diff --git a/aws/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/AWSResponseException.java b/aws/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/AWSResponseException.java
index 4b0d811f9f..1dae15caf2 100644
--- a/aws/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/AWSResponseException.java
+++ b/aws/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/AWSResponseException.java
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ public class AWSResponseException extends HttpResponseException {
    private AWSError error = new AWSError();
 
    public AWSResponseException(HttpFutureCommand<?> command, HttpResponse response, AWSError error) {
-      super(String.format("command %1$s failed with error: %2$s", command.toString(), error
-               .toString()), command, response);
+      super(String.format("command %s failed with code %s, error: %s", command.toString(), response
+               .getStatusCode(), error.toString()), command, response);
       this.setError(error);
 
    }
diff --git a/aws/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/domain/AWSError.java b/aws/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/domain/AWSError.java
index 0caf09afaa..720bdbbe73 100644
--- a/aws/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/domain/AWSError.java
+++ b/aws/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/domain/AWSError.java
@@ -29,103 +29,104 @@ import java.util.Map;
 /**
  * When an Amazon S3 request is in error, the client receives an error response.
  * 
- * @see <a href="http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AmazonS3/2006-03-01/index.html?ErrorResponse.html" />
+ * @see <a
+ *      href="http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AmazonS3/2006-03-01/index.html?ErrorResponse.html"
+ *      />
  * @author Adrian Cole
  * 
  */
 public class AWSError {
-    private String code;
-    private String message;
-    private String requestId;
-    private String requestToken;
-    private Map<String, String> details = new HashMap<String, String>();
-    private String stringSigned;
+   private String code;
+   private String message;
+   private String requestId;
+   private String requestToken;
+   private Map<String, String> details = new HashMap<String, String>();
+   private String stringSigned;
 
-    @Override
-    public String toString() {
-	final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
-	sb.append("AWSError");
-	sb.append("{code='").append(code).append('\'');
-	sb.append(", message='").append(message).append('\'');
-	sb.append(", requestId='").append(requestId).append('\'');
-	sb.append(", requestToken='").append(requestToken).append('\'');
-	if (stringSigned != null)
-	    sb.append(", stringSigned='").append(stringSigned).append('\'');
-	sb.append(", context='").append(details.toString()).append('\'')
-		.append('}');
-	return sb.toString();
-    }
+   @Override
+   public String toString() {
+      final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+      sb.append("AWSError");
+      sb.append("{requestId='").append(requestId).append('\'');
+      sb.append(", requestToken='").append(requestToken).append('\'');
+      if (code != null)
+         sb.append(", code='").append(code).append('\'');
+      if (message != null)
+         sb.append(", message='").append(message).append('\'');
+      if (stringSigned != null)
+         sb.append(", stringSigned='").append(stringSigned).append('\'');
+      if (details.size() != 0)
+         sb.append(", context='").append(details.toString()).append('\'').append('}');
+      return sb.toString();
+   }
 
-    public void setCode(String code) {
-	this.code = code;
-    }
+   public void setCode(String code) {
+      this.code = code;
+   }
 
-    /**
-     * The error code is a string that uniquely identifies an error condition.
-     * It is meant to be read and understood by programs that detect and handle
-     * errors by type
-     * 
-     * @see <a href="http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AmazonS3/2006-03-01/ErrorCode.html" />
-     */
-    public String getCode() {
-	return code;
-    }
+   /**
+    * The error code is a string that uniquely identifies an error condition. It is meant to be read
+    * and understood by programs that detect and handle errors by type
+    * 
+    * @see <a href="http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AmazonS3/2006-03-01/ErrorCode.html" />
+    */
+   public String getCode() {
+      return code;
+   }
 
-    public void setMessage(String message) {
-	this.message = message;
-    }
+   public void setMessage(String message) {
+      this.message = message;
+   }
 
-    /**
-     * The error message contains a generic description of the error condition
-     * in English.
-     * 
-     * @see <a href="http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AmazonS3/2006-03-01/ErrorMessage.html" />
-     */
-    public String getMessage() {
-	return message;
-    }
+   /**
+    * The error message contains a generic description of the error condition in English.
+    * 
+    * @see <a href="http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AmazonS3/2006-03-01/ErrorMessage.html" />
+    */
+   public String getMessage() {
+      return message;
+   }
 
-    public void setRequestId(String requestId) {
-	this.requestId = requestId;
-    }
+   public void setRequestId(String requestId) {
+      this.requestId = requestId;
+   }
 
