diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/http/client/params/HttpClientParams.java b/src/java/org/apache/http/client/params/HttpClientParams.java
index 9dbf0cc7a..bc4c90ae5 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/http/client/params/HttpClientParams.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/http/client/params/HttpClientParams.java
@@ -61,14 +61,6 @@ public class HttpClientParams {
      */ 
     public static final String CONNECTION_MANAGER_FACTORY = "http.connection-manager.factory"; 
 
-    /**
-     * Defines whether authentication should be attempted preemptively.
-     * <p>
-     * This parameter expects a value of type {@link Boolean}.
-     * </p>
-     */
-    public static final String PREEMPTIVE_AUTHENTICATION = "http.authentication.preemptive";
-
     /** 
      * Defines whether redirects should be handled automatically
      * <p>
@@ -104,6 +96,22 @@ public class HttpClientParams {
      */
     public static final String ALLOW_CIRCULAR_REDIRECTS = "http.protocol.allow-circular-redirects";
 
+    /**
+     * Defines whether authentication should be handled automatically.
+     * <p>
+     * This parameter expects a value of type {@link Boolean}.
+     * </p>
+     */
+    public static final String HANDLE_AUTHENTICATION = "http.protocol.handle-authentication";
+
+    /**
+     * Defines whether authentication should be attempted preemptively.
+     * <p>
+     * This parameter expects a value of type {@link Boolean}.
+     * </p>
+     */
+    public static final String PREEMPTIVE_AUTHENTICATION = "http.protocol.authentication-preemptive";
+
     /**
      * Defines the name of the cookie specification to be used for HTTP state management.
      * <p>
@@ -121,6 +129,24 @@ public class HttpClientParams {
      */
     public static final String DEFAULT_HEADERS = "http.default-headers"; 
     
+    /**
+     * Defines the default host. The default value will be used if the target host is
+     * not explicitly specified in the request URI.
+     * <p>
+     * This parameter expects a value of type {@link HttpHost}.
+     * </p>
+     */
+    public static final String DEFAULT_HOST = "http.default-host";
+    
+    /**
+     * Defines the default proxy. The default value will be used if the proxy
+     * information is not explicitly specified in the request route. 
+     * <p>
+     * This parameter expects a value of type {@link HttpHost}.
+     * </p>
+     */
+    public static final String DEFAULT_PROXY = "http.default-proxy";
+
     private HttpClientParams() {
         super();
     }
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/http/impl/client/DefaultHttpClient.java b/src/java/org/apache/http/impl/client/DefaultHttpClient.java
index 4e6071d5e..1825d7089 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/http/impl/client/DefaultHttpClient.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/http/impl/client/DefaultHttpClient.java
@@ -244,18 +244,23 @@ public class DefaultHttpClient extends AbstractHttpClient {
                                            HttpContext context)
         throws HttpException {
 
-        //@@@ refer to a default HostConfiguration?
-        //@@@ allow null target if there is a default route with a target?
         if (target == null) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException
+            target = (HttpHost) request.getParams().getParameter(
+                    HttpClientParams.DEFAULT_HOST);
+        }
+        if (target == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException
                 ("Target host must not be null.");
         }
 
+        HttpHost proxy = (HttpHost) request.getParams().getParameter(
+                HttpClientParams.DEFAULT_PROXY);
+        
         Scheme schm = getConnectionManager().getSchemeRegistry().
             getScheme(target.getSchemeName());
         // as it is typically used for TLS/SSL, we assume that
         // a layered scheme implies a secure connection
-        HttpRoute route = new HttpRoute(target, null, schm.isLayered());
+        HttpRoute route = new HttpRoute(target, null, proxy, schm.isLayered());
 
         return new RoutedRequest.Impl(request, route);
     }