.java
rename to httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientProtocolStarter.java
index adc565b14..11137fa5e 100644
--- a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory.java
+++ b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/H2AsyncClientProtocolStarter.java
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ import org.apache.hc.core5.http.protocol.HttpProcessor;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.config.H2Config;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.frame.FramePrinter;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.frame.RawFrame;
+import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.ClientH2PrefaceHandler;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory;
-import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.H2OnlyClientProtocolNegotiator;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.H2StreamListener;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.reactor.IOEventHandler;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.reactor.IOEventHandlerFactory;
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ import org.apache.hc.core5.util.Args;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
-class H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
+class H2AsyncClientProtocolStarter implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
 
     private static final Logger HEADER_LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger("org.apache.hc.client5.http.headers");
     private static final Logger FRAME_LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger("org.apache.hc.client5.http2.frame");
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
     private final H2Config h2Config;
     private final CharCodingConfig charCodingConfig;
 
-    H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory(
+    H2AsyncClientProtocolStarter(
             final HttpProcessor httpProcessor,
             final HandlerFactory<AsyncPushConsumer> exchangeHandlerFactory,
             final H2Config h2Config,
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ class H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
                         }
 
                     });
-            return new H2OnlyClientProtocolNegotiator(ioSession, http2StreamHandlerFactory, false);
+            return new ClientH2PrefaceHandler(ioSession, http2StreamHandlerFactory, false);
         }
         final ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory http2StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory(
                 httpProcessor,
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ class H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
                 h2Config,
                 charCodingConfig,
                 null);
-        return new H2OnlyClientProtocolNegotiator(ioSession, http2StreamHandlerFactory, false);
+        return new ClientH2PrefaceHandler(ioSession, http2StreamHandlerFactory, false);
    }
 
 }
diff --git a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientBuilder.java b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientBuilder.java
index 58510879a..5fe29b7a8 100644
--- a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientBuilder.java
+++ b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientBuilder.java
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ public class HttpAsyncClientBuilder {
             }
         }
         final AsyncPushConsumerRegistry pushConsumerRegistry = new AsyncPushConsumerRegistry();
-        final IOEventHandlerFactory ioEventHandlerFactory = new HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory(
+        final IOEventHandlerFactory ioEventHandlerFactory = new HttpAsyncClientProtocolNegotiationStarter(
                 new DefaultHttpProcessor(new H2RequestContent(), new H2RequestTargetHost(), new H2RequestConnControl()),
                 (request, context) -> pushConsumerRegistry.get(request),
                 h2Config != null ? h2Config : H2Config.DEFAULT,
diff --git a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory.java b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientProtocolNegotiationStarter.java
similarity index 85%
rename from httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory.java
rename to httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientProtocolNegotiationStarter.java
index 15e98de5b..68e617a43 100644
--- a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory.java
+++ b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClientProtocolNegotiationStarter.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import org.apache.hc.core5.http.HttpResponse;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.config.CharCodingConfig;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.config.Http1Config;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.impl.Http1StreamListener;
+import org.apache.hc.core5.http.impl.nio.ClientHttp1IOEventHandler;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.impl.nio.ClientHttp1StreamDuplexerFactory;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.impl.nio.DefaultHttpRequestWriterFactory;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.impl.nio.DefaultHttpResponseParserFactory;
@@ -54,9 +55,13 @@ import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.HttpVersionPolicy;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.config.H2Config;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.frame.FramePrinter;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.frame.RawFrame;
+import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.ClientH2PrefaceHandler;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory;
-import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.ClientHttpProtocolNegotiator;
+import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.ClientH2UpgradeHandler;
+import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.ClientHttp1UpgradeHandler;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.H2StreamListener;
+import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.impl.nio.HttpProtocolNegotiator;
+import org.apache.hc.core5.http2.ssl.ApplicationProtocol;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.reactor.IOEventHandler;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.reactor.IOEventHandlerFactory;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.reactor.ProtocolIOSession;
@@ -64,7 +69,7 @@ import org.apache.hc.core5.util.Args;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
-class HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
+class HttpAsyncClientProtocolNegotiationStarter implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
 
     private static final Logger STREAM_LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(InternalHttpAsyncClient.class);
     private static final Logger HEADER_LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger("org.apache.hc.client5.http.headers");
@@ -81,7 +86,7 @@ class HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
     private final NHttpMessageParserFactory<HttpResponse> http1ResponseParserFactory;
     private final NHttpMessageWriterFactory<HttpRequest> http1RequestWriterFactory;
 
-    HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory(
+    HttpAsyncClientProtocolNegotiationStarter(
             final HttpProcessor httpProcessor,
             final HandlerFactory<AsyncPushConsumer> exchangeHandlerFactory,
             final H2Config h2Config,
@@ -100,13 +105,16 @@ class HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
 
