diff --git a/caddyhttp/httpserver/replacer.go b/caddyhttp/httpserver/replacer.go
index 2844cab7b..b31011a92 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/httpserver/replacer.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/httpserver/replacer.go
@@ -40,10 +40,40 @@ type Replacer interface {
 // they will be used to overwrite other replacements
 // if there is a name conflict.
 type replacer struct {
-	replacements       map[string]func() string
-	customReplacements map[string]func() string
+	customReplacements map[string]string
 	emptyValue         string
 	responseRecorder   *ResponseRecorder
+	request            *http.Request
+	requestBody        *limitWriter
+}
+
+type limitWriter struct {
+	w      bytes.Buffer
+	remain int
+}
+
+func newLimitWriter(max int) *limitWriter {
+	return &limitWriter{
+		w:      bytes.Buffer{},
+		remain: max,
+	}
+}
+
+func (lw *limitWriter) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	// skip if we are full
+	if lw.remain <= 0 {
+		return len(p), nil
+	}
+	if n := len(p); n > lw.remain {
+		p = p[:lw.remain]
+	}
+	n, err := lw.w.Write(p)
+	lw.remain -= n
+	return n, err
+}
+
+func (lw *limitWriter) String() string {
+	return lw.w.String()
 }
 
 // NewReplacer makes a new replacer based on r and rr which
@@ -54,91 +84,24 @@ type replacer struct {
 // emptyValue should be the string that is used in place
 // of empty string (can still be empty string).
 func NewReplacer(r *http.Request, rr *ResponseRecorder, emptyValue string) Replacer {
+	rb := newLimitWriter(MaxLogBodySize)
+	if r.Body != nil {
+		r.Body = struct {
+			io.Reader
+			io.Closer
+		}{io.TeeReader(r.Body, rb), io.Closer(r.Body)}
+	}
 	rep := &replacer{
+		request:            r,
+		requestBody:        rb,
 		responseRecorder:   rr,
-		customReplacements: make(map[string]func() string),
-		replacements: map[string]func() string{
-			"{method}": func() string { return r.Method },
-			"{scheme}": func() string {
-				if r.TLS != nil {
-					return "https"
-				}
-				return "http"
-			},
-			"{hostname}": func() string {
-				name, err := os.Hostname()
-				if err != nil {
-					return ""
-				}
-				return name
-			},
-			"{host}": func() string { return r.Host },
-			"{hostonly}": func() string {
-				host, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(r.Host)
-				if err != nil {
-					return r.Host
-				}
-				return host
-			},
-			"{path}":          func() string { return r.URL.Path },
-			"{path_escaped}":  func() string { return url.QueryEscape(r.URL.Path) },
-			"{query}":         func() string { return r.URL.RawQuery },
-			"{query_escaped}": func() string { return url.QueryEscape(r.URL.RawQuery) },
-			"{fragment}":      func() string { return r.URL.Fragment },
-			"{proto}":         func() string { return r.Proto },
-			"{remote}": func() string {
-				host, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(r.RemoteAddr)
-				if err != nil {
-					return r.RemoteAddr
-				}
-				return host
-			},
-			"{port}": func() string {
-				_, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(r.RemoteAddr)
-				if err != nil {
-					return ""
-				}
-				return port
-			},
-			"{uri}":         func() string { return r.URL.RequestURI() },
-			"{uri_escaped}": func() string { return url.QueryEscape(r.URL.RequestURI()) },
-			"{when}":        func() string { return time.Now().Format(timeFormat) },
-			"{file}": func() string {
-				_, file := path.Split(r.URL.Path)
-				return file
-			},
-			"{dir}": func() string {
-				dir, _ := path.Split(r.URL.Path)
-				return dir
-			},
-			"{request}": func() string {
-				dump, err := httputil.DumpRequest(r, false)
-				if err != nil {
-					return ""
-				}
-
-				return requestReplacer.Replace(string(dump))
-			},
-			"{request_body}": func() string {
-				if !canLogRequest(r) {
-					return ""
-				}
-
-				body, err := readRequestBody(r, maxLogBodySize)
-				if err != nil {
-					return ""
-				}
-
-				return requestReplacer.Replace(string(body))
-			},
-		},
-		emptyValue: emptyValue,
+		customReplacements: make(map[string]string),
+		emptyValue:         emptyValue,
 	}
 
