diff --git a/pkg/api/rest/rest.go b/pkg/api/rest/rest.go
index 3698bf2948d..14e434c7749 100644
--- a/pkg/api/rest/rest.go
+++ b/pkg/api/rest/rest.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package rest
 
 import (
+	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 
@@ -148,3 +149,21 @@ type Redirector interface {
 	// ResourceLocation should return the remote location of the given resource, and an optional transport to use to request it, or an error.
 	ResourceLocation(ctx api.Context, id string) (remoteLocation *url.URL, transport http.RoundTripper, err error)
 }
+
+// ResourceStreamer is an interface implemented by objects that prefer to be streamed from the server
+// instead of decoded directly.
+type ResourceStreamer interface {
+	// InputStream should return an io.Reader if the provided object supports streaming. The desired
+	// api version and a accept header (may be empty) are passed to the call. If no error occurs,
+	// the caller may return a content type string with the reader that indicates the type of the
+	// stream.
+	InputStream(apiVersion, acceptHeader string) (io.ReadCloser, string, error)
+}
+
+// StorageMetadata is an optional interface that callers can implement to provide additional
+// information about their Storage objects.
+type StorageMetadata interface {
+	// ProducesMIMETypes returns a list of the MIME types the specified HTTP verb (GET, POST, DELETE,
+	// PATCH) can respond with.
+	ProducesMIMETypes(verb string) []string
+}
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/api_installer.go b/pkg/apiserver/api_installer.go
index 6f6dc8e9c20..4dda0319b80 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/api_installer.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/api_installer.go
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@ func (a *APIInstaller) registerResourceHandlers(path string, storage rest.Storag
 	patcher, isPatcher := storage.(rest.Patcher)
 	_, isWatcher := storage.(rest.Watcher)
 	_, isRedirector := storage.(rest.Redirector)
+	storageMeta, isMetadata := storage.(rest.StorageMetadata)
+	if !isMetadata {
+		storageMeta = defaultStorageMetadata{}
+	}
 
 	var versionedDeleterObject runtime.Object
 	switch {
@@ -283,56 +287,70 @@ func (a *APIInstaller) registerResourceHandlers(path string, storage rest.Storag
 	//
 	// test/integration/auth_test.go is currently the most comprehensive status code test
 
