diff --git a/doc/api/http.markdown b/doc/api/http.markdown
index a5f05fdf0e5bea..f12e0805870bf8 100644
--- a/doc/api/http.markdown
+++ b/doc/api/http.markdown
@@ -192,6 +192,17 @@ The request implements the [Writable Stream][] interface. This is an
 Emitted when the request has been aborted by the client. This event is only
 emitted on the first call to `abort()`.
 
+### Event: 'checkExpectation'
+
+`function (request, response) { }`
+
+Emitted each time a request with an http Expect header is received, where the
+value is not 100-continue. If this event isn't listened for, the server will
+automatically respond with a 417 Expectation Failed as appropriate.
+
+Note that when this event is emitted and handled, the `request` event will
+not be emitted.
+
 ### Event: 'connect'
 
 `function (response, socket, head) { }`
diff --git a/lib/_http_server.js b/lib/_http_server.js
index 7534ceba95e9e1..7527bffe7fa07d 100644
--- a/lib/_http_server.js
+++ b/lib/_http_server.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 const util = require('util');
 const net = require('net');
-const EventEmitter = require('events');
 const HTTPParser = process.binding('http_parser').HTTPParser;
 const assert = require('assert').ok;
 const common = require('_http_common');
@@ -392,7 +391,7 @@ function connectionListener(socket) {
       parser = null;
 
       var eventName = req.method === 'CONNECT' ? 'connect' : 'upgrade';
-      if (EventEmitter.listenerCount(self, eventName) > 0) {
+      if (self.listenerCount(eventName) > 0) {
         debug('SERVER have listener for %s', eventName);
         var bodyHead = d.slice(bytesParsed, d.length);
 
@@ -517,14 +516,23 @@ function connectionListener(socket) {
     }
 
     if (req.headers.expect !== undefined &&
-        (req.httpVersionMajor == 1 && req.httpVersionMinor == 1) &&
-        continueExpression.test(req.headers['expect'])) {
-      res._expect_continue = true;
-      if (EventEmitter.listenerCount(self, 'checkContinue') > 0) {
-        self.emit('checkContinue', req, res);
+        (req.httpVersionMajor == 1 && req.httpVersionMinor == 1)) {
+      if (continueExpression.test(req.headers.expect)) {
+        res._expect_continue = true;
+
+        if (self.listenerCount('checkContinue') > 0) {
+          self.emit('checkContinue', req, res);
+        } else {
+          res.writeContinue();
+          self.emit('request', req, res);
+        }
       } else {
-        res.writeContinue();
-        self.emit('request', req, res);
+        if (self.listenerCount('checkExpectation') > 0) {
+          self.emit('checkExpectation', req, res);
+        } else {
+          res.writeHead(417);
+          res.end();
+        }
       }
     } else {
       self.emit('request', req, res);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-expect-handling.js b/test/parallel/test-http-expect-handling.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..fd88ae0ded6074
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-expect-handling.js
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Spec documentation http://httpwg.github.io/specs/rfc7231.html#header.expect
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const http = require('http');
+
+const tests = [417, 417];
+
+let testsComplete = 0;
+let testIdx = 0;
+
+const s = http.createServer(function(req, res) {
+  throw new Error('this should never be executed');
+});
+
+s.listen(common.PORT, nextTest);
+
+function nextTest() {
+  const options = {
+    port: common.PORT,
+    headers: { 'Expect': 'meoww' }
+  };
+
+  if (testIdx === tests.length) {
+    return s.close();
+  }
+
+  const test = tests[testIdx];
+
+  if (testIdx > 0) {
+    s.on('checkExpectation', common.mustCall((req, res) => {
+      res.statusCode = 417;
+      res.end();
+    }));
+  }
+
+  http.get(options, function(response) {
+    console.log('client: expected status: ' + test);
+    console.log('client: statusCode: ' + response.statusCode);
+    assert.equal(response.statusCode, test);
+    assert.equal(response.statusMessage, 'Expectation Failed');
+
+    response.on('end', function() {
+      testsComplete++;
+      testIdx++;
+      nextTest();
+    });
+    response.resume();
+  });
+}
+
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert.equal(2, testsComplete);
+});