-    /**
-     * * A unique ID assigned to each request by the system. In the unlikely
-     * event that you have problems with Amazon S3, Amazon can use this to help
-     * troubleshoot the problem.
-     * 
-     */
-    public String getRequestId() {
-	return requestId;
-    }
+   /**
+    * * A unique ID assigned to each request by the system. In the unlikely event that you have
+    * problems with Amazon S3, Amazon can use this to help troubleshoot the problem.
+    * 
+    */
+   public String getRequestId() {
+      return requestId;
+   }
 
-    public void setStringSigned(String stringSigned) {
-	this.stringSigned = stringSigned;
-    }
+   public void setStringSigned(String stringSigned) {
+      this.stringSigned = stringSigned;
+   }
 
-    /**
-     * @return what jclouds signed before sending the request.
-     */
-    public String getStringSigned() {
-	return stringSigned;
-    }
+   /**
+    * @return what jclouds signed before sending the request.
+    */
+   public String getStringSigned() {
+      return stringSigned;
+   }
 
-    public void setDetails(Map<String, String> context) {
-	this.details = context;
-    }
+   public void setDetails(Map<String, String> context) {
+      this.details = context;
+   }
 
-    /**
-     * @return additional details surrounding the error.
-     */
-    public Map<String, String> getDetails() {
-	return details;
-    }
+   /**
+    * @return additional details surrounding the error.
+    */
+   public Map<String, String> getDetails() {
+      return details;
+   }
 
-    public void setRequestToken(String requestToken) {
-	this.requestToken = requestToken;
-    }
+   public void setRequestToken(String requestToken) {
+      this.requestToken = requestToken;
+   }
 
-    public String getRequestToken() {
-	return requestToken;
-    }
+   public String getRequestToken() {
+      return requestToken;
+   }
 }
diff --git a/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/commands/DeleteBucket.java b/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/commands/DeleteBucket.java
index 3dad9262ba..bcd9bdd358 100644
--- a/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/commands/DeleteBucket.java
+++ b/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/commands/DeleteBucket.java
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ public class DeleteBucket extends S3FutureCommand<Boolean> {
          AWSResponseException responseException = (AWSResponseException) e.getCause();
          if (responseException.getResponse().getStatusCode() == 404) {
             return true;
-         } else if ("BucketNotEmpty".equals(responseException.getError().getCode())) {
+         } else if ("BucketNotEmpty".equals(responseException.getError().getCode())
+                  || responseException.getResponse().getStatusCode() == 409) {
             return false;
          }
       }
diff --git a/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/config/LiveS3ConnectionModule.java b/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/config/LiveS3ConnectionModule.java
index 0d5eae6169..e5f7260299 100644
--- a/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/config/LiveS3ConnectionModule.java
+++ b/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/config/LiveS3ConnectionModule.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import org.jclouds.http.HttpConstants;
 import org.jclouds.http.HttpErrorHandler;
 import org.jclouds.http.HttpRequestFilter;
 import org.jclouds.http.annotation.ClientError;
+import org.jclouds.http.annotation.Redirection;
 import org.jclouds.http.annotation.ServerError;
 import org.jclouds.logging.Logger;
 
@@ -78,6 +79,8 @@ public class LiveS3ConnectionModule extends AbstractModule {
    }
 
    protected void bindErrorHandlers() {
+      bind(HttpErrorHandler.class).annotatedWith(Redirection.class).to(
+               ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent.class).in(Scopes.SINGLETON);
       bind(HttpErrorHandler.class).annotatedWith(ServerError.class).to(
                ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent.class).in(Scopes.SINGLETON);
       bind(HttpErrorHandler.class).annotatedWith(ClientError.class).to(
diff --git a/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/handlers/ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent.java b/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/handlers/ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent.java
index 25431000b5..592680317d 100644
--- a/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/handlers/ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent.java
+++ b/aws/s3/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/handlers/ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent.java
@@ -23,20 +23,22 @@
  */
 package org.jclouds.aws.s3.handlers;
 
-import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 
 import javax.annotation.Resource;
 
-import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils;
 import org.jclouds.aws.AWSResponseException;
 import org.jclouds.aws.domain.AWSError;
 import org.jclouds.aws.s3.filters.RequestAuthorizeSignature;
 import org.jclouds.aws.s3.reference.S3Headers;
 import org.jclouds.aws.s3.xml.S3ParserFactory;
+import org.jclouds.http.HttpErrorHandler;
+import org.jclouds.http.HttpException;
 import org.jclouds.http.HttpFutureCommand;
 import org.jclouds.http.HttpResponse;
-import org.jclouds.http.HttpErrorHandler;
+import org.jclouds.http.HttpResponseException;
 import org.jclouds.logging.Logger;
+import org.jclouds.util.Utils;
 
