diff --git a/docs/api/context.md b/docs/api/context.md
index d9c0aab..ce0fee9 100644
--- a/docs/api/context.md
+++ b/docs/api/context.md
@@ -149,10 +149,12 @@ throw err;
   - `ctx.body=`
   - `ctx.status`
   - `ctx.status=`
-  - `ctx.length=`
   - `ctx.length`
-  - `ctx.type=`
+  - `ctx.length=`
   - `ctx.type`
+  - `ctx.type=`
+  - `ctx.charset`
+  - `ctx.charset=`
   - `ctx.headerSent`
   - `ctx.redirect()`
   - `ctx.attachment()`
diff --git a/docs/api/response.md b/docs/api/response.md
index 86458f6..f1aa379 100644
--- a/docs/api/response.md
+++ b/docs/api/response.md
@@ -186,6 +186,20 @@ this.type = 'png';
   when explicitly defined in full as `res.type = 'text/html'`
   no charset is assigned.
 
+### res.charset
+
+  Get response charset when present, or `undefined`:
+
+```js
+this.type = 'text/plain; charset=utf-8';
+this.charset
+// => "utf-8"
+```
+
+### res.charset=
+
+  Set the response charset, overriding if present.
+
 ### res.redirect(url, [alt])
 
   Perform a [302] redirect to `url`.
diff --git a/lib/context.js b/lib/context.js
index 1873a89..c339774 100644
--- a/lib/context.js
+++ b/lib/context.js
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ delegate(proto, 'response')
   .access('body')
   .access('length')
   .access('type')
+  .access('charset')
   .getter('headerSent')
   .setter('lastModified')
   .setter('etag');
diff --git a/lib/response.js b/lib/response.js
index 10e9dec..bae33d3 100644
--- a/lib/response.js
+++ b/lib/response.js
@@ -17,6 +17,31 @@ var extname = path.extname;
 
 module.exports = {
 
+  /**
+   * Set the charset.
+   *
+   * @param {String} val
+   * @api public
+   */
+
+  set charset(val) {
+    this.set('Content-Type', this.type + '; charset=' + val);
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Get the charset when present or undefined.
+   *
+   * @return {String}
+   * @api public
+   */
+
+  get charset() {
+    // TODO: lame, we could have a generic param parsing lib
+    var type = this.get('Content-Type');
+    var m = type.match(/charset *= *(\S+)/);
+    if (m) return m[1];
+  },
+
   /**
    * Return the request socket.
    *
diff --git a/test/response/charset.js b/test/response/charset.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83d3c10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/response/charset.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+
+var context = require('../context');
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+describe('ctx.charset=', function(){
+  describe('with no charset present', function(){
+    it('should set it', function(){
+      var ctx = context();
+      ctx.type = 'text/plain';
+      ctx.charset = 'utf8';
+      ctx.response.get('Content-Type').should.equal('text/plain; charset=utf8');
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('with a charset', function(){
+    it('should set it', function(){
+      var ctx = context();
+      ctx.type = 'text/plain; charset=hey';
+      ctx.charset = 'utf8';
+      ctx.response.get('Content-Type').should.equal('text/plain; charset=utf8');
+    })
+  })
+})
+
+describe('ctx.charset', function(){
+  describe('with no charset present', function(){
+    it('should return null', function(){
+      var ctx = context();
+      ctx.type = 'text/plain';
+      assert(null == ctx.charset);
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('with a charset', function(){
+    it('should return the charset', function(){
+      var ctx = context();
+      ctx.type = 'text';
+      ctx.charset.should.equal('utf-8');
+    })
+  })
+})
\ No newline at end of file