diff --git a/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpFields.java b/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpFields.java
index 2c636bfaefa..9569e38bca7 100644
--- a/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpFields.java
+++ b/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpFields.java
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ public class HttpFields implements Iterable<HttpFields.Field>
         }
 
         return new Enumeration<String>()
-                {
+        {
             Field f = field;
 
             @Override
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ public class HttpFields implements Iterable<HttpFields.Field>
                 f = f._next;
                 return n.getValue();
             }
-                };
+        };
     }
 
     /* -------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -1262,5 +1262,36 @@ public class HttpFields implements Iterable<HttpFields.Field>
         {
             return ("[" + getName() + "=" + _value + (_next == null ? "" : "->") + "]");
         }
+
+        /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+        public boolean contains(String value)
+        {
+            if (_value==null)
+                return false;
+            
+            if (value.equalsIgnoreCase(_value))
+                return true;
+            
+            String[] split = _value.split("\\s*,\\s*");
+            for (String s : split)
+            {
+                if (value.equalsIgnoreCase(s))
+                    return true;
+            }
+            
+            if (_next!=null)
+                return _next.contains(value);
+            
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    public boolean contains(HttpHeader header, String value)
+    {
+        Field field = getField(header);
+        if (field==null)
+            return false;
+        return field.contains(value);
     }
 }
diff --git a/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpParser.java b/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpParser.java
index ccc1b89099f..7f0cbb47f14 100644
--- a/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpParser.java
+++ b/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpParser.java
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ public class HttpParser
     private HttpHeaderValue _value;
     private String _valueString;
     private int _responseStatus;
-    private boolean _persistent;
 
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
     private State _state=State.START;
@@ -186,12 +185,6 @@ public class HttpParser
         return _state == state;
     }
 
-    /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-    public boolean isPersistent()
-    {
-        return _persistent;
-    }
-
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
     /* Quick lookahead for the start state looking for a request method or a HTTP version,
      * otherwise skip white space until something else to parse.
@@ -218,7 +211,6 @@ public class HttpParser
                 if (_version!=null)
                 {
                     buffer.position(buffer.position()+_version.asString().length()+1);
-                    _persistent=_version.getVerion()>=HttpVersion.HTTP_1_1.getVerion();
                     _state=State.SPACE1;
                     return;
                 }
@@ -309,7 +301,6 @@ public class HttpParser
                             badMessage(buffer, "Unknown Version");
                             return true;
                         }
-                        _persistent=_version.getVerion()>=HttpVersion.HTTP_1_1.getVerion();
                         _state=State.SPACE1;            
                     }
                     else if (ch < HttpTokens.SPACE && ch>=0)
@@ -377,10 +368,9 @@ public class HttpParser
                         _uri=_utf8.toString();
                         _utf8.reset();
                         return_from_parse|=_requestHandler.startRequest(_method,_methodString,_uri,null);
-                        _persistent=false;
                         _state=State.END;
                         BufferUtil.clear(buffer);
-                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(false,_persistent);
+                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete();
                         return_from_parse|=_handler.messageComplete(_contentPosition);
                     }
                     else
@@ -410,7 +400,6 @@ public class HttpParser
                                     _string.setLength(0);
                                     buffer.position(buffer.position()+_version.asString().length()-1);
                                     _eol=buffer.get();
-                                    _persistent=_version.getVerion()>=HttpVersion.HTTP_1_1.getVerion();
                                     _state=State.HEADER;
                                     return_from_parse|=_requestHandler.startRequest(_method,_methodString, _uri, _version);
                                 }
@@ -429,10 +418,9 @@ public class HttpParser
                         {
                             // HTTP/0.9
                             return_from_parse|=_requestHandler.startRequest(_method,_methodString, _uri, null);
-                            _persistent=false;
                             _state=State.END;
                             BufferUtil.clear(buffer);
-                            return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(false,_persistent);
+                            return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete();
                             return_from_parse|=_handler.messageComplete(_contentPosition);
                         }
                     }
@@ -450,7 +438,6 @@ public class HttpParser
                         }
                         