 	// Header placeholders (case-insensitive)
 	for header, values := range r.Header {
-		values := values
-		rep.replacements[headerReplacer+strings.ToLower(header)+"}"] = func() string { return strings.Join(values, ",") }
+		rep.customReplacements["{>"+strings.ToLower(header)+"}"] = strings.Join(values, ",")
 	}
 
 	return rep
@@ -156,27 +119,6 @@ func canLogRequest(r *http.Request) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-// readRequestBody reads the request body and sets a
-// new io.ReadCloser that has not yet been read.
-func readRequestBody(r *http.Request, n int64) ([]byte, error) {
-	defer r.Body.Close()
-
-	body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(io.LimitReader(r.Body, n))
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	// Read the remaining bytes
-	remaining, err := ioutil.ReadAll(r.Body)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	buf := bytes.NewBuffer(append(body, remaining...))
-	r.Body = ioutil.NopCloser(buf)
-	return body, nil
-}
-
 // Replace performs a replacement of values on s and returns
 // the string with the replaced values.
 func (r *replacer) Replace(s string) string {
@@ -185,54 +127,37 @@ func (r *replacer) Replace(s string) string {
 		return s
 	}
 
-	// Make response placeholders now
-	if r.responseRecorder != nil {
-		r.replacements["{status}"] = func() string { return strconv.Itoa(r.responseRecorder.status) }
-		r.replacements["{size}"] = func() string { return strconv.Itoa(r.responseRecorder.size) }
-		r.replacements["{latency}"] = func() string {
-			dur := time.Since(r.responseRecorder.start)
-			return roundDuration(dur).String()
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Include custom placeholders, overwriting existing ones if necessary
-	for key, val := range r.customReplacements {
-		r.replacements[key] = val
-	}
-
-	// Header replacements - these are case-insensitive, so we can't just use strings.Replace()
-	for strings.Contains(s, headerReplacer) {
-		idxStart := strings.Index(s, headerReplacer)
-		endOffset := idxStart + len(headerReplacer)
-		idxEnd := strings.Index(s[endOffset:], "}")
-		if idxEnd > -1 {
-			placeholder := strings.ToLower(s[idxStart : endOffset+idxEnd+1])
-			replacement := ""
-			if getReplacement, ok := r.replacements[placeholder]; ok {
-				replacement = getReplacement()
-			}
-			if replacement == "" {
-				replacement = r.emptyValue
-			}
-			s = s[:idxStart] + replacement + s[endOffset+idxEnd+1:]
-		} else {
+	result := ""
+	for {
+		idxStart := strings.Index(s, "{")
+		if idxStart == -1 {
+			// no placeholder anymore
 			break
 		}
+		idxEnd := strings.Index(s[idxStart:], "}")
+		if idxEnd == -1 {
+			// unpaired placeholder
+			break
+		}
+		idxEnd += idxStart
+
+		// get a replacement
+		placeholder := s[idxStart : idxEnd+1]
+		// Header replacements - they are case-insensitive
+		if placeholder[1] == '>' {
+			placeholder = strings.ToLower(placeholder)
+		}
+		replacement := r.getSubstitution(placeholder)
+
+		// append prefix + replacement
+		result += s[:idxStart] + replacement
+
+		// strip out scanned parts
+		s = s[idxEnd+1:]
 	}
 
-	// Regular replacements - these are easier because they're case-sensitive
-	for placeholder, getReplacement := range r.replacements {
-		if !strings.Contains(s, placeholder) {
-			continue
-		}
-		replacement := getReplacement()
-		if replacement == "" {
-			replacement = r.emptyValue
-		}
-		s = strings.Replace(s, placeholder, replacement, -1)
-	}
-
-	return s
+	// append unscanned parts
+	return result + s
 }
 
 func roundDuration(d time.Duration) time.Duration {
@@ -265,16 +190,117 @@ func round(d, r time.Duration) time.Duration {
 	return d
 }
 