+	reqScope := RequestScope{
+		ContextFunc: ctxFn,
+		Codec:       mapping.Codec,
+		APIVersion:  a.group.Version,
+		Resource:    resource,
+		Kind:        kind,
+	}
 	for _, action := range actions {
+		reqScope.Namer = action.Namer
 		m := monitorFilter(action.Verb, resource)
 		switch action.Verb {
 		case "GET": // Get a resource.
-			route := ws.GET(action.Path).To(GetResource(getter, ctxFn, action.Namer, mapping.Codec)).
+			route := ws.GET(action.Path).To(GetResource(getter, reqScope)).
 				Filter(m).
 				Doc("read the specified " + kind).
 				Operation("read" + kind).
+				Produces(append(storageMeta.ProducesMIMETypes(action.Verb), "application/json")...).
 				Writes(versionedObject)
 			addParams(route, action.Params)
 			ws.Route(route)
 		case "LIST": // List all resources of a kind.
-			route := ws.GET(action.Path).To(ListResource(lister, ctxFn, action.Namer, mapping.Codec, a.group.Version, resource)).
+			route := ws.GET(action.Path).To(ListResource(lister, reqScope)).
 				Filter(m).
 				Doc("list objects of kind " + kind).
 				Operation("list" + kind).
+				Produces("application/json").
 				Writes(versionedList)
 			addParams(route, action.Params)
 			ws.Route(route)
 		case "PUT": // Update a resource.
-			route := ws.PUT(action.Path).To(UpdateResource(updater, ctxFn, action.Namer, mapping.Codec, a.group.Typer, resource, admit)).
+			route := ws.PUT(action.Path).To(UpdateResource(updater, reqScope, a.group.Typer, admit)).
 				Filter(m).
 				Doc("replace the specified " + kind).
 				Operation("replace" + kind).
+				Produces(append(storageMeta.ProducesMIMETypes(action.Verb), "application/json")...).
 				Reads(versionedObject)
 			addParams(route, action.Params)
 			ws.Route(route)
 		case "PATCH": // Partially update a resource
-			route := ws.PATCH(action.Path).To(PatchResource(patcher, ctxFn, action.Namer, mapping.Codec, a.group.Typer, resource, admit)).
+			route := ws.PATCH(action.Path).To(PatchResource(patcher, reqScope, a.group.Typer, admit)).
 				Filter(m).
 				Doc("partially update the specified " + kind).
 				// TODO: toggle patch strategy by content type
 				// Consumes("application/merge-patch+json", "application/json-patch+json").
 				Operation("patch" + kind).
+				Produces(append(storageMeta.ProducesMIMETypes(action.Verb), "application/json")...).
 				Reads(versionedObject)
 			addParams(route, action.Params)
 			ws.Route(route)
 		case "POST": // Create a resource.
-			route := ws.POST(action.Path).To(CreateResource(creater, ctxFn, action.Namer, mapping.Codec, a.group.Typer, resource, admit)).
+			route := ws.POST(action.Path).To(CreateResource(creater, reqScope, a.group.Typer, admit)).
 				Filter(m).
 				Doc("create a " + kind).
 				Operation("create" + kind).
+				Produces(append(storageMeta.ProducesMIMETypes(action.Verb), "application/json")...).
 				Reads(versionedObject)
 			addParams(route, action.Params)
 			ws.Route(route)
 		case "DELETE": // Delete a resource.
-			route := ws.DELETE(action.Path).To(DeleteResource(gracefulDeleter, isGracefulDeleter, ctxFn, action.Namer, mapping.Codec, resource, kind, admit)).
+			route := ws.DELETE(action.Path).To(DeleteResource(gracefulDeleter, isGracefulDeleter, reqScope, admit)).
 				Filter(m).
 				Doc("delete a " + kind).
-				Operation("delete" + kind)
+				Operation("delete" + kind).
+				Produces(append(storageMeta.ProducesMIMETypes(action.Verb), "application/json")...)
 			if isGracefulDeleter {
 				route.Reads(versionedDeleterObject)
 			}
@@ -343,6 +361,7 @@ func (a *APIInstaller) registerResourceHandlers(path string, storage rest.Storag
 				Filter(m).
 				Doc("watch a particular " + kind).
 				Operation("watch" + kind).
+				Produces("application/json").
 				Writes(versionedObject)
 			addParams(route, action.Params)
 			ws.Route(route)
@@ -351,6 +370,7 @@ func (a *APIInstaller) registerResourceHandlers(path string, storage rest.Storag
 				Filter(m).
 				Doc("watch a list of " + kind).
 				Operation("watch" + kind + "list").
+				Produces("application/json").
 				Writes(versionedList)
 			addParams(route, action.Params)
 			ws.Route(route)
@@ -630,3 +650,13 @@ func addParams(route *restful.RouteBuilder, params []*restful.Parameter) {
 		route.Param(param)
 	}
 }
+
+// defaultStorageMetadata provides default answers to rest.StorageMetadata.
+type defaultStorageMetadata struct{}
+
+// defaultStorageMetadata implements rest.StorageMetadata
+var _ rest.StorageMetadata = defaultStorageMetadata{}
+
+func (defaultStorageMetadata) ProducesMIMETypes(verb string) []string {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
index f7ac60d8b80..a16b582fcc4 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"path"
@@ -196,6 +197,26 @@ func APIVersionHandler(versions ...string) restful.RouteFunction {
 	}
 }
 
+// write renders a returned runtime.Object to the response as a stream or an encoded object.
+func write(statusCode int, apiVersion string, codec runtime.Codec, object runtime.Object, w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
+	if stream, ok := object.(rest.ResourceStreamer); ok {
+		out, contentType, err := stream.InputStream(apiVersion, req.Header.Get("Accept"))
+		if err != nil {
+			errorJSONFatal(err, codec, w)
+			return
+		}
+		defer out.Close()
+		if len(contentType) == 0 {
+			contentType = "application/octet-stream"
+		}
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", contentType)
+		w.WriteHeader(statusCode)
+		io.Copy(w, out)
+		return
+	}
+	writeJSON(statusCode, codec, object, w)
+}
+
 // writeJSON renders an object as JSON to the response.
 func writeJSON(statusCode int, codec runtime.Codec, object runtime.Object, w http.ResponseWriter) {
 	output, err := codec.Encode(object)
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
index 13d439e35e6..b753ec462fa 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
@@ -122,7 +123,8 @@ func init() {
 // defaultAPIServer exposes nested objects for testability.
 type defaultAPIServer struct {
 	http.Handler
-	group *APIGroupVersion
+	group     *APIGroupVersion
+	container *restful.Container
 }
 
