diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4b7142a..29498f0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ import Data.HTTP.Method (Method(..))
 import Effect.Aff (launchAff)
 import Effect.Class.Console (log)
 
-main = launchAff $ do
-  res <- AX.request (AX.defaultRequest { url = "/api", method = Left GET, responseFormat = ResponseFormat.json })
-  case res.body of
-    Left err -> log $ "GET /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printResponseFormatError err
-    Right json -> log $ "GET /api response: " <> J.stringify json
+main = void $ launchAff $ do
+  result <- AX.request (AX.defaultRequest { url = "/api", method = Left GET, responseFormat = ResponseFormat.json })
+  case result of
+    Left err -> log $ "GET /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printError err
+    Right response -> log $ "GET /api response: " <> J.stringify response.body
 ```
 
 (`defaultRequest` is a record value that has all the required fields pre-set for convenient overriding when making a request.)
@@ -49,29 +49,22 @@ There are also a number of helpers for common `get`, `post`, `put`, `delete`, an
 
 ```purescript
 import Affjax.RequestBody as RequestBody
-
-main = launchAff $ do
-  res1 <- AX.get ResponseFormat.json "/api"
-  case res1.body of
-    Left err -> log $ "GET /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printResponseFormatError err
-    Right json -> log $ "GET /api response: " <> J.stringify json
-
-  res2 <- AX.post ResponseFormat.json "/api" (RequestBody.json (J.fromString "test"))
-  case res2.body of
-    Left err -> log $ "POST /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printResponseFormatError err
-    Right json -> log $ "POST /api response: " <> J.stringify json
+import Data.Maybe (Maybe(..))
+
+main = void $ launchAff $ do
+  result1 <- AX.get ResponseFormat.json "/api"
+  case result1 of
+    Left err -> log $ "GET /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printError err
+    Right response -> log $ "GET /api response: " <> J.stringify response.body
+
+  result2 <- AX.post ResponseFormat.json "/api" (Just (RequestBody.json (J.fromString "test")))
+  case result2 of
+    Left err -> log $ "POST /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printError err
+    Right response -> log $ "POST /api response: " <> J.stringify response.body
 ```
 
 See the [main module documentation](https://pursuit.purescript.org/packages/purescript-affjax/docs/Affjax) for a full list of these helpers and their variations.
 
-## Error handling
-
-There are two ways an Affjax request can fail: there's either some problem with the request itself, or the result that comes back is not as expected.
-
-For the first case, these errors will be things like the URL being invalid or the server not existing, and will occur in the `Aff` error channel. The [`try`](https://pursuit.purescript.org/packages/purescript-aff/docs/Effect.Aff#v:try) function can lift these errors out of the error channel so the result of a request becomes `Aff (Either Error (Response _))`.
-
-The latter case occurs when we did get a response for the request, but the result that came back could not be handled in the way that was expected. In these situations the `body` value of the `Response` will be a `Left` value with the error message describing what went wrong.
-
 ## Module documentation
 
 Module documentation is [published on Pursuit](http://pursuit.purescript.org/packages/purescript-affjax).
diff --git a/bower.json b/bower.json
index 182355f..6d01443 100644
--- a/bower.json
+++ b/bower.json
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     "purescript-arraybuffer-types": "^2.0.0",
     "purescript-web-xhr": "^3.0.0",
     "purescript-foreign": "^5.0.0",
-    "purescript-form-urlencoded": "^4.0.0",
+    "purescript-form-urlencoded": "^5.0.0",
     "purescript-http-methods": "^4.0.0",
     "purescript-integers": "^4.0.0",
     "purescript-math": "^2.1.1",
diff --git a/src/Affjax.purs b/src/Affjax.purs
index 17fefec..8a37321 100644
--- a/src/Affjax.purs
+++ b/src/Affjax.purs
@@ -1,18 +1,15 @@
 module Affjax
   ( Request, defaultRequest
   , Response
+  , Error(..)
+  , printError
   , URL
   , request
   , get
-  , post, post_, post', post_'
-  , put, put_, put', put_'
+  , post, post_
+  , put, put_
   , delete, delete_
-  , patch, patch_, patch', patch_'
-  , RetryDelayCurve
-  , RetryPolicy(..)