+// getSubstitution retrieves value from corresponding key
+func (r *replacer) getSubstitution(key string) string {
+	// search custom replacements first
+	if value, ok := r.customReplacements[key]; ok {
+		return value
+	}
+
+	// search default replacements then
+	switch key {
+	case "{method}":
+		return r.request.Method
+	case "{scheme}":
+		if r.request.TLS != nil {
+			return "https"
+		}
+		return "http"
+	case "{hostname}":
+		name, err := os.Hostname()
+		if err != nil {
+			return r.emptyValue
+		}
+		return name
+	case "{host}":
+		return r.request.Host
+	case "{hostonly}":
+		host, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(r.request.Host)
+		if err != nil {
+			return r.request.Host
+		}
+		return host
+	case "{path}":
+		return r.request.URL.Path
+	case "{path_escaped}":
+		return url.QueryEscape(r.request.URL.Path)
+	case "{query}":
+		return r.request.URL.RawQuery
+	case "{query_escaped}":
+		return url.QueryEscape(r.request.URL.RawQuery)
+	case "{fragment}":
+		return r.request.URL.Fragment
+	case "{proto}":
+		return r.request.Proto
+	case "{remote}":
+		host, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(r.request.RemoteAddr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return r.request.RemoteAddr
+		}
+		return host
+	case "{port}":
+		_, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(r.request.RemoteAddr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return r.emptyValue
+		}
+		return port
+	case "{uri}":
+		return r.request.URL.RequestURI()
+	case "{uri_escaped}":
+		return url.QueryEscape(r.request.URL.RequestURI())
+	case "{when}":
+		return time.Now().Format(timeFormat)
+	case "{file}":
+		_, file := path.Split(r.request.URL.Path)
+		return file
+	case "{dir}":
+		dir, _ := path.Split(r.request.URL.Path)
+		return dir
+	case "{request}":
+		dump, err := httputil.DumpRequest(r.request, false)
+		if err != nil {
+			return r.emptyValue
+		}
+		return requestReplacer.Replace(string(dump))
+	case "{request_body}":
+		if !canLogRequest(r.request) {
+			return r.emptyValue
+		}
+		_, err := ioutil.ReadAll(r.request.Body)
+		if err != nil {
+			return r.emptyValue
+		}
+		return requestReplacer.Replace(r.requestBody.String())
+	case "{status}":
+		if r.responseRecorder == nil {
+			return r.emptyValue
+		}
+		return strconv.Itoa(r.responseRecorder.status)
+	case "{size}":
+		if r.responseRecorder == nil {
+			return r.emptyValue
+		}
+		return strconv.Itoa(r.responseRecorder.size)
+	case "{latency}":
+		if r.responseRecorder == nil {
+			return r.emptyValue
+		}
+		return roundDuration(time.Since(r.responseRecorder.start)).String()
+	}
+
+	return r.emptyValue
+}
+
 // Set sets key to value in the r.customReplacements map.
 func (r *replacer) Set(key, value string) {
-	r.customReplacements["{"+key+"}"] = func() string { return value }
+	r.customReplacements["{"+key+"}"] = value
 }
 
 const (
 	timeFormat        = "02/Jan/2006:15:04:05 -0700"
-	headerReplacer    = "{>"
 	headerContentType = "Content-Type"
 	contentTypeJSON   = "application/json"
 	contentTypeXML    = "application/xml"
-	maxLogBodySize    = 100 * 1024
+	// MaxLogBodySize limits the size of logged request's body
+	MaxLogBodySize = 100 * 1024
 )
diff --git a/caddyhttp/httpserver/replacer_test.go b/caddyhttp/httpserver/replacer_test.go
index cfd52fb2e..9fcff8c90 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/httpserver/replacer_test.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/httpserver/replacer_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package httpserver
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
@@ -24,28 +22,12 @@ func TestNewReplacer(t *testing.T) {
 
