diff --git a/lib/httpx/connection/http1.rb b/lib/httpx/connection/http1.rb
index 48c18522..465976ec 100644
--- a/lib/httpx/connection/http1.rb
+++ b/lib/httpx/connection/http1.rb
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ module HTTPX
 
       connection = request.headers["connection"]
 
-      connection ||= if request.options.persistent
+      connection ||= if request.persistent?
         # when in a persistent connection, the request can't be at
         # the edge of a renegotiation
         if @requests.index(request) + 1 < @max_requests
diff --git a/lib/httpx/request.rb b/lib/httpx/request.rb
index 4c42e551..8ed68b44 100644
--- a/lib/httpx/request.rb
+++ b/lib/httpx/request.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ module HTTPX
     # Exception raised during enumerable body writes.
     attr_reader :drain_error
 
+    attr_writer :persistent
+
     # will be +true+ when request body has been completely flushed.
     def_delegator :@body, :empty?
 
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ module HTTPX
       @body = @options.request_body_class.new(@headers, @options)
       @state = :idle
       @response = nil
+      @persistent = @options.persistent
     end
 
     # the read timeout defied for this requet.
@@ -80,6 +83,10 @@ module HTTPX
       @options.timeout[:request_timeout]
     end
 
+    def persistent?
+      @persistent
+    end
+
     def trailers?
       defined?(@trailers)
     end
diff --git a/lib/httpx/session.rb b/lib/httpx/session.rb
index da2c1383..688711b1 100644
--- a/lib/httpx/session.rb
+++ b/lib/httpx/session.rb
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ module HTTPX
     def build_request(verb, uri, options = EMPTY_HASH)
       rklass = @options.request_class
       options = @options.merge(options) unless options.is_a?(Options)
-      request = rklass.new(verb, uri, options.merge(persistent: @persistent))
+      request = rklass.new(verb, uri, options)
+      request.persistent = @persistent
       request.on(:response, &method(:on_response).curry(2)[request])
       request.on(:promise, &method(:on_promise))
 
diff --git a/sig/request.rbs b/sig/request.rbs
index 5b770a7a..2363d17e 100644
--- a/sig/request.rbs
+++ b/sig/request.rbs
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ module HTTPX
     attr_reader response: response?
     attr_reader drain_error: StandardError?
 
+    attr_writer persistent: bool
+
     @trailers: Headers?
     @informational_status: Integer?
     @query: String?
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ module HTTPX
 
     def trailers?: () -> boolish
 
+    def persistent?: () -> bool
+
     def read_timeout: () -> Numeric?
 
     def write_timeout: () -> Numeric?