     @Override
     public IOEventHandler createHandler(final ProtocolIOSession ioSession, final Object attachment) {
+        final ClientHttp1StreamDuplexerFactory http1StreamHandlerFactory;
+        final ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory http2StreamHandlerFactory;
+
         if (STREAM_LOG.isDebugEnabled()
                 || HEADER_LOG.isDebugEnabled()
                 || FRAME_LOG.isDebugEnabled()
                 || FRAME_PAYLOAD_LOG.isDebugEnabled()
                 || FLOW_CTRL_LOG.isDebugEnabled()) {
             final String id = ioSession.getId();
-            final ClientHttp1StreamDuplexerFactory http1StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientHttp1StreamDuplexerFactory(
+            http1StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientHttp1StreamDuplexerFactory(
                     httpProcessor,
                     h1Config,
                     charCodingConfig,
@@ -147,7 +155,7 @@ class HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
                         }
 
                     });
-            final ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory http2StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory(
+            http2StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory(
                     httpProcessor,
                     exchangeHandlerFactory,
                     h2Config,
@@ -231,31 +239,35 @@ class HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory implements IOEventHandlerFactory {
                         }
 
                     });
-            return new ClientHttpProtocolNegotiator(
-                            ioSession,
-                            http1StreamHandlerFactory,
-                            http2StreamHandlerFactory,
-                            attachment instanceof HttpVersionPolicy ? (HttpVersionPolicy) attachment : null);
+        } else {
+            http1StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientHttp1StreamDuplexerFactory(
+                    httpProcessor,
+                    h1Config,
+                    charCodingConfig,
+                    http1ConnectionReuseStrategy,
+                    http1ResponseParserFactory,
+                    http1RequestWriterFactory,
+                    null);
+            http2StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory(
+                    httpProcessor,
+                    exchangeHandlerFactory,
+                    h2Config,
+                    charCodingConfig,
+                    null);
+        }
+
+        ioSession.registerProtocol(ApplicationProtocol.HTTP_1_1.id, new ClientHttp1UpgradeHandler(http1StreamHandlerFactory));
+        ioSession.registerProtocol(ApplicationProtocol.HTTP_2.id, new ClientH2UpgradeHandler(http2StreamHandlerFactory));
+
+        final HttpVersionPolicy versionPolicy = attachment instanceof HttpVersionPolicy ? (HttpVersionPolicy) attachment : HttpVersionPolicy.NEGOTIATE;
+        switch (versionPolicy) {
+            case FORCE_HTTP_2:
+                return new ClientH2PrefaceHandler(ioSession, http2StreamHandlerFactory, false);
+            case FORCE_HTTP_1:
+                return new ClientHttp1IOEventHandler(http1StreamHandlerFactory.create(ioSession));
+            default:
+                return new HttpProtocolNegotiator(ioSession, null);
         }
-        final ClientHttp1StreamDuplexerFactory http1StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientHttp1StreamDuplexerFactory(
-                httpProcessor,
-                h1Config,
-                charCodingConfig,
-                http1ConnectionReuseStrategy,
-                http1ResponseParserFactory,
-                http1RequestWriterFactory,
-                null);
-        final ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory http2StreamHandlerFactory = new ClientH2StreamMultiplexerFactory(
-                httpProcessor,
-                exchangeHandlerFactory,
-                h2Config,
-                charCodingConfig,
-                null);
-        return new ClientHttpProtocolNegotiator(
-                ioSession,
-                http1StreamHandlerFactory,
-                http2StreamHandlerFactory,
-                attachment instanceof HttpVersionPolicy ? (HttpVersionPolicy) attachment : null);
    }
 
 }
diff --git a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClients.java b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClients.java
index ea8ec3a46..cb0d1e2cf 100644
--- a/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClients.java
+++ b/httpclient5/src/main/java/org/apache/hc/client5/http/impl/async/HttpAsyncClients.java
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ public final class HttpAsyncClients {
             final AsyncClientConnectionManager connmgr) {
         final AsyncPushConsumerRegistry pushConsumerRegistry = new AsyncPushConsumerRegistry();
         return createMinimalHttpAsyncClientImpl(
-                new HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory(
+                new HttpAsyncClientProtocolNegotiationStarter(
                         createMinimalProtocolProcessor(),
                         (request, context) -> pushConsumerRegistry.get(request),
                         h2Config,
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ public final class HttpAsyncClients {
             final AsyncClientConnectionManager connmgr) {
         final AsyncPushConsumerRegistry pushConsumerRegistry = new AsyncPushConsumerRegistry();
         return createMinimalHttpAsyncClientImpl(
-                new HttpAsyncClientEventHandlerFactory(
+                new HttpAsyncClientProtocolNegotiationStarter(
                         createMinimalProtocolProcessor(),
                         (request, context) -> pushConsumerRegistry.get(request),
                         h2Config,
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ public final class HttpAsyncClients {
             final TlsStrategy tlsStrategy) {
         final AsyncPushConsumerRegistry pushConsumerRegistry = new AsyncPushConsumerRegistry();
         return createMinimalHttp2AsyncClientImpl(
-                new H2AsyncClientEventHandlerFactory(
+                new H2AsyncClientProtocolStarter(
                         createMinimalProtocolProcessor(),
                         (request, context) -> pushConsumerRegistry.get(request),
                         h2Config,
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 033fd1b59..487109c7a 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
   <properties>
     <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
-    <httpcore.version>5.2-alpha2</httpcore.version>
+    <httpcore.version>5.2-beta1</httpcore.version>
     <log4j.version>2.17.0</log4j.version>
     <commons-codec.version>1.15</commons-codec.version>
     <conscrypt.version>2.5.2</conscrypt.version>