-  , defaultRetryPolicy
-  , retry
-  , module Affjax.ResponseFormat
+  , patch, patch_
   ) where
 
 import Prelude
@@ -20,36 +17,29 @@ import Prelude
 import Affjax.RequestBody as RequestBody
 import Affjax.RequestHeader (RequestHeader(..))
 import Affjax.RequestHeader as RequestHeader
-import Affjax.ResponseFormat (ResponseFormatError(..), printResponseFormatError)
 import Affjax.ResponseFormat as ResponseFormat
 import Affjax.ResponseHeader (ResponseHeader(..))
-import Affjax.StatusCode (StatusCode(..))
-import Control.Monad.Except (runExcept, throwError)
-import Control.Parallel (parOneOf)
+import Affjax.StatusCode (StatusCode)
+import Control.Monad.Except (runExcept)
 import Data.Argonaut.Core (Json)
 import Data.Argonaut.Core as J
 import Data.Argonaut.Parser (jsonParser)
 import Data.Array as Arr
 import Data.ArrayBuffer.Types (ArrayView)
-import Data.Either (Either(..), either)
+import Data.Either (Either(..), either, note)
 import Data.Foldable (any)
 import Data.FormURLEncoded as FormURLEncoded
 import Data.Function (on)
 import Data.Function.Uncurried (Fn2, runFn2)
 import Data.HTTP.Method (Method(..), CustomMethod)
 import Data.HTTP.Method as Method
-import Data.Int (toNumber)
 import Data.List.NonEmpty as NEL
 import Data.Maybe (Maybe(..))
 import Data.Nullable (Nullable, toNullable)
-import Data.Time.Duration (Milliseconds(..))
-import Effect.Aff (Aff, try, delay)
+import Effect.Aff (Aff, try)
 import Effect.Aff.Compat as AC
-import Effect.Class (liftEffect)
-import Effect.Exception (Error, error)
-import Effect.Ref as Ref
-import Foreign (F, Foreign, ForeignError(..), fail, unsafeReadTagged, unsafeToForeign)
-import Math as Math
+import Effect.Exception as Exn
+import Foreign (F, Foreign, ForeignError(..), fail, renderForeignError, unsafeReadTagged, unsafeToForeign)
 import Web.DOM (Document)
 import Web.File.Blob (Blob)
 import Web.XHR.FormData (FormData)
@@ -91,6 +81,21 @@ defaultRequest =
   , responseFormat: ResponseFormat.ignore
   }
 
+-- | The possible errors that can occur when making an Affjax request.
+data Error
+  = RequestContentError String
+  | ResponseBodyError ForeignError (Response Foreign)
+  | XHRError Exn.Error
+
+printError :: Error -> String
+printError = case _ of
+  RequestContentError err ->
+    "There was a problem with the request content: " <> err
+  ResponseBodyError err _ ->
+    "There was a problem with the response body: " <> renderForeignError err
+  XHRError err ->
+    "There was a problem making the request: " <> Exn.message err
+
 -- | The type of records that represents a received HTTP response.
 type Response a =
   { status :: StatusCode
@@ -103,131 +108,44 @@ type Response a =
 type URL = String
 
 -- | Makes a `GET` request to the specified URL.
-get :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
+get :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Aff (Either Error (Response a))
 get rf u = request (defaultRequest { url = u, responseFormat = rf })
 
--- | Makes a `POST` request to the specified URL, sending data.
-post :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
-post rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left POST, url = u, content = Just c, responseFormat = rf })
-
 -- | Makes a `POST` request to the specified URL with the option to send data.
-post' :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
-post' rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left POST, url = u, content = c, responseFormat = rf })
-
--- | Makes a `POST` request to the specified URL, sending data and ignoring the
--- | response.
-post_ :: URL -> RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response Unit)
-post_ url = map (_ { body = unit }) <<< post ResponseFormat.ignore url
+post :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Either Error (Response a))
+post rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left POST, url = u, content = c, responseFormat = rf })
 
--- | Makes a `POST` request to the specified URL with the option to send data,
--- | and ignores the response.
-post_' :: URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response Unit)
-post_' url = map (_ { body = unit }) <<< post' ResponseFormat.ignore url
-
--- | Makes a `PUT` request to the specified URL, sending data.
-put :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
-put rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left PUT, url = u, content = Just c, responseFormat = rf })
+-- | Makes a `POST` request to the specified URL with the option to send data
+-- | and ignores the response body.
+post_ :: URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Either Error Unit)
+post_ url = map void <<< post ResponseFormat.ignore url
 
 -- | Makes a `PUT` request to the specified URL with the option to send data.
