diff --git a/History.md b/History.md
index 2bf296d9..d28542bf 100644
--- a/History.md
+++ b/History.md
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ unreleased
  * add deprecation message to non-plural `req.accepts*`
  * add deprecation message to `res.send(body, status)`
  * add deprecation message to `res.vary()`
+ * add `headers` option to `res.sendfile`
+   - use to set headers on successful file transfer
  * add `mergeParams` option to `Router`
    - merges `req.params` from parent routes
  * deprecate things with `depd` module
diff --git a/lib/response.js b/lib/response.js
index 9a0a8864..13f215d3 100644
--- a/lib/response.js
+++ b/lib/response.js
@@ -278,9 +278,10 @@ res.jsonp = function(obj){
  *
  * Options:
  *
- *   - `maxAge` defaulting to 0
- *   - `root`   root directory for relative filenames
- *   - `hidden` serve hidden files, defaulting to false
+ *   - `maxAge`  defaulting to 0 (can be string converted by `ms`)
+ *   - `root`    root directory for relative filenames
+ *   - `headers` object of headers to serve with file
+ *   - `hidden`  serve hidden files, defaulting to false
  *
  * Other options are passed along to `send`.
  *
@@ -331,14 +332,10 @@ res.sendfile = function(path, options, fn){
 
     // clean up
     cleanup();
-    if (!self.headersSent) self.removeHeader('Content-Disposition');
 
     // callback available
     if (fn) return fn(err);
 
-    // list in limbo if there's no callback
-    if (self.headersSent) return;
-
     // delegate
     next(err);
   }
@@ -363,6 +360,21 @@ res.sendfile = function(path, options, fn){
   file.on('error', error);
   file.on('directory', next);
   file.on('stream', stream);
+
+  if (options.headers) {
+    // set headers on successful transfer
+    file.on('headers', function headers(res) {
+      var obj = options.headers;
+      var keys = Object.keys(obj);
+
+      for (var i = 0; i < keys.length; i++) {
+        var k = keys[i];
+        res.setHeader(k, obj[k]);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  // pipe
   file.pipe(this);
   this.on('finish', cleanup);
 };
@@ -388,8 +400,13 @@ res.download = function(path, filename, fn){
   }
 
   filename = filename || path;
-  this.set('Content-Disposition', contentDisposition(filename));
-  return this.sendfile(path, fn);
+
+  // set Content-Disposition when file is sent
+  var headers = {
+    'Content-Disposition': contentDisposition(filename)
+  };
+
+  return this.sendfile(path, { headers: headers }, fn);
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/test/res.sendfile.js b/test/res.sendfile.js
index 6fcbf117..45e55845 100644
--- a/test/res.sendfile.js
+++ b/test/res.sendfile.js
@@ -130,6 +130,41 @@ describe('res', function(){
       .expect(200, 'tobi', done);
     })
 
+    it('should accept headers option', function(done){
+      var app = express();
+      var headers = {
+         'x-success': 'sent',
+         'x-other': 'done'
+      };
+
+      app.use(function(req, res){
+        res.sendfile('test/fixtures/user.html', { headers: headers });
+      });
+
+      request(app)
+      .get('/')
+      .expect('x-success', 'sent')
+      .expect('x-other', 'done')
+      .expect(200, done);
+    })
+
+    it('should ignore headers option on 404', function(done){
+      var app = express();
+      var headers = { 'x-success': 'sent' };
+
+      app.use(function(req, res){
+        res.sendfile('test/fixtures/user.nothing', { headers: headers });
+      });
+
+      request(app)
+      .get('/')
+      .expect(404, function (err, res) {
+        if (err) return done(err);
+        res.headers.should.not.have.property('x-success');
+        done();
+      });
+    })
+
     describe('with an absolute path', function(){
       it('should transfer the file', function(done){
         var app = express();