                         _eol=ch;
-                        _persistent=_version.getVerion()>=HttpVersion.HTTP_1_1.getVerion();
                         _state=State.HEADER;
                         return_from_parse|=_requestHandler.startRequest(_method,_methodString, _uri, _version);
                         continue;
@@ -568,37 +555,6 @@ public class HttpParser
                                                 }
                                             }
                                             break;
-
-                                        case CONNECTION:
-                                            switch(_value==null?HttpHeaderValue.UNKNOWN:_value)
-                                            {
-                                                case CLOSE:
-                                                    _persistent=false;
-                                                    break;
-
-                                                case KEEP_ALIVE:
-                                                    _persistent=true;
-                                                    break;
-
-                                                default: // No match, may be multi valued
-                                                {
-                                                    for (String v : _valueString.toString().split(","))
-                                                    {
-                                                        HttpHeaderValue val=HttpHeaderValue.CACHE.get(v.trim());
-                                                        switch(val==null?HttpHeaderValue.UNKNOWN:val)
-                                                        {
-                                                            case CLOSE:
-                                                                _persistent=false;
-                                                                break;
-
-                                                            case KEEP_ALIVE:
-                                                                _persistent=true;
-                                                                break;
-                                                        }
-                                                    }
-                                                    break;
-                                                }
-                                            }
                                     }
                                 }
 
@@ -634,24 +590,23 @@ public class HttpParser
                                 {
                                     case EOF_CONTENT:
                                         _state=State.EOF_CONTENT;
-                                        _persistent=false;
-                                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(true,_persistent); 
+                                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(); 
                                         break;
 
                                     case CHUNKED_CONTENT:
                                         _state=State.CHUNKED_CONTENT;
-                                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(true,_persistent); 
+                                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(); 
                                         break;
 
                                     case NO_CONTENT:
-                                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(false,_persistent);
+                                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete();
                                         _state=State.END;
                                         return_from_parse|=_handler.messageComplete(_contentPosition);
                                         break;
 
                                     default:
                                         _state=State.CONTENT;
-                                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(true,_persistent); 
+                                        return_from_parse|=_handler.headerComplete(); 
                                         break;
                                 }
                             }
@@ -1103,7 +1058,6 @@ public class HttpParser
     private void badMessage(ByteBuffer buffer, String reason)
     {
         BufferUtil.clear(buffer);
-        _persistent=false;
         _state=State.END;
         _handler.badMessage(400, reason);
     }
@@ -1111,8 +1065,6 @@ public class HttpParser
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
     public void inputShutdown()
     {
-        _persistent=false;
-
         // was this unexpected?
         switch(_state)
         {
@@ -1139,15 +1091,18 @@ public class HttpParser
     {
         if (_state!=State.END && _state!=State.CLOSED)
             LOG.warn("Closing {}",this);
-        _persistent=false;
-        reset();
+        _state=State.CLOSED;
+        _endOfContent=EndOfContent.UNKNOWN_CONTENT;
+        _contentPosition=0;
+        _responseStatus=0;
+        _contentChunk=null;
     }
     
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
     public void reset()
     {
         // reset state
-        _state=_persistent?State.START:State.CLOSED;
+        _state=State.START;
         _endOfContent=EndOfContent.UNKNOWN_CONTENT;
         _contentPosition=0;
         _responseStatus=0;
@@ -1159,19 +1114,16 @@ public class HttpParser
     {
         this._state=state;
         _endOfContent=EndOfContent.UNKNOWN_CONTENT;
-        if (state==State.CLOSED)
-            _persistent=false;
     }
 
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
     @Override
     public String toString()
     {
-        return String.format("%s{s=%s,c=%d,p=%b}",
+        return String.format("%s{s=%s,c=%d}",
                 getClass().getSimpleName(),
                 _state,
-                _contentLength,
-                _persistent);
+                _contentLength);
     }
 
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
@@ -1185,7 +1137,7 @@ public class HttpParser
     {
         public boolean content(ByteBuffer ref);
 
-        public boolean headerComplete(boolean hasBody,boolean persistent);
+        public boolean headerComplete();
 
         public boolean messageComplete(long contentLength);
 
diff --git a/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpTester.java b/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpTester.java
index c9c38db1ee8..ee7ea6bb657 100644
--- a/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpTester.java
+++ b/jetty-http/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpTester.java
@@ -112,10 +112,9 @@ public class HttpTester
         }
         
