diff --git a/packages/client/src/client.js b/packages/client/src/client.js
index 013efce5d..d59d64905 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/client.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/client.js
@@ -94,19 +94,17 @@ export class PercyClient {
   // Performs a GET request for an API endpoint with appropriate headers.
   get(path) {
     return request(`${this.apiUrl}/${path}`, {
-      method: 'GET',
-      headers: this.headers()
+      headers: this.headers(),
+      method: 'GET'
     });
   }
 
   // Performs a POST request to a JSON API endpoint with appropriate headers.
   post(path, body = {}) {
     return request(`${this.apiUrl}/${path}`, {
+      headers: this.headers({ 'Content-Type': 'application/vnd.api+json' }),
       method: 'POST',
-      body: JSON.stringify(body),
-      headers: this.headers({
-        'Content-Type': 'application/vnd.api+json'
-      })
+      body
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/client/src/request.js b/packages/client/src/request.js
index a953498ed..3ccd54c4b 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/request.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/request.js
@@ -190,12 +190,28 @@ export function proxyAgentFor(url, options) {
 export function request(url, options = {}, callback) {
   // accept `request(url, callback)`
   if (typeof options === 'function') [options, callback] = [{}, options];
-  let { body, retries, retryNotFound, interval, noProxy, ...requestOptions } = options;
-  // allow bypassing proxied requests entirely
-  if (!noProxy) requestOptions.agent ||= proxyAgentFor(url);
-  // parse the requested URL into request options
+
+  // gather request options
+  let { body, headers, retries, retryNotFound, interval, noProxy, ...requestOptions } = options;
   let { protocol, hostname, port, pathname, search, hash } = new URL(url);
 
+  // automatically stringify body content
+  if (body && typeof body !== 'string') {
+    headers = { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', ...headers };
+    body = JSON.stringify(body);
+  }
+
+  // combine request options
+  Object.assign(requestOptions, {
+    agent: requestOptions.agent ||
+      (!noProxy && proxyAgentFor(url)) || null,
+    path: pathname + search + hash,
+    protocol,
+    hostname,
+    headers,
+    port
+  });
+
   return retry((resolve, reject, retry) => {
     let handleError = error => {
       if (handleError.handled) return;
@@ -203,8 +219,8 @@ export function request(url, options = {}, callback) {
 
       let shouldRetry = error.response
       // maybe retry 404s and always retry 500s
-        ? ((retryNotFound && error.response.status === 404) ||
-           (error.response.status >= 500 && error.response.status < 600))
+        ? ((retryNotFound && error.response.statusCode === 404) ||
+           (error.response.statusCode >= 500 && error.response.statusCode < 600))
       // retry specific error codes
         : (!!error.code && RETRY_ERROR_CODES.includes(error.code));
 
@@ -229,7 +245,11 @@ export function request(url, options = {}, callback) {
         }
       } catch (error) {
         handleError(Object.assign(error, {
-          response: { status: res.statusCode, body }
+          response: {
+            statusCode: res.statusCode,
+            headers: res.headers,
+            body
+          }
         }));
       }
     };
@@ -242,14 +262,7 @@ export function request(url, options = {}, callback) {
       res.on('error', handleError);
     };
 
-    let req = (protocol === 'https:' ? https : http).request({
-      ...requestOptions,
-      path: pathname + search + hash,
-      protocol,
-      hostname,
-      port
-    });
-
+    let req = (protocol === 'https:' ? https : http).request(requestOptions);
     req.on('response', handleResponse);
     req.on('error', handleError);
     req.end(body);
diff --git a/packages/core/src/percy.js b/packages/core/src/percy.js
index 1cb6d5014..48931f313 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/percy.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/percy.js
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ export class Percy {
         if (typeof options === 'function') options = await options();
         await this.client.sendSnapshot(this.build.id, options);
       } catch (error) {
-        let failed = error.response?.status === 422 && (
+        let failed = error.response?.statusCode === 422 && (
           error.response.body.errors.find(e => (
             e.source?.pointer === '/data/attributes/build'
           )));