diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bb6e1c9c..4d3dee69 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -327,6 +327,12 @@ ETags</a>. Possible values are:
 <dt>cachedETagsFile</dt>
 <dd>The location of the file that keeps entity tags (ETags) received
 from the server. <em>(default: <code>${downloadTaskDir}/etags.json</code>)</em></dd>
+<dt>method</dt>
+<dd>The HTTP method to use <em>(default: <code>GET</code>)</em></dd>
+<dt>body</dt>
+<dd>An optional request body. As gradle-download-task is meant for downloading
+and not for uploading, only simple strings are supported.
+<em>(optional)</em></dd>
 </dl>
 
 Verify task
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/Download.java b/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/Download.java
index 947ddc6a..d9b7cbd3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/Download.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/Download.java
@@ -200,6 +200,16 @@ public void eachFile(Action<? super DownloadDetails> action) {
         this.action.eachFile(action);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void method(String method) {
+        action.method(method);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void body(String body) {
+        action.body(body);
+    }
+
     @Input
     @Override
     public Object getSrc() {
@@ -322,4 +332,18 @@ public Object getUseETag() {
     public File getCachedETagsFile() {
         return action.getCachedETagsFile();
     }
+
+    @Input
+    @Optional
+    @Override
+    public String getMethod() {
+        return this.action.getMethod();
+    }
+
+    @Input
+    @Optional
+    @Override
+    public String getBody() {
+        return this.action.getBody();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/DownloadAction.java b/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/DownloadAction.java
index f0977821..5bf562fc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/DownloadAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/DownloadAction.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import org.apache.hc.client5.http.auth.CredentialsProvider;
 import org.apache.hc.client5.http.auth.CredentialsStore;
 import org.apache.hc.client5.http.auth.UsernamePasswordCredentials;
-import org.apache.hc.client5.http.classic.methods.HttpGet;
+import org.apache.hc.client5.http.classic.methods.HttpUriRequestBase;
 import org.apache.hc.client5.http.config.RequestConfig;
 import org.apache.hc.client5.http.impl.auth.BasicAuthCache;
 import org.apache.hc.client5.http.impl.auth.BasicCredentialsProvider;
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.HttpResponse;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.HttpStatus;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.http.io.HttpClientResponseHandler;
+import org.apache.hc.core5.http.io.entity.StringEntity;
 import org.apache.hc.core5.util.Timeout;
 import org.gradle.api.Action;
 import org.gradle.api.JavaVersion;
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.lang.reflect.Array;
 import java.net.MalformedURLException;
+import java.net.URI;
 import java.net.URISyntaxException;
 import java.net.URL;
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
@@ -121,6 +124,8 @@ public class DownloadAction implements DownloadSpec, Serializable {
     private File downloadTaskDir;
     private boolean tempAndMove = false;
     private UseETag useETag = UseETag.FALSE;
+    private String method = "GET";
+    private String body;
     private File cachedETagsFile;
     private transient Lock cachedETagsFileLock = new ReentrantLock();
     private final List<Action<? super DownloadDetails>> eachFileActions = new ArrayList<>();
@@ -794,8 +799,12 @@ private <T> void openConnection(HttpHost httpHost, String file,
             addAuthentication(httpHost, c, context);
         }
         
-        //c reate request
-        HttpGet get = new HttpGet(file);
+        // create request
+        HttpUriRequestBase req = new HttpUriRequestBase(
+                this.method.toUpperCase(Locale.ROOT), URI.create(file));
+        if (body != null) {
+            req.setEntity(new StringEntity(body));
+        }
 
         // configure timeouts
         RequestConfig config = RequestConfig.custom()
@@ -803,7 +812,7 @@ private <T> void openConnection(HttpHost httpHost, String file,
                 .setResponseTimeout(Timeout.ofMilliseconds(readTimeoutMs))
                 .setContentCompressionEnabled(compress)
                 .build();
-        get.setConfig(config);
+        req.setConfig(config);
 
         // add authentication information for proxy
         String scheme = httpHost.getSchemeName();
@@ -825,24 +834,24 @@ private <T> void openConnection(HttpHost httpHost, String file,
         
         // set If-Modified-Since header
         if (timestamp > 0) {
-            get.setHeader("If-Modified-Since", DateUtils.formatStandardDate(
+            req.setHeader("If-Modified-Since", DateUtils.formatStandardDate(
                     Instant.ofEpochMilli(timestamp)));
         }
         
         // set If-None-Match header
         if (etag != null) {
-            get.setHeader("If-None-Match", etag);
+            req.setHeader("If-None-Match", etag);
         }
         
         // set headers
         if (headers != null) {
             for (Map.Entry<String, String> headerEntry : headers.entrySet()) {
-                get.addHeader(headerEntry.getKey(), headerEntry.getValue());
+                req.addHeader(headerEntry.getKey(), headerEntry.getValue());
             }
         }
         