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 
@@ -48,38 +50,51 @@ import com.google.inject.Inject;
  * 
  */
 public class ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent implements HttpErrorHandler {
-    @Resource
-    protected Logger logger = Logger.NULL;
+   @Resource
+   protected Logger logger = Logger.NULL;
 
-    private final S3ParserFactory parserFactory;
+   private final S3ParserFactory parserFactory;
 
-    @Inject
-    public ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent(S3ParserFactory parserFactory) {
-	this.parserFactory = parserFactory;
-    }
+   @Inject
+   public ParseAWSErrorFromXmlContent(S3ParserFactory parserFactory) {
+      this.parserFactory = parserFactory;
+   }
 
-    public void handleError(HttpFutureCommand<?> command, HttpResponse response) {
-	AWSError error = new AWSError();
-	error.setRequestId(response.getFirstHeaderOrNull(S3Headers.REQUEST_ID));
-	error.setRequestToken(response
-		.getFirstHeaderOrNull(S3Headers.REQUEST_TOKEN));
-	InputStream errorStream = response.getContent();
-	try {
-	    if (errorStream != null) {
-		error = parserFactory.createErrorParser().parse(errorStream);
-		if ("SignatureDoesNotMatch".equals(error.getCode()))
-		    error.setStringSigned(RequestAuthorizeSignature
-			    .createStringToSign(command.getRequest()));
-		error.setRequestToken(response
-			.getFirstHeaderOrNull(S3Headers.REQUEST_TOKEN));
-	    }
-	} catch (Exception e) {
-	    logger.warn(e, "error parsing XML reponse: %1$s", response);
-	} finally {
-	    command.setException(new AWSResponseException(command, response,
-		    error));
-	    IOUtils.closeQuietly(errorStream);
-	}
-    }
+   public void handleError(HttpFutureCommand<?> command, HttpResponse response) {
+      String content;
+      try {
+         content = response.getContent() != null ? Utils.toStringAndClose(response.getContent())
+                  : null;
+         if (content != null) {
+            try {
+               if (content.indexOf('<') >= 0) {
+                  AWSError error = parseAWSErrorFromContent(command, response, content);
+                  command.setException(new AWSResponseException(command, response, error));
+               } else {
+                  command.setException(new HttpResponseException(command, response, content));
+               }
+            } catch (Exception he) {
+               command.setException(new HttpResponseException(command, response, content));
+               Utils.rethrowIfRuntime(he);
+            }
+         } else {
+            command.setException(new HttpResponseException(command, response));
+         }
+      } catch (Exception e) {
+         command.setException(new HttpResponseException(command, response));
+         Utils.rethrowIfRuntime(e);
+      }
+   }
+
+   private AWSError parseAWSErrorFromContent(HttpFutureCommand<?> command, HttpResponse response,
+            String content) throws HttpException {
+      AWSError error = parserFactory.createErrorParser().parse(
+               new ByteArrayInputStream(content.getBytes()));
+      error.setRequestId(response.getFirstHeaderOrNull(S3Headers.REQUEST_ID));
+      error.setRequestToken(response.getFirstHeaderOrNull(S3Headers.REQUEST_TOKEN));
+      if ("SignatureDoesNotMatch".equals(error.getCode()))
+         error.setStringSigned(RequestAuthorizeSignature.createStringToSign(command.getRequest()));
+      return error;
+   }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/command/pool/FutureCommandConnectionPoolClient.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/command/pool/FutureCommandConnectionPoolClient.java
index 3dc658c9af..dbf6d43874 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/command/pool/FutureCommandConnectionPoolClient.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/command/pool/FutureCommandConnectionPoolClient.java
@@ -59,9 +59,14 @@ public class FutureCommandConnectionPoolClient<E, C, O extends FutureCommand<E,
       poolMap = new MapMaker()
                .makeComputingMap(new Function<E, FutureCommandConnectionPool<E, C, O>>() {
                   public FutureCommandConnectionPool<E, C, O> apply(E endPoint) {
-                     FutureCommandConnectionPool<E, C, O> pool = poolFactory.create(endPoint);
-                     addDependency(pool);
-                     return pool;
+                     try {
+                        FutureCommandConnectionPool<E, C, O> pool = poolFactory.create(endPoint);
+                        addDependency(pool);
+                        return pool;
+                     } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+                        logger.error(e, "error creating entry for %s", endPoint);
+                        throw e;
+                     }
                   }
                });
       this.commandQueue = commandQueue;
@@ -124,7 +129,7 @@ public class FutureCommandConnectionPoolClient<E, C, O extends FutureCommand<E,
       exceptionIfNotActive();
       FutureCommandConnectionPool<E, C, O> pool = poolMap.get(command.getRequest().getEndPoint());
       if (pool == null) {
-         //TODO limit;
+         // TODO limit;
          logger.warn("pool not available for command %s; retrying", command);
          commandQueue.add(command);
          return;
@@ -138,7 +143,8 @@ public class FutureCommandConnectionPoolClient<E, C, O extends FutureCommand<E,
          commandQueue.add(command);
          return;
       } catch (TimeoutException e) {
-         logger.warn(e, "Timeout getting a connection for command %s on pool %s; retrying", command, pool);
+         logger.warn(e, "Timeout getting a connection for command %s on pool %s; retrying",
+                  command, pool);
          commandQueue.add(command);
          return;
       }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/handlers/RedirectionRetryHandler.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/handlers/RedirectionRetryHandler.java
index 9afc6505b6..7e719d1049 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/handlers/RedirectionRetryHandler.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/handlers/RedirectionRetryHandler.java
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
  */
 package org.jclouds.http.handlers;
 