 // uses the default settings
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ func handleInternal(storage map[string]rest.Storage, admissionControl admission.
 	ws := new(restful.WebService)
 	InstallSupport(mux, ws)
 	container.Add(ws)
-	return &defaultAPIServer{mux, group}
+	return &defaultAPIServer{mux, group, container}
 }
 
 type Simple struct {
@@ -212,6 +214,8 @@ type SimpleRESTStorage struct {
 	updated *Simple
 	created *Simple
 
+	stream *SimpleStream
+
 	deleted       string
 	deleteOptions *api.DeleteOptions
 
@@ -243,8 +247,34 @@ func (storage *SimpleRESTStorage) List(ctx api.Context, label labels.Selector, f
 	return result, storage.errors["list"]
 }
 
+type SimpleStream struct {
+	version     string
+	accept      string
+	contentType string
+	err         error
+
+	io.Reader
+	closed bool
+}
+
+func (s *SimpleStream) Close() error {
+	s.closed = true
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *SimpleStream) IsAnAPIObject() {}
+
+func (s *SimpleStream) InputStream(version, accept string) (io.ReadCloser, string, error) {
+	s.version = version
+	s.accept = accept
+	return s, s.contentType, s.err
+}
+
 func (storage *SimpleRESTStorage) Get(ctx api.Context, id string) (runtime.Object, error) {
 	storage.checkContext(ctx)
+	if id == "binary" {
+		return storage.stream, storage.errors["get"]
+	}
 	return api.Scheme.CopyOrDie(&storage.item), storage.errors["get"]
 }
 
@@ -343,6 +373,15 @@ func (storage LegacyRESTStorage) Delete(ctx api.Context, id string) (runtime.Obj
 	return storage.SimpleRESTStorage.Delete(ctx, id, nil)
 }
 
+type MetadataRESTStorage struct {
+	*SimpleRESTStorage
+	types []string
+}
+
+func (m *MetadataRESTStorage) ProducesMIMETypes(method string) []string {
+	return m.types
+}
+
 func extractBody(response *http.Response, object runtime.Object) (string, error) {
 	defer response.Body.Close()
 	body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(response.Body)
@@ -646,6 +685,26 @@ func TestSelfLinkSkipsEmptyName(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestMetadata(t *testing.T) {
+	simpleStorage := &MetadataRESTStorage{&SimpleRESTStorage{}, []string{"text/plain"}}
+	h := handle(map[string]rest.Storage{"simple": simpleStorage})
+	ws := h.(*defaultAPIServer).container.RegisteredWebServices()
+	if len(ws) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("no web services registered")
+	}
+	matches := map[string]int{}
+	for _, w := range ws {
+		for _, r := range w.Routes() {
+			s := strings.Join(r.Produces, ",")
+			i := matches[s]
+			matches[s] = i + 1
+		}
+	}
+	if matches["text/plain,application/json"] == 0 || matches["application/json"] == 0 || matches["*/*"] == 0 || len(matches) != 3 {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected mime types: %v", matches)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGet(t *testing.T) {
 	storage := map[string]rest.Storage{}
 	simpleStorage := SimpleRESTStorage{
@@ -685,6 +744,36 @@ func TestGet(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestGetBinary(t *testing.T) {
+	simpleStorage := SimpleRESTStorage{
+		stream: &SimpleStream{
+			contentType: "text/plain",
+			Reader:      bytes.NewBufferString("response data"),
+		},
+	}
+	stream := simpleStorage.stream
+	server := httptest.NewServer(handle(map[string]rest.Storage{"simple": &simpleStorage}))
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", server.URL+"/api/version/simple/binary", nil)
+	req.Header.Add("Accept", "text/other, */*")
+	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected response: %#v", resp)
+	}
+	body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !stream.closed || stream.version != "version" || stream.accept != "text/other, */*" ||
+		resp.Header.Get("Content-Type") != stream.contentType || string(body) != "response data" {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected stream: %#v", stream)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGetAlternateSelfLink(t *testing.T) {
 	storage := map[string]rest.Storage{}
 	simpleStorage := SimpleRESTStorage{
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/resthandler.go b/pkg/apiserver/resthandler.go
index c8b25c5f1f7..df363a6fba3 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/resthandler.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/resthandler.go
@@ -59,28 +59,38 @@ type ScopeNamer interface {
 	GenerateListLink(req *restful.Request) (path, query string, err error)
 }
 