         @Override
-        public boolean headerComplete(boolean hasBody, boolean persistent)
+        public boolean headerComplete()
         {
-            if (hasBody)
-                _content=new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+            _content=new ByteArrayOutputStream();
             return false;
         }
         
diff --git a/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpFieldsTest.java b/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpFieldsTest.java
index 63b56f007a2..267bcef7fdb 100644
--- a/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpFieldsTest.java
+++ b/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpFieldsTest.java
@@ -436,4 +436,25 @@ public class HttpFieldsTest
 
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testContains() throws Exception
+    {
+        HttpFields header = new HttpFields();
+
+        header.add("0", "");
+        header.add("1", ",");
+        header.add("2", ",,");
+        header.add("3", "abc");
+        header.add("4", "def");
+        header.add("5", "abc,def,hig");
+        header.add("6", "abc");
+        header.add("6", "def");
+        header.add("6", "hig");
+
+        for (int i=0;i<7;i++)
+        {
+            assertFalse(""+i,header.getField(""+i).contains("xyz"));
+            assertEquals(""+i,i>=4,header.getField(""+i).contains("def"));
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpGeneratorServerTest.java b/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpGeneratorServerTest.java
index cd074b79831..065de85c42d 100644
--- a/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpGeneratorServerTest.java
+++ b/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpGeneratorServerTest.java
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public class HttpGeneratorServerTest
         }
 
         @Override
-        public boolean headerComplete(boolean hasBody,boolean persistent)
+        public boolean headerComplete()
         {
             _content= null;
             return false;
diff --git a/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpParserTest.java b/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpParserTest.java
index ddb473d7f73..79dbc75758b 100644
--- a/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpParserTest.java
+++ b/jetty-http/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/http/HttpParserTest.java
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ public class HttpParserTest
         }
 
         @Override
-        public boolean headerComplete(boolean hasBody,boolean persistent)
+        public boolean headerComplete()
         {
             //System.err.println("headerComplete");
             _content= null;
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpChannel.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpChannel.java
index 9172f2e8ef8..f3df83e9b80 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpChannel.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpChannel.java
@@ -500,14 +500,17 @@ public abstract class HttpChannel
         }
 
         @Override
-        public boolean headerComplete(boolean hasBody,boolean persistent)
+        public boolean headerComplete()
         {
             _requests++;
+            boolean persistent;
             switch (_version)
             {
                 case HTTP_0_9:
+                    persistent=false;
                     break;
                 case HTTP_1_0:
+                    persistent=_request.getHttpFields().contains(HttpHeader.CONNECTION,HttpHeaderValue.KEEP_ALIVE.asString());
                     if (persistent)
                         _response.getHttpFields().add(HttpHeader.CONNECTION,HttpHeaderValue.KEEP_ALIVE);
 
@@ -516,7 +519,8 @@ public abstract class HttpChannel
                     break;
 
                 case HTTP_1_1:
-
+                    persistent=!_request.getHttpFields().contains(HttpHeader.CONNECTION,HttpHeaderValue.CLOSE.asString());
+                    
                     if (!persistent)
                         _response.getHttpFields().add(HttpHeader.CONNECTION,HttpHeaderValue.CLOSE);
 
@@ -537,7 +541,10 @@ public abstract class HttpChannel
 
                     break;
                 default:
+                    throw new IllegalStateException();
             }
+             
+            _request.setPersistent(persistent);
 
             // Either handle now or wait for first content/message complete
             if (_expect100Continue)
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpConnection.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpConnection.java
index 71dd53ba6e2..db05edfe683 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpConnection.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpConnection.java
@@ -252,16 +252,19 @@ public class HttpConnection extends AbstractConnection
                 // Parse the buffer
                 if (_parser.parseNext(_requestBuffer))
                 {
+                    // reset header count
+                    _headerBytes=0;
+                    
                     // For most requests, there will not be a body, so we can try to recycle the buffer now
                     releaseRequestBuffer();
 
-                    _headerBytes=0;
+                    if (!_channel.getRequest().isPersistent())
+                        _generator.setPersistent(false);
+                    
                     // The parser returned true, which indicates the channel is ready
                     // to handle a request. Call the channel and this will either handle the
                     // request/response to completion OR if the request suspends, the channel
                     // will be left in !idle state so our outer loop will exit.
-                    if (!_parser.isPersistent())
-                        _generator.setPersistent(false);
                     _channel.handle();
 