-put' :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
-put' rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left PUT, url = u, content = c, responseFormat = rf })
-
--- | Makes a `PUT` request to the specified URL, sending data and ignoring the
--- | response.
-put_ :: URL -> RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response Unit)
-put_ url = map (_ { body = unit }) <<< put ResponseFormat.ignore url
+put :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Either Error (Response a))
+put rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left PUT, url = u, content = c, responseFormat = rf })
 
--- | Makes a `PUT` request to the specified URL with the option to send data,
--- | and ignores the response.
-put_' :: URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response Unit)
-put_' url = map (_ { body = unit }) <<< put' ResponseFormat.ignore url
+-- | Makes a `PUT` request to the specified URL with the option to send data
+-- | and ignores the response body.
+put_ :: URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Either Error Unit)
+put_ url = map void <<< put ResponseFormat.ignore url
 
 -- | Makes a `DELETE` request to the specified URL.
-delete :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
+delete :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Aff (Either Error (Response a))
 delete rf u = request (defaultRequest { method = Left DELETE, url = u, responseFormat = rf })
 
--- | Makes a `DELETE` request to the specified URL and ignores the response.
-delete_ :: URL -> Aff (Response Unit)
-delete_ = map (_ { body = unit }) <<< delete ResponseFormat.ignore
-
--- | Makes a `PATCH` request to the specified URL, sending data.
-patch :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
-patch rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left PATCH, url = u, content = Just c, responseFormat = rf })
+-- | Makes a `DELETE` request to the specified URL and ignores the response
+-- | body.
+delete_ :: URL -> Aff (Either Error Unit)
+delete_ = map void <<< delete ResponseFormat.ignore
 
 -- | Makes a `PATCH` request to the specified URL with the option to send data.
-patch' :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
-patch' rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left PATCH, url = u, content = c, responseFormat = rf })
-
--- | Makes a `PATCH` request to the specified URL, sending data and ignoring the
--- | response.
-patch_ :: URL -> RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response Unit)
-patch_ url = map (_ { body = unit }) <<< patch ResponseFormat.ignore url
-
--- | Makes a `PATCH` request to the specified URL with the option to send data,
--- | and ignores the response.
-patch_' :: URL -> Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Response Unit)
-patch_' url = map (_ { body = unit }) <<< patch' ResponseFormat.ignore url
-
--- | A sequence of retry delays, in milliseconds.
-type RetryDelayCurve = Int -> Milliseconds
-
--- | Expresses a policy for retrying HTTP requests with backoff.
-type RetryPolicy =
-  { timeout :: Maybe Milliseconds -- ^ the timeout in milliseconds, optional
-  , delayCurve :: RetryDelayCurve
-  , shouldRetryWithStatusCode :: StatusCode -> Boolean -- ^ whether a non-200 status code should trigger a retry
-  }
-
--- | A sensible default for retries: no timeout, maximum delay of 30s, initial delay of 0.1s, exponential backoff, and no status code triggers a retry.
-defaultRetryPolicy :: RetryPolicy
-defaultRetryPolicy =
-  { timeout : Nothing
-  , delayCurve : \n -> Milliseconds $ max (30.0 * 1000.0) $ 100.0 * (Math.pow 2.0 $ toNumber (n - 1))
-  , shouldRetryWithStatusCode : const false
-  }
-
--- | Either we have a failure (which may be an exception or a failed response), or we have a successful response.
-type RetryState e a = Either (Either e a) a
-
--- | Retry a request using a `RetryPolicy`. After the timeout, the last received response is returned; if it was not possible to communicate with the server due to an error, then this is bubbled up.