 	switch v := rep.(type) {
 	case *replacer:
-		if v.replacements["{host}"]() != "localhost" {
+		if v.getSubstitution("{host}") != "localhost" {
 			t.Error("Expected host to be localhost")
 		}
-		if v.replacements["{method}"]() != "POST" {
+		if v.getSubstitution("{method}") != "POST" {
 			t.Error("Expected request method  to be POST")
 		}
-
-		// Response placeholders should only be set after call to Replace()
-		got, want := "", ""
-		if getReplacement, ok := v.replacements["{status}"]; ok {
-			got = getReplacement()
-		}
-		if want := ""; got != want {
-			t.Errorf("Expected status to NOT be set before Replace() is called; was: %s", got)
-		}
-		rep.Replace("{foobar}")
-		if getReplacement, ok := v.replacements["{status}"]; ok {
-			got = getReplacement()
-		}
-		if want = "200"; got != want {
-			t.Errorf("Expected status to be %s, was: %s", want, got)
-		}
 	default:
 		t.Fatalf("Expected *replacer underlying Replacer type, got: %#v", rep)
 	}
@@ -94,19 +76,21 @@ func TestReplace(t *testing.T) {
 
 	complexCases := []struct {
 		template     string
-		replacements map[string]func() string
+		replacements map[string]string
 		expect       string
 	}{
-		{"/a{1}/{2}",
-			map[string]func() string{
-				"{1}": func() string { return "12" },
-				"{2}": func() string { return "" }},
+		{
+			"/a{1}/{2}",
+			map[string]string{
+				"{1}": "12",
+				"{2}": "",
+			},
 			"/a12/"},
 	}
 
 	for _, c := range complexCases {
 		repl := &replacer{
-			replacements: c.replacements,
+			customReplacements: c.replacements,
 		}
 		if expected, actual := c.expect, repl.Replace(c.template); expected != actual {
 			t.Errorf("for template '%s', expected '%s', got '%s'", c.template, expected, actual)
@@ -163,28 +147,3 @@ func TestRound(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-func TestReadRequestBody(t *testing.T) {
-	payload := []byte(`{ "foo": "bar" }`)
-	var readSize int64 = 5
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("POST", "/", bytes.NewReader(payload))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error(err)
-	}
-	defer r.Body.Close()
-
-	logBody, err := readRequestBody(r, readSize)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error("readRequestBody failed", err)
-	} else if !bytes.EqualFold(payload[0:readSize], logBody) {
-		t.Error("Expected log comparison failed")
-	}
-
-	// Ensure the Request body is the same as the original.
-	reqBody, err := ioutil.ReadAll(r.Body)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error("Unable to read request body", err)
-	} else if !bytes.EqualFold(payload, reqBody) {
-		t.Error("Expected request body comparison failed")
-	}
-}
diff --git a/caddyhttp/log/log_test.go b/caddyhttp/log/log_test.go
index af48f4424..eeb7cf2ea 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/log/log_test.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/log/log_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package log
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
@@ -60,3 +61,59 @@ func TestLoggedStatus(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected the log entry to contain 'foobar' (custom placeholder), but it didn't: %s", logged)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestLogRequestBody(t *testing.T) {
+	var got bytes.Buffer
+	logger := Logger{
+		Rules: []Rule{{
+			PathScope: "/",
+			Format:    "{request_body}",
+			Log:       log.New(&got, "", 0),
+		}},
+		Next: httpserver.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (int, error) {
+			// drain up body
+			ioutil.ReadAll(r.Body)
+			return 0, nil
+		}),
+	}
+
+	for i, c := range []struct {
+		body   string
+		expect string
+	}{
+		{"", "\n"},
+		{"{hello} world!", "{hello} world!\n"},
+		{func() string {
+			length := httpserver.MaxLogBodySize + 100
+			b := make([]byte, length)
+			for i := 0; i < length; i++ {
+				b[i] = 0xab
+			}
+			return string(b)
+		}(), func() string {
+			b := make([]byte, httpserver.MaxLogBodySize)
+			for i := 0; i < httpserver.MaxLogBodySize; i++ {
+				b[i] = 0xab
+			}
+			return string(b) + "\n"
+		}(),
+		},
+	} {
+		got.Reset()
+		r, err := http.NewRequest("POST", "/", bytes.NewBufferString(c.body))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		r.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		status, err := logger.ServeHTTP(httptest.NewRecorder(), r)
+		if status != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("case %d: Expected status to be 0, but was %d", i, status)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("case %d: Expected error to be nil, instead got: %v", i, err)
+		}
+		if got.String() != c.expect {
+			t.Errorf("case %d: Expected body %q, but got %q", i, c.expect, got.String())
+		}
+	}
+}