                     // Return if the channel is still processing the request
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/Request.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/Request.java
index 773122f9e48..ad24f4ceed4 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/Request.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/Request.java
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ public class Request implements HttpServletRequest
     private SessionManager _sessionManager;
     private long _timeStamp;
     private long _dispatchTime;
+    private boolean _persistent;
 
     private HttpURI _uri;
 
@@ -184,7 +185,19 @@ public class Request implements HttpServletRequest
     {
         return _in;
     }
-    
+
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    public boolean isPersistent()
+    {
+        return _persistent;
+    }
+
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    public void setPersistent(boolean persistent)
+    {
+        _persistent = persistent;
+    }
+
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     public void addEventListener(final EventListener listener)
     {
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/ResponseTest.java b/jetty-server/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/ResponseTest.java
index 706b16342d8..7c49efb18ba 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/ResponseTest.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/ResponseTest.java
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.ContextHandler;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.session.HashSessionIdManager;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.session.HashSessionManager;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.session.HashedSession;
+import org.hamcrest.Matchers;
 import org.junit.After;
+import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Ignore;
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -585,6 +587,7 @@ public class ResponseTest
         {
             server.setHandler(new AbstractHandler()
             {
+                @Override
                 public void handle(String string, Request baseRequest, HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws IOException, ServletException
                 {
                     response.setStatus(200);
@@ -607,14 +610,14 @@ public class ResponseTest
 
             LineNumberReader reader = new LineNumberReader(new InputStreamReader(socket.getInputStream()));
             String line = reader.readLine();
-            assertTrue(line!=null && line.startsWith("HTTP/1.1 200 OK"));
+            Assert.assertThat(line,Matchers.startsWith("HTTP/1.1 200 OK"));
             // look for blank line
             while (line!=null && line.length()>0)
                 line = reader.readLine();
 
             // Read the first line of the GET
             line = reader.readLine();
-            assertTrue(line!=null && line.startsWith("HTTP/1.1 200 OK"));
+            Assert.assertThat(line,Matchers.startsWith("HTTP/1.1 200 OK"));
 
             String last=null;
             while (line!=null)
diff --git a/jetty-util/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/AttributesMap.java b/jetty-util/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/AttributesMap.java
index 1ee017175da..adbf6d575c3 100644
--- a/jetty-util/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/AttributesMap.java
+++ b/jetty-util/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/AttributesMap.java
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ package org.eclipse.jetty.util;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Enumeration;
-import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
 /** AttributesMap.
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public class AttributesMap implements Attributes
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     public AttributesMap()
     {
-        _map=new HashMap<String,Object>();
+        _map=new ConcurrentHashMap<String,Object>();
     }
     
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
@@ -45,13 +45,14 @@ public class AttributesMap implements Attributes
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     public AttributesMap(AttributesMap map)
     {
-        _map=new HashMap<String,Object>(map._map);
+        _map=new ConcurrentHashMap<String,Object>(map._map);
     }
     
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     /* 
      * @see org.eclipse.jetty.util.Attributes#removeAttribute(java.lang.String)
      */
+    @Override
     public void removeAttribute(String name)
     {
         _map.remove(name);
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ public class AttributesMap implements Attributes
     /* 
      * @see org.eclipse.jetty.util.Attributes#setAttribute(java.lang.String, java.lang.Object)
      */
+    @Override
     public void setAttribute(String name, Object attribute)
     {
         if (attribute==null)
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ public class AttributesMap implements Attributes
     /* 
      * @see org.eclipse.jetty.util.Attributes#getAttribute(java.lang.String)
      */
+    @Override
     public Object getAttribute(String name)
     {
         return _map.get(name);
@@ -82,6 +85,7 @@ public class AttributesMap implements Attributes
     /* 
      * @see org.eclipse.jetty.util.Attributes#getAttributeNames()
      */
+    @Override
     public Enumeration<String> getAttributeNames()
     {
         return Collections.enumeration(_map.keySet());
@@ -120,6 +124,7 @@ public class AttributesMap implements Attributes
     /* 
      * @see org.eclipse.jetty.util.Attributes#clear()
      */
+    @Override
     public void clearAttributes()
     {
         _map.clear();