         // execute request
-        client.execute(httpHost, get, context, response -> {
+        client.execute(httpHost, req, context, response -> {
             // handle response
             int code = response.getCode();
             if ((code < 200 || code > 299) && code != HttpStatus.SC_NOT_MODIFIED) {
@@ -1147,6 +1156,19 @@ public void eachFile(Action<? super DownloadDetails> action) {
         eachFileActions.add(action);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void method(String method) {
+        if (method == null) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("HTTP method must not be null");
+        }
+        this.method = method;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void body(String body) {
+        this.body = body;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Recursively convert the given source to a list of URLs
      * @param src the source to convert
@@ -1353,6 +1375,16 @@ public File getCachedETagsFile() {
         }
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public String getMethod() {
+        return method;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String getBody() {
+        return body;
+    }
+
     /**
      * In order to support Gradle's configuration cache, we need to make some
      * fields transient. This method re-initializes these fields after the
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/DownloadSpec.java b/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/DownloadSpec.java
index c3cdec48..80f757cc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/DownloadSpec.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/DownloadSpec.java
@@ -200,6 +200,19 @@ public interface DownloadSpec {
      */
     void eachFile(Action<? super DownloadDetails> action);
 
+    /**
+     * Sets the HTTP method to use
+     * @param method the HTTP method (default: {@code GET})
+     */
+    void method(String method);
+
+    /**
+     * Sets an optional request body to send to the server before the download.
+     * By default, the request will not have a body.
+     * @param body the request body ({@code null} to send no body)
+     */
+    void body(String body);
+
     /**
      * @return the download source(s), either a URL or a list of URLs
      */
@@ -311,4 +324,15 @@ public interface DownloadSpec {
      * from the server
      */
     File getCachedETagsFile();
+
+    /**
+     * @return the HTTP method to use (default: {@code GET})
+     */
+    String getMethod();
+
+    /**
+     * @return an optional request body to send to the server before
+     * downloading (default: {@code null})
+     */
+    String getBody();
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/MethodTest.java b/src/test/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/MethodTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5523e535
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/MethodTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+// Copyright 2013-2023 Michel Kraemer
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package de.undercouch.gradle.tasks.download;
+
+import com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.matching.MatchResult;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.aResponse;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.post;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.put;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.requestMatching;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.stubFor;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.urlEqualTo;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatThrownBy;
+
+/**
+ * Tests if another HTTP method can be used
+ * @author Michel Kraemer
+ */
+public class MethodTest extends TestBaseWithMockServer {
+    private void testWithMethod(String method) throws Exception {
+        Download t = makeProjectAndTask();
+        t.src(wireMock.url(TEST_FILE_NAME));
+        File dst = newTempFile();
+        t.dest(dst);
+        t.method(method);
+        execute(t);
+
+        assertThat(dst).usingCharset(StandardCharsets.UTF_8).hasContent(CONTENTS);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests that we can download a file using HTTP POST
+     * @throws Exception if anything goes wrong
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void postMethod() throws Exception {
+        stubFor(post(urlEqualTo("/" + TEST_FILE_NAME))
+                .willReturn(aResponse()
+                        .withBody(CONTENTS)));
+        testWithMethod("POST");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests that we can download a file using HTTP PUT
+     * @throws Exception if anything goes wrong
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void putMethod() throws Exception {
+        stubFor(put(urlEqualTo("/" + TEST_FILE_NAME))
+                .willReturn(aResponse()
+                        .withBody(CONTENTS)));
+        testWithMethod("PUT");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests that we can download a file using HTTP POST even if we specify
+     * the method in mixed case
+     * @throws Exception if anything goes wrong
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void caseInsensitive() throws Exception {
+        stubFor(post(urlEqualTo("/" + TEST_FILE_NAME))
+                .willReturn(aResponse()
+                        .withBody(CONTENTS)));
+        testWithMethod("poSt");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests that we can download a file using a custom HTTP method
+     * the method in mixed case
+     * @throws Exception if anything goes wrong
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void customMethod() throws Exception {
+        stubFor(requestMatching(r -> {
+            if (r.getMethod().getName().equals("CUSTOM") &&
+                    r.getUrl().equals("/" + TEST_FILE_NAME)) {
+                return MatchResult.exactMatch();
+            }
+            return MatchResult.noMatch();
+        }).willReturn(aResponse().withBody(CONTENTS)));
+        testWithMethod("custom");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Makes sure {@code null} cannot be used as method
+     * @throws Exception if anything goes wrong
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void nullMethod() throws Exception {
+        Download t = makeProjectAndTask();
+        assertThat(t.getMethod()).isEqualTo("GET");
+        assertThatThrownBy(() -> t.method(null)).isInstanceOf(
+                IllegalArgumentException.class);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/PostWithBodyTest.java b/src/test/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/PostWithBodyTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f54865b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/de/undercouch/gradle/tasks/download/PostWithBodyTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// Copyright 2013-2023 Michel Kraemer
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package de.undercouch.gradle.tasks.download;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.aResponse;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.equalTo;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.post;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.stubFor;
+import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.urlEqualTo;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+
+/**
+ * Tests if another we can POST a request body
+ * @author Michel Kraemer
+ */
+public class PostWithBodyTest extends TestBaseWithMockServer {
+    /**
+     * Tests that we can download a file using HTTP POST and a body
+     * @throws Exception if anything goes wrong
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void postWithBody() throws Exception {
+        String body = "This is a body";
+
+        stubFor(post(urlEqualTo("/" + TEST_FILE_NAME))
+                .withRequestBody(equalTo(body))
+                .willReturn(aResponse()
+                        .withBody(CONTENTS)));
+
+        Download t = makeProjectAndTask();
+        t.src(wireMock.url(TEST_FILE_NAME));
+        File dst = newTempFile();
+        t.dest(dst);
+        t.method("POST");
+        t.body(body);
+        execute(t);
+
+        assertThat(dst).usingCharset(StandardCharsets.UTF_8).hasContent(CONTENTS);
+    }
+}