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkState;
+
+import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URI;
 
 import javax.annotation.Resource;
@@ -34,6 +38,7 @@ import org.jclouds.http.HttpResponse;
 import org.jclouds.http.HttpRetryHandler;
 import org.jclouds.logging.Logger;
 
+import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.name.Named;
 
@@ -54,17 +59,49 @@ public class RedirectionRetryHandler implements HttpRetryHandler {
    }
 
    public boolean shouldRetryRequest(HttpFutureCommand<?> command, HttpResponse response) {
-      IOUtils.closeQuietly(response.getContent());
+      closeConnectionButKeepContentStream(response);
+
       command.incrementRedirectCount();
 
       String hostHeader = response.getFirstHeaderOrNull(HttpHeaders.LOCATION);
       if (hostHeader != null && command.getRedirectCount() < retryCountLimit) {
-         URI redirectURI = URI.create(hostHeader);
-         command.getRequest().setEndPoint(redirectURI);
+         URI endPoint = parseEndPoint(hostHeader);
+         command.getRequest().setEndPoint(endPoint);
          return true;
       } else {
          return false;
       }
    }
 
+   /**
+    * Content stream may need to be read. However, we should always close the http stream.
+    */
+   @VisibleForTesting
+   void closeConnectionButKeepContentStream(HttpResponse response) {
+      if (response.getContent() != null) {
+         try {
+            byte[] data = IOUtils.toByteArray(response.getContent());
+            response.setContent(new ByteArrayInputStream(data));
+         } catch (IOException e) {
+            logger.error(e, "Error consuming input");
+         } finally {
+            IOUtils.closeQuietly(response.getContent());
+         }
+      }
+   }
+
+   private URI parseEndPoint(String hostHeader) {
+      URI redirectURI = URI.create(hostHeader);
+      String scheme = redirectURI.getScheme();
+
+      checkState(redirectURI.getScheme().startsWith("http"), String.format(
+               "header %s didn't parse an http scheme: [%s]", hostHeader, scheme));
+      int port = redirectURI.getPort() > 0 ? redirectURI.getPort() : redirectURI.getScheme()
+               .equals("https") ? 443 : 80;
+      String host = redirectURI.getHost();
+      checkState(!host.matches("[/]"), String.format(
+               "header %s didn't parse an http host correctly: [%s]", hostHeader, host));
+      URI endPoint = URI.create(String.format("%s://%s:%d", scheme, host, port));
+      return endPoint;
+   }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/util/Utils.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/util/Utils.java
index 583052bdbb..b92bc6fe56 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/util/Utils.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/util/Utils.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import org.jclouds.logging.Logger;
 
 /**
  * // TODO: Adrian: Document this!
- *
+ * 
  * @author Adrian Cole
  */
 public class Utils {
@@ -45,135 +45,155 @@ public class Utils {
    @Resource
    protected static Logger logger = Logger.NULL;
 