+// RequestScope encapsulates common fields across all RESTful handler methods.
+type RequestScope struct {
+	Namer ScopeNamer
+	ContextFunc
+	runtime.Codec
+	Resource   string
+	Kind       string
+	APIVersion string
+}
+
 // GetResource returns a function that handles retrieving a single resource from a rest.Storage object.
-func GetResource(r rest.Getter, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec runtime.Codec) restful.RouteFunction {
+func GetResource(r rest.Getter, scope RequestScope) restful.RouteFunction {
 	return func(req *restful.Request, res *restful.Response) {
 		w := res.ResponseWriter
-		namespace, name, err := namer.Name(req)
+		namespace, name, err := scope.Namer.Name(req)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		ctx := ctxFn(req)
+		ctx := scope.ContextFunc(req)
 		ctx = api.WithNamespace(ctx, namespace)
 
 		result, err := r.Get(ctx, name)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		if err := setSelfLink(result, req, namer); err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+		if err := setSelfLink(result, req, scope.Namer); err != nil {
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		writeJSON(http.StatusOK, codec, result, w)
+		write(http.StatusOK, scope.APIVersion, scope.Codec, result, w, req.Request)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -103,69 +113,69 @@ func parseSelectorQueryParams(query url.Values, version, apiResource string) (la
 }
 
 // ListResource returns a function that handles retrieving a list of resources from a rest.Storage object.
-func ListResource(r rest.Lister, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec runtime.Codec, version, apiResource string) restful.RouteFunction {
+func ListResource(r rest.Lister, scope RequestScope) restful.RouteFunction {
 	return func(req *restful.Request, res *restful.Response) {
 		w := res.ResponseWriter
 
-		namespace, err := namer.Namespace(req)
+		namespace, err := scope.Namer.Namespace(req)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		ctx := ctxFn(req)
+		ctx := scope.ContextFunc(req)
 		ctx = api.WithNamespace(ctx, namespace)
 
-		label, field, err := parseSelectorQueryParams(req.Request.URL.Query(), version, apiResource)
+		label, field, err := parseSelectorQueryParams(req.Request.URL.Query(), scope.APIVersion, scope.Resource)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
 		result, err := r.List(ctx, label, field)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		if err := setListSelfLink(result, req, namer); err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+		if err := setListSelfLink(result, req, scope.Namer); err != nil {
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		writeJSON(http.StatusOK, codec, result, w)
+		write(http.StatusOK, scope.APIVersion, scope.Codec, result, w, req.Request)
 	}
 }
 
 // CreateResource returns a function that will handle a resource creation.
-func CreateResource(r rest.Creater, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec runtime.Codec, typer runtime.ObjectTyper, resource string, admit admission.Interface) restful.RouteFunction {
+func CreateResource(r rest.Creater, scope RequestScope, typer runtime.ObjectTyper, admit admission.Interface) restful.RouteFunction {
 	return func(req *restful.Request, res *restful.Response) {
 		w := res.ResponseWriter
 
 		// TODO: we either want to remove timeout or document it (if we document, move timeout out of this function and declare it in api_installer)
 		timeout := parseTimeout(req.Request.URL.Query().Get("timeout"))
 
