diff --git a/lib/restler.js b/lib/restler.js
index 74bd41f..86d207b 100644
--- a/lib/restler.js
+++ b/lib/restler.js
@@ -310,8 +310,8 @@ mixin(Request.prototype, {
   }
 });
 
-function shortcutOptions(options, method) {
-  options = options || {};
+function shortcutOptions(opts, method) {
+  var options = mixin({}, opts);
   options.method = method;
   options.parser = (typeof options.parser !== "undefined") ? options.parser : parsers.auto;
   parsers.xml.options = (typeof options.xml2js == 'undefined') ? {} : options.xml2js;
@@ -349,8 +349,8 @@ function head(url, options) {
   return request(url, shortcutOptions(options, 'HEAD'));
 }
 
-function json(url, data, options, method) {
-  options = options || {};
+function json(url, data, opts, method) {
+  var options = mixin({}, opts);
   options.parser = (typeof options.parser !== "undefined") ? options.parser : parsers.auto;
   options.headers = options.headers || {};
   options.headers['content-type'] = 'application/json';
diff --git a/test/restler.js b/test/restler.js
index 819a6e2..86b7cf1 100644
--- a/test/restler.js
+++ b/test/restler.js
@@ -641,6 +641,24 @@ module.exports['Deserialization'] = {
     }).on('fail', function() {
       test.ok(false, 'should not have got here');
     });
+  },
+
+  'Should parse JSON without mutating options': function(test) {
+    var options = {};
+    rest.get(host + '/json', options).on('complete', function(data) {
+      test.equal(data.ok, true, 'returned: ' + util.inspect(data));
+      test.deepEqual({}, options, 'mutated: ' + util.inspect(options));
+      test.done();
+    });
+  },
+
+  'Should post and parse JSON without mutating options': function(test) {
+    var obj = { secret : 'very secret string' }, options = {};
+    rest.json(host + '/push-json', obj, options, 'POST').on('complete', function(data) {
+      test.equal(obj.secret, data.secret, 'returned: ' + util.inspect(data));
+      test.deepEqual({}, options, 'mutated: ' + util.inspect(options));
+      test.done();
+    });
   }
 
 };