-    /**
-     * 
-     * @param <E> Exception type you'd like rethrown
-     * @param e Exception you are inspecting
-     * @throws E
-     */
-    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-    public static <E extends Exception> void rethrowIfRuntimeOrSameType(Exception e) throws E {
-        if (e instanceof ExecutionException) {
-            Throwable nested = e.getCause();
-            if (nested instanceof Error)
-                throw (Error) nested;
-            e = (Exception) nested;
-        }
+   /**
+    * 
+    * @param <E>
+    *           Exception type you'd like rethrown
+    * @param e
+    *           Exception you are inspecting
+    * @throws E
+    */
+   public static void rethrowIfRuntime(Exception e) {
+      if (e instanceof ExecutionException) {
+         Throwable nested = e.getCause();
+         if (nested instanceof Error)
+            throw (Error) nested;
+         e = (Exception) nested;
+      }
 
-        if (e instanceof RuntimeException) {
-            throw (RuntimeException) e;
-        } else {
-            try {
-                throw (E) e;
-            } catch (ClassCastException throwAway) {
-                // using cce as there's no way to do instanceof E in current java
-            }
-        }
-    }
+      if (e instanceof RuntimeException) {
+         throw (RuntimeException) e;
+      }
+   }
 
-    public static String toStringAndClose(InputStream input) throws IOException {
-        try {
-            return IOUtils.toString(input);
-        } finally {
-            IOUtils.closeQuietly(input);
-        }
-    }
+   /**
+    * 
+    * @param <E>
+    *           Exception type you'd like rethrown
+    * @param e
+    *           Exception you are inspecting
+    * @throws E
+    */
+   @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+   public static <E extends Exception> void rethrowIfRuntimeOrSameType(Exception e) throws E {
+      if (e instanceof ExecutionException) {
+         Throwable nested = e.getCause();
+         if (nested instanceof Error)
+            throw (Error) nested;
+         e = (Exception) nested;
+      }
 
-    /**
-     * Encode the given string with the given encoding, if possible.
-     * If the encoding fails with {@link UnsupportedEncodingException}, 
-     * log a warning and fall back to the system's default encoding.
-     * 
-     * @see {@link String#getBytes(String)}
-     * @see {@link String#getBytes()} - used as fall-back.
-     * 
-     * @param str
-     * @param encoding
-     * @return
-     */
-    public static byte[] encodeString(String str, String encoding) {
-       try {
-          return str.getBytes(encoding);
-       } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
-          logger.warn(e, "Failed to encode string to bytes with encoding " + encoding
-                + ". Falling back to system's default encoding");
-          return str.getBytes();
-       }
-    }
-    
-    /**
-     * Encode the given string with the UTF-8 encoding, the sane default.
-     * In the very unlikely event the encoding fails with 
-     * {@link UnsupportedEncodingException}, log a warning and fall back 
-     * to the system's default encoding.
-     * 
-     * @param str
-     * @return
-     */
-    public static byte[] encodeString(String str) {
-       return encodeString(str, UTF8_ENCODING);
-    }
-    
-    /**
-     * Decode the given string with the given encoding, if possible.
-     * If the decoding fails with {@link UnsupportedEncodingException},
-     * log a warning and fall back to the system's default encoding.
-     *
-     * @param bytes
-     * @param encoding
-     * @return
-     */
-    public static String decodeString(byte[] bytes, String encoding) {
-       try {
+      if (e instanceof RuntimeException) {
+         throw (RuntimeException) e;
+      } else {
+         try {
+            throw (E) e;
+         } catch (ClassCastException throwAway) {
+            // using cce as there's no way to do instanceof E in current java
+         }
+      }
+   }
+
+   public static String toStringAndClose(InputStream input) throws IOException {
+      try {
+         return IOUtils.toString(input);
+      } finally {
+         IOUtils.closeQuietly(input);
+      }
+   }
+
+   /**
+    * Encode the given string with the given encoding, if possible. If the encoding fails with
+    * {@link UnsupportedEncodingException}, log a warning and fall back to the system's default
+    * encoding.
+    * 
+    * @see {@link String#getBytes(String)}
+    * @see {@link String#getBytes()} - used as fall-back.
+    * 
+    * @param str
+    * @param encoding
+    * @return
+    */
+   public static byte[] encodeString(String str, String encoding) {
+      try {
+         return str.getBytes(encoding);
+      } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
+         logger.warn(e, "Failed to encode string to bytes with encoding " + encoding
+                  + ". Falling back to system's default encoding");
+         return str.getBytes();
+      }
+   }
+
+   /**
+    * Encode the given string with the UTF-8 encoding, the sane default. In the very unlikely event
+    * the encoding fails with {@link UnsupportedEncodingException}, log a warning and fall back to
+    * the system's default encoding.
+    * 
+    * @param str
+    * @return
+    */
+   public static byte[] encodeString(String str) {
+      return encodeString(str, UTF8_ENCODING);
+   }
+
+   /**
+    * Decode the given string with the given encoding, if possible. If the decoding fails with
+    * {@link UnsupportedEncodingException}, log a warning and fall back to the system's default
+    * encoding.
+    * 
+    * @param bytes
+    * @param encoding
+    * @return
+    */
+   public static String decodeString(byte[] bytes, String encoding) {
+      try {
          return new String(bytes, encoding);
       } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
          logger.warn(e, "Failed to decode bytes to string with encoding " + encoding
-               + ". Falling back to system's default encoding");
+                  + ". Falling back to system's default encoding");
          return new String(bytes);
       }
-    }
+   }
 