-retry :: forall a b. RetryPolicy -> (Request a -> Aff (Response b)) -> Request a -> Aff (Response b)
-retry policy run req = do
-  -- failureRef is either an exception or a failed request
-  failureRef <- liftEffect $ Ref.new Nothing
-  let loop = go failureRef
-  case policy.timeout of
-    Nothing -> loop 1
-    Just timeout -> do
-      result <- parOneOf [ Just <$> loop 1, Nothing <$ delay timeout ]
-      case result of
-        Nothing -> do
-          failure <- liftEffect $ Ref.read failureRef
-          case failure of
-            Nothing -> throwError $ error "Timeout"
-            Just failure' -> either throwError pure failure'
-        Just resp -> pure resp
-  where
-    retryState
-      :: Either Error (Response b)
-      -> RetryState Error (Response b)
-    retryState (Left exn) = Left $ Left exn
-    retryState (Right resp) =
-      case resp.status of
-        StatusCode 200 -> Right resp
-        code ->
-          if policy.shouldRetryWithStatusCode code then
-            Left $ Right resp
-          else
-            Right resp
+patch :: forall a. ResponseFormat.ResponseFormat a -> URL -> RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Either Error (Response a))
+patch rf u c = request (defaultRequest { method = Left PATCH, url = u, content = Just c, responseFormat = rf })
 
-    go failureRef n = do
-      result <- retryState <$> try (run req)
-      case result of
-        Left err -> do
-          liftEffect $ Ref.write (Just err) failureRef
-          delay (policy.delayCurve n)
-          go failureRef (n + 1)
-        Right resp -> pure resp
+-- | Makes a `PATCH` request to the specified URL with the option to send data
+-- | and ignores the response body.
+patch_ :: URL -> RequestBody.RequestBody -> Aff (Either Error Unit)
+patch_ url = map void <<< patch ResponseFormat.ignore url
 
 -- | Makes an HTTP request.
 -- |
@@ -246,37 +164,58 @@ retry policy run req = do
 -- | ```purescript
 -- | get json "/resource"
 -- | ```
-request :: forall a. Request a -> Aff (Response (Either ResponseFormatError a))
-request req = do
-  res <- AC.fromEffectFnAff $ runFn2 _ajax ResponseHeader req'
-  case runExcept (fromResponse' res.body) of
-    Left err -> do
-      pure (res { body = Left (ResponseFormatError (NEL.head err) res.body) })
-    Right res' -> do
-      pure (res { body = Right res' })
+request :: forall a. Request a -> Aff (Either Error (Response a))
+request req =
+  case req.content of
+    Nothing ->
+      send (toNullable Nothing)
+    Just content ->
+      case extractContent content of
+        Right c ->
+          send (toNullable (Just c))
+        Left err ->
+          pure $ Left (RequestContentError err)
   where
 
-  req' :: AjaxRequest a
-  req' =
+  send :: Nullable Foreign -> Aff (Either Error (Response a))
+  send content =
+    try (AC.fromEffectFnAff (runFn2 _ajax ResponseHeader (ajaxRequest content))) <#> case _ of
+      Right res ->
+        case runExcept (fromResponse res.body) of
+          Left err -> Left (ResponseBodyError (NEL.head err) res)
+          Right body -> Right (res { body = body })
+      Left err ->
+        Left (XHRError err)
+
+  ajaxRequest :: Nullable Foreign -> AjaxRequest a
+  ajaxRequest =
     { method: Method.print req.method
     , url: req.url
     , headers: (\h -> { field: RequestHeader.name h, value: RequestHeader.value h }) <$> headers req.content
-    , content: toNullable (extractContent <$> req.content)
+    , content: _
     , responseType: ResponseFormat.toResponseType req.responseFormat
     , username: toNullable req.username
     , password: toNullable req.password
     , withCredentials: req.withCredentials
     }
 
-  extractContent :: RequestBody.RequestBody -> Foreign
+  extractContent :: RequestBody.RequestBody -> Either String Foreign
   extractContent = case _ of
-    RequestBody.ArrayView f → f (unsafeToForeign :: forall a. ArrayView a -> Foreign)
-    RequestBody.Blob x → (unsafeToForeign :: Blob -> Foreign) x
-    RequestBody.Document x → (unsafeToForeign :: Document -> Foreign) x
-    RequestBody.String x → (unsafeToForeign :: String -> Foreign) x