-		namespace, err := namer.Namespace(req)
+		namespace, err := scope.Namer.Namespace(req)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		ctx := ctxFn(req)
+		ctx := scope.ContextFunc(req)
 		ctx = api.WithNamespace(ctx, namespace)
 
 		body, err := readBody(req.Request)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
 		obj := r.New()
-		if err := codec.DecodeInto(body, obj); err != nil {
+		if err := scope.Codec.DecodeInto(body, obj); err != nil {
 			err = transformDecodeError(typer, err, obj, body)
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		err = admit.Admit(admission.NewAttributesRecord(obj, namespace, resource, "CREATE"))
+		err = admit.Admit(admission.NewAttributesRecord(obj, namespace, scope.Resource, "CREATE"))
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -177,73 +187,73 @@ func CreateResource(r rest.Creater, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec r
 			return out, err
 		})
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		if err := setSelfLink(result, req, namer); err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+		if err := setSelfLink(result, req, scope.Namer); err != nil {
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		writeJSON(http.StatusCreated, codec, result, w)
+		write(http.StatusCreated, scope.APIVersion, scope.Codec, result, w, req.Request)
 	}
 }
 
 // PatchResource returns a function that will handle a resource patch
 // TODO: Eventually PatchResource should just use AtomicUpdate and this routine should be a bit cleaner
-func PatchResource(r rest.Patcher, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec runtime.Codec, typer runtime.ObjectTyper, resource string, admit admission.Interface) restful.RouteFunction {
+func PatchResource(r rest.Patcher, scope RequestScope, typer runtime.ObjectTyper, admit admission.Interface) restful.RouteFunction {
 	return func(req *restful.Request, res *restful.Response) {
 		w := res.ResponseWriter
 
 		// TODO: we either want to remove timeout or document it (if we document, move timeout out of this function and declare it in api_installer)
 		timeout := parseTimeout(req.Request.URL.Query().Get("timeout"))
 
-		namespace, name, err := namer.Name(req)
+		namespace, name, err := scope.Namer.Name(req)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
 		obj := r.New()
 		// PATCH requires same permission as UPDATE
-		err = admit.Admit(admission.NewAttributesRecord(obj, namespace, resource, "UPDATE"))
+		err = admit.Admit(admission.NewAttributesRecord(obj, namespace, scope.Resource, "UPDATE"))
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		ctx := ctxFn(req)
+		ctx := scope.ContextFunc(req)
 		ctx = api.WithNamespace(ctx, namespace)
 
 		original, err := r.Get(ctx, name)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		originalObjJs, err := codec.Encode(original)
+		originalObjJs, err := scope.Codec.Encode(original)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 		patchJs, err := readBody(req.Request)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 		patchedObjJs, err := jsonpatch.MergePatch(originalObjJs, patchJs)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		if err := codec.DecodeInto(patchedObjJs, obj); err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+		if err := scope.Codec.DecodeInto(patchedObjJs, obj); err != nil {
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		if err := checkName(obj, name, namespace, namer); err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+		if err := checkName(obj, name, namespace, scope.Namer); err != nil {
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -253,56 +263,56 @@ func PatchResource(r rest.Patcher, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec ru
 			return obj, err
 		})
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		if err := setSelfLink(result, req, namer); err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+		if err := setSelfLink(result, req, scope.Namer); err != nil {
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		writeJSON(http.StatusOK, codec, result, w)
+		write(http.StatusOK, scope.APIVersion, scope.Codec, result, w, req.Request)
 	}
 }
 
 // UpdateResource returns a function that will handle a resource update
-func UpdateResource(r rest.Updater, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec runtime.Codec, typer runtime.ObjectTyper, resource string, admit admission.Interface) restful.RouteFunction {
+func UpdateResource(r rest.Updater, scope RequestScope, typer runtime.ObjectTyper, admit admission.Interface) restful.RouteFunction {
 	return func(req *restful.Request, res *restful.Response) {
 		w := res.ResponseWriter
 
 		// TODO: we either want to remove timeout or document it (if we document, move timeout out of this function and declare it in api_installer)
 		timeout := parseTimeout(req.Request.URL.Query().Get("timeout"))
 
