diff --git a/lib/application.js b/lib/application.js
index e1021bb..589a26b 100644
--- a/lib/application.js
+++ b/lib/application.js
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ app.onerror = function(err){
  */
 
 function *respond(next){
-  this.status = 200;
   if (this.app.poweredBy) this.set('X-Powered-By', 'koa');
 
   yield *next;
@@ -189,13 +188,9 @@ function *respond(next){
   if (res.headersSent || !res.socket.writable) return;
 
   var body = this.body;
+  var status = this.status = this.status || 404;
   var head = 'HEAD' == this.method;
-  var noContent = ~[204, 205, 304].indexOf(this.status);
-
-  // 404
-  if (null == body && 200 == this.status) {
-    this.status = 404;
-  }
+  var noContent = ~[204, 205, 304].indexOf(status);
 
   // ignore body
   if (noContent) return res.end();
@@ -203,7 +198,7 @@ function *respond(next){
   // status body
   if (null == body) {
     this.type = 'text';
-    body = http.STATUS_CODES[this.status];
+    body = http.STATUS_CODES[status];
   }
 
   // Buffer body
diff --git a/lib/response.js b/lib/response.js
index 54af9b5..79deb04 100644
--- a/lib/response.js
+++ b/lib/response.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ module.exports = {
    */
 
   get statusString() {
-    return http.STATUS_CODES[this.status];
+    return http.STATUS_CODES[this.status || 404];
   },
 
   /**
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ module.exports = {
    */
 
   get status() {
-    return this.res.statusCode;
+    return this._status;
   },
 
   /**
@@ -77,9 +77,8 @@ module.exports = {
       val = n;
     }
 
-    this.res.statusCode = val;
-
-    var noContent = 304 == this.status || 204 == this.status;
+    var status = this._status = this.res.statusCode = val;
+    var noContent = 304 == status || 204 == status;
     if (noContent && this.body) this.body = null;
   },
 
@@ -114,6 +113,9 @@ module.exports = {
       return;
     }
 
+    // set the status
+    this.status = this.status || 200;
+
     // set the content-type only if not yet set
     var setType = !this.header['content-type'];
 
diff --git a/test/application.js b/test/application.js
index f138a3a..1aefe3e 100644
--- a/test/application.js
+++ b/test/application.js
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ describe('app.respond', function(){
       var app = koa();
 
       app.use(function *(){
-        this.status = 200;
+
       })
 
       var server = app.listen();
@@ -229,23 +229,6 @@ describe('app.respond', function(){
       })
     })
 
-    describe('with status=200', function(){
-      it('should respond with a 404', function(done){
-        var app = koa();
-
-        app.use(function *(){
-          this.status = 200;
-        })
-
-        var server = app.listen();
-
-        request(server)
-        .get('/')
-        .expect(404)
-        .expect('Not Found', done);
-      })
-    })
-
     describe('with status=204', function(){
       it('should respond without a body', function(done){
         var app = koa();