-    RequestBody.FormData x → (unsafeToForeign :: FormData -> Foreign) x
-    RequestBody.FormURLEncoded x → (unsafeToForeign :: String -> Foreign) (FormURLEncoded.encode x)
-    RequestBody.Json x → (unsafeToForeign :: String -> Foreign) (J.stringify x)
+    RequestBody.ArrayView f ->
+      Right $ f (unsafeToForeign :: forall a. ArrayView a -> Foreign)
+    RequestBody.Blob x ->
+      Right $ (unsafeToForeign :: Blob -> Foreign) x
+    RequestBody.Document x ->
+      Right $ (unsafeToForeign :: Document -> Foreign) x
+    RequestBody.String x ->
+      Right $ (unsafeToForeign :: String -> Foreign) x
+    RequestBody.FormData x ->
+      Right $ (unsafeToForeign :: FormData -> Foreign) x
+    RequestBody.FormURLEncoded x -> do
+      note "Body contains values that cannot be encoded as application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
+        $ (unsafeToForeign :: String -> Foreign) <$> FormURLEncoded.encode x
+    RequestBody.Json x ->
+      Right $ (unsafeToForeign :: String -> Foreign) (J.stringify x)
 
   headers :: Maybe RequestBody.RequestBody -> Array RequestHeader
   headers reqContent =
@@ -294,8 +233,8 @@ request req = do
     "" -> pure J.jsonEmptyObject
     str -> either (fail <<< ForeignError) pure (jsonParser str)
 
-  fromResponse' :: Foreign -> F a
-  fromResponse' = case req.responseFormat of
+  fromResponse :: Foreign -> F a
+  fromResponse = case req.responseFormat of
     ResponseFormat.ArrayBuffer _ -> unsafeReadTagged "ArrayBuffer"
     ResponseFormat.Blob _ -> unsafeReadTagged "Blob"
     ResponseFormat.Document _ -> unsafeReadTagged "Document"
diff --git a/test/DocExamples.purs b/test/DocExamples.purs
index 8f8372c..1352797 100644
--- a/test/DocExamples.purs
+++ b/test/DocExamples.purs
@@ -8,25 +8,26 @@ import Affjax.ResponseFormat as ResponseFormat
 import Data.Argonaut.Core as J
 import Data.Either (Either(..))
 import Data.HTTP.Method (Method(..))
+import Data.Maybe (Maybe(..))
 import Effect (Effect)
 import Effect.Aff (launchAff)
 import Effect.Class.Console (log)
 
 main :: Effect Unit
 main = void $ launchAff $ do
-  res <- AX.request (AX.defaultRequest { url = "/api", method = Left GET, responseFormat = ResponseFormat.json })
-  case res.body of
-    Left err -> log $ "GET /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printResponseFormatError err
-    Right json -> log $ "GET /api response: " <> J.stringify json
+  result <- AX.request (AX.defaultRequest { url = "/api", method = Left GET, responseFormat = ResponseFormat.json })
+  case result of
+    Left err -> log $ "GET /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printError err
+    Right response -> log $ "GET /api response: " <> J.stringify response.body
 
 main' :: Effect Unit
 main' = void $ launchAff $ do
-  res1 <- AX.get ResponseFormat.json "/api"
-  case res1.body of
-    Left err -> log $ "GET /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printResponseFormatError err
-    Right json -> log $ "GET /api response: " <> J.stringify json
+  result1 <- AX.get ResponseFormat.json "/api"
+  case result1 of
+    Left err -> log $ "GET /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printError err
+    Right response -> log $ "GET /api response: " <> J.stringify response.body
 
-  res2 <- AX.post ResponseFormat.json "/api" (RequestBody.json (J.fromString "test"))
-  case res2.body of
-    Left err -> log $ "POST /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printResponseFormatError err
-    Right json -> log $ "POST /api response: " <> J.stringify json
+  result2 <- AX.post ResponseFormat.json "/api" (Just (RequestBody.json (J.fromString "test")))
+  case result2 of
+    Left err -> log $ "POST /api response failed to decode: " <> AX.printError err
+    Right response -> log $ "POST /api response: " <> J.stringify response.body
diff --git a/test/Main.purs b/test/Main.purs
index 9691725..1953c22 100644
--- a/test/Main.purs
+++ b/test/Main.purs
@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@ import Control.Monad.Error.Class (throwError)
 import Data.Argonaut.Core as J
 import Data.Either (Either(..), either)
 import Data.Maybe (Maybe(..))
-import Data.Time.Duration (Milliseconds(..))