-    /**
-     * Decode the given string with the UTF-8 encoding, the sane default.
-     * In the very unlikely event the encoding fails with 
-     * {@link UnsupportedEncodingException}, log a warning and fall back 
-     * to the system's default encoding.
-     * 
-     * @param str
-     * @return
-     */
-    public static String decodeString(byte[] bytes) {
-       return decodeString(bytes, UTF8_ENCODING);
-    }
+   /**
+    * Decode the given string with the UTF-8 encoding, the sane default. In the very unlikely event
+    * the encoding fails with {@link UnsupportedEncodingException}, log a warning and fall back to
+    * the system's default encoding.
+    * 
+    * @param str
+    * @return
+    */
+   public static String decodeString(byte[] bytes) {
+      return decodeString(bytes, UTF8_ENCODING);
+   }
 
-    /**
-     * Encode a path portion of a URI using the UTF-8 encoding, but leave slash '/' 
-     * characters and any parameters (anything after the first '?') un-encoded.
-     * If encoding with UTF-8 fails, the method falls back to using the 
-     * system's default encoding.
-     * 
-     * @param uri
-     * @return
-     */
-    @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
-    public static String encodeUriPath(String uri) {
-       String path, params = "";
-      
-       int offset;
-       if ((offset = uri.indexOf('?')) >= 0) {
-          path = uri.substring(0, offset);
-          params = uri.substring(offset);
-       } else {
-          path = uri;
-       }
-      
-       String encodedUri;
-       try {
-          encodedUri = URLEncoder.encode(path, "UTF-8");
-       } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
-          encodedUri = URLEncoder.encode(path);
-       }
-       return encodedUri.replace("%2F", "/") + params;
-    }
+   /**
+    * Encode a path portion of a URI using the UTF-8 encoding, but leave slash '/' characters and
+    * any parameters (anything after the first '?') un-encoded. If encoding with UTF-8 fails, the
+    * method falls back to using the system's default encoding.
+    * 
+    * @param uri
+    * @return
+    */
+   @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
+   public static String encodeUriPath(String uri) {
+      String path, params = "";
+
+      int offset;
+      if ((offset = uri.indexOf('?')) >= 0) {
+         path = uri.substring(0, offset);
+         params = uri.substring(offset);
+      } else {
+         path = uri;
+      }
+
+      String encodedUri;
+      try {
+         encodedUri = URLEncoder.encode(path, "UTF-8");
+      } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
+         encodedUri = URLEncoder.encode(path);
+      }
+      return encodedUri.replace("%2F", "/") + params;
+   }
 
 }
diff --git a/extensions/gae/src/main/java/org/jclouds/gae/URLFetchServiceClient.java b/extensions/gae/src/main/java/org/jclouds/gae/URLFetchServiceClient.java
index f03c5e42fa..250c79d99a 100644
--- a/extensions/gae/src/main/java/org/jclouds/gae/URLFetchServiceClient.java
+++ b/extensions/gae/src/main/java/org/jclouds/gae/URLFetchServiceClient.java
@@ -155,7 +155,8 @@ public class URLFetchServiceClient extends BaseHttpFutureCommandClient<HTTPReque
 
    private void followRedirectsUnlessRequestContainsPayload(HttpRequest request,
             FetchOptions options) {
-      if (request.getPayload() != null)
+      if (request.getPayload() != null || request.getMethod().equals(HTTPMethod.PUT)
+               || request.getMethod().equals(HTTPMethod.POST))
          options.doNotFollowRedirects();
       else
          options.followRedirects();