-		namespace, name, err := namer.Name(req)
+		namespace, name, err := scope.Namer.Name(req)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		ctx := ctxFn(req)
+		ctx := scope.ContextFunc(req)
 		ctx = api.WithNamespace(ctx, namespace)
 
 		body, err := readBody(req.Request)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
 		obj := r.New()
-		if err := codec.DecodeInto(body, obj); err != nil {
+		if err := scope.Codec.DecodeInto(body, obj); err != nil {
 			err = transformDecodeError(typer, err, obj, body)
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		if err := checkName(obj, name, namespace, namer); err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+		if err := checkName(obj, name, namespace, scope.Namer); err != nil {
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		err = admit.Admit(admission.NewAttributesRecord(obj, namespace, resource, "UPDATE"))
+		err = admit.Admit(admission.NewAttributesRecord(obj, namespace, scope.Resource, "UPDATE"))
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -313,12 +323,12 @@ func UpdateResource(r rest.Updater, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec r
 			return obj, err
 		})
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
-		if err := setSelfLink(result, req, namer); err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+		if err := setSelfLink(result, req, scope.Namer); err != nil {
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -326,46 +336,44 @@ func UpdateResource(r rest.Updater, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec r
 		if wasCreated {
 			status = http.StatusCreated
 		}
-		writeJSON(status, codec, result, w)
+		writeJSON(status, scope.Codec, result, w)
 	}
 }
 
 // DeleteResource returns a function that will handle a resource deletion
-func DeleteResource(r rest.GracefulDeleter, checkBody bool, ctxFn ContextFunc, namer ScopeNamer, codec runtime.Codec, resource, kind string, admit admission.Interface) restful.RouteFunction {
+func DeleteResource(r rest.GracefulDeleter, checkBody bool, scope RequestScope, admit admission.Interface) restful.RouteFunction {
 	return func(req *restful.Request, res *restful.Response) {
 		w := res.ResponseWriter
 
 		// TODO: we either want to remove timeout or document it (if we document, move timeout out of this function and declare it in api_installer)
 		timeout := parseTimeout(req.Request.URL.Query().Get("timeout"))
 
-		namespace, name, err := namer.Name(req)
+		namespace, name, err := scope.Namer.Name(req)
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
-		ctx := ctxFn(req)
-		if len(namespace) > 0 {
-			ctx = api.WithNamespace(ctx, namespace)
-		}
+		ctx := scope.ContextFunc(req)
+		ctx = api.WithNamespace(ctx, namespace)
 
 		options := &api.DeleteOptions{}
 		if checkBody {
 			body, err := readBody(req.Request)
 			if err != nil {
-				errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+				errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 				return
 			}
 			if len(body) > 0 {
-				if err := codec.DecodeInto(body, options); err != nil {
-					errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+				if err := scope.Codec.DecodeInto(body, options); err != nil {
+					errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 					return
 				}
 			}
 		}
 
-		err = admit.Admit(admission.NewAttributesRecord(nil, namespace, resource, "DELETE"))
+		err = admit.Admit(admission.NewAttributesRecord(nil, namespace, scope.Resource, "DELETE"))
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -373,7 +381,7 @@ func DeleteResource(r rest.GracefulDeleter, checkBody bool, ctxFn ContextFunc, n
 			return r.Delete(ctx, name, options)
 		})
 		if err != nil {
-			errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+			errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -385,19 +393,19 @@ func DeleteResource(r rest.GracefulDeleter, checkBody bool, ctxFn ContextFunc, n
 				Code:   http.StatusOK,
 				Details: &api.StatusDetails{
 					ID:   name,
-					Kind: kind,
+					Kind: scope.Kind,
 				},
 			}
 		} else {
 			// when a non-status response is returned, set the self link
 			if _, ok := result.(*api.Status); !ok {
-				if err := setSelfLink(result, req, namer); err != nil {
-					errorJSON(err, codec, w)
+				if err := setSelfLink(result, req, scope.Namer); err != nil {
+					errorJSON(err, scope.Codec, w)
 					return
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		writeJSON(http.StatusOK, codec, result, w)
+		write(http.StatusOK, scope.APIVersion, scope.Codec, result, w, req.Request)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -449,11 +457,8 @@ func transformDecodeError(typer runtime.ObjectTyper, baseErr error, into runtime
 func setSelfLink(obj runtime.Object, req *restful.Request, namer ScopeNamer) error {
 	// TODO: SelfLink generation should return a full URL?
 	path, query, err := namer.GenerateLink(req, obj)
-	if err == errEmptyName {
-		return nil
-	}
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	newURL := *req.Request.URL