 import Effect (Effect)
-import Effect.Aff (Aff, attempt, finally, forkAff, killFiber, runAff)
+import Effect.Aff (Aff, finally, forkAff, killFiber, runAff)
 import Effect.Aff.Compat (EffectFnAff, fromEffectFnAff)
 import Effect.Class (liftEffect)
 import Effect.Class.Console as A
@@ -38,12 +37,12 @@ assertMsg msg false = assertFail msg
 
 assertRight :: forall a b. Either a b -> Aff b
 assertRight x = case x of
-  Left y -> logAny' y >>= \_ -> assertFail "Expected a Right value"
+  Left y -> logAny' y *> assertFail "Expected a Right value"
   Right y -> pure y
 
 assertLeft :: forall a b. Either a b -> Aff a
 assertLeft x = case x of
-  Right y -> logAny' y >>= \_ -> assertFail "Expected a Left value"
+  Right y -> logAny' y *> assertFail "Expected a Left value"
   Left y -> pure y
 
 assertEq :: forall a. Eq a => Show a => a -> a -> Aff Unit
@@ -55,8 +54,6 @@ main = void $ runAff (either (\e -> logShow e *> throwException e) (const $ log
   let ok200 = StatusCode 200
   let notFound404 = StatusCode 404
 
-  let retryPolicy = AX.defaultRetryPolicy { timeout = Just (Milliseconds 500.0), shouldRetryWithStatusCode = \_ -> true }
-
   { server, port } ← fromEffectFnAff startServer
   finally (fromEffectFnAff (stopServer server)) do
     A.log ("Test server running on port " <> show port)
@@ -66,45 +63,40 @@ main = void $ runAff (either (\e -> logShow e *> throwException e) (const $ log
     let doesNotExist = prefix "/does-not-exist"
     let notJson = prefix "/not-json"
 
-    A.log "GET /does-not-exist: should be 404 Not found after retries"
-    (attempt $ AX.retry retryPolicy AX.request $ AX.defaultRequest { url = doesNotExist }) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
-      assertEq notFound404 res.status
-
     A.log "GET /mirror: should be 200 OK"
-    (attempt $ AX.request $ AX.defaultRequest { url = mirror }) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
+    (AX.request $ AX.defaultRequest { url = mirror }) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
       assertEq ok200 res.status
 
     A.log "GET /does-not-exist: should be 404 Not found"
-    (attempt $ AX.request $ AX.defaultRequest { url = doesNotExist }) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
+    (AX.request $ AX.defaultRequest { url = doesNotExist }) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
       assertEq notFound404 res.status
 
     A.log "GET /not-json: invalid JSON with Foreign response should return an error"
-    attempt (AX.get ResponseFormat.json doesNotExist) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
-      void $ assertLeft res.body
+    AX.get ResponseFormat.json doesNotExist >>= assertLeft >>= case _ of
+      AX.ResponseBodyError _ _ → pure unit
+      other → logAny' other *> assertFail "Expected a ResponseBodyError"
 
     A.log "GET /not-json: invalid JSON with String response should be ok"
-    (attempt $ AX.get ResponseFormat.string notJson) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
+    AX.get ResponseFormat.string notJson >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
       assertEq ok200 res.status
 
     A.log "POST /mirror: should use the POST method"
-    (attempt $ AX.post ResponseFormat.json mirror (RequestBody.string "test")) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
+    AX.post ResponseFormat.json mirror (Just (RequestBody.string "test")) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
       assertEq ok200 res.status
-      json <- assertRight res.body
-      assertEq (Just "POST") (J.toString =<< FO.lookup "method" =<< J.toObject json)
+      assertEq (Just "POST") (J.toString =<< FO.lookup "method" =<< J.toObject res.body)
 
     A.log "PUT with a request body"
     let content = "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
-    (attempt $ AX.put ResponseFormat.json mirror (RequestBody.string content)) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
+    AX.put ResponseFormat.json mirror (Just (RequestBody.string content)) >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
       assertEq ok200 res.status
-      json <- assertRight res.body
-      assertEq (Just "PUT") (J.toString =<< FO.lookup "method" =<< J.toObject json)
-      assertEq (Just content) (J.toString =<< FO.lookup "body" =<< J.toObject json)
+      assertEq (Just "PUT") (J.toString =<< FO.lookup "method" =<< J.toObject res.body)
+      assertEq (Just content) (J.toString =<< FO.lookup "body" =<< J.toObject res.body)
 
     A.log "Testing CORS, HTTPS"
-    (attempt $ AX.get ResponseFormat.json "https://cors-test.appspot.com/test") >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
+    AX.get ResponseFormat.json "https://cors-test.appspot.com/test" >>= assertRight >>= \res -> do
       assertEq ok200 res.status
       -- assertEq (Just "test=test") (lookupHeader "Set-Cookie" res.headers)
 
     A.log "Testing cancellation"
-    forkAff (AX.post_ mirror (RequestBody.string "do it now")) >>= killFiber (error "Pull the cord!")
+    forkAff (AX.post_ mirror (Just (RequestBody.string "do it now"))) >>= killFiber (error "Pull the cord!")
     assertMsg "Should have been canceled" true