diff --git a/lib/up-storage.js b/lib/up-storage.js
index 875422fac..365f78591 100644
--- a/lib/up-storage.js
+++ b/lib/up-storage.js
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ var mystreams = require('./streams');
 function Storage(config, mainconfig) {
 	if (!(this instanceof Storage)) return new Storage(config);
 	this.config = config;
-	this.ua = mainconfig.user_agent;
+   this.is_alive = false;
+	this.userAgent = mainconfig.user_agent;
 	this.ca;
 
 	this.url = URL.parse(this.config.url);
@@ -29,6 +30,42 @@ function Storage(config, mainconfig) {
 	return this;
 }
 
+Storage.prototype.request = function(options, cb) {
+	var self = this;
+	var headers = options.headers || {};
+	headers.accept = headers.accept || 'application/json';
+	headers['user-agent'] = headers['user-agent'] || this.userAgent;
+	var req = request({
+		url: this.config.url + options.uri,
+		method: options.method || 'GET',
+		headers: headers,
+		json: options.json || true,
+		ca: this.ca,
+	}, function(err) {
+		if (cb) cb.apply(self, arguments);
+	});
+	req.on('response', function() {
+		self.status_check(true);
+	});
+	req.on('error', function() {
+		self.status_check(false);
+	});
+	return req;
+}
+
+Storage.prototype.status_check = function(alive) {
+	if (arguments.length === 0) {
+		if (!this.is_alive && Math.abs(Date.now() - this.is_alive_time()) > 60*1000) {
+			return false;
+		} else {
+			return true;
+		}
+	} else {
+		this.is_alive = alive;
+		this.is_alive_time = Date.now();
+	}
+}
+
 Storage.prototype.can_fetch_url = function(url) {
 	url = URL.parse(url);
 
@@ -38,13 +75,9 @@ Storage.prototype.can_fetch_url = function(url) {
 }
 
 Storage.prototype.add_package = function(name, metadata, callback) {
-	request({
-		url: this.config.url + '/' + escape(name),
-		headers: {
-			'User-Agent': this.ua,
-		},
+	this.request({
+		uri: '/' + escape(name),
 		method: 'PUT',
-		ca: this.ca,
 		json: metadata,
 	}, function(err, res, body) {
 		if (err) return callback(err);
@@ -56,13 +89,9 @@ Storage.prototype.add_package = function(name, metadata, callback) {
 }
 
 Storage.prototype.add_version = function(name, version, metadata, tag, callback) {
-	request({
-		url: this.config.url + '/' + escape(name) + '/' + escape(version) + '/-tag/' + escape(tag),
-		headers: {
-			'User-Agent': this.ua,
-		},
+	this.request({
+		uri: '/' + escape(name) + '/' + escape(version) + '/-tag/' + escape(tag),
 		method: 'PUT',
-		ca: this.ca,
 		json: metadata,
 	}, function(err, res, body) {
 		if (err) return callback(err);
@@ -77,14 +106,12 @@ Storage.prototype.add_tarball = function(name, filename) {
 	var stream = new mystreams.UploadTarballStream();
 	var self = this;
 
-	var wstream = request({
-		uri: this.config.url + '/' + escape(name) + '/-/' + escape(filename) + '/whatever',
+	var wstream = this.request({
+		uri: '/' + escape(name) + '/-/' + escape(filename) + '/whatever',
 		method: 'PUT',
 		headers: {
-			'User-Agent': this.ua,
 			'content-type': 'application/octet-stream'
 		},
-		ca: this.ca,
 	});
 
 	wstream.on('response', function(res) {
@@ -115,13 +142,9 @@ Storage.prototype.add_tarball = function(name, filename) {
 }
 
 Storage.prototype.get_package = function(name, callback) {
-	request({
-		url: this.config.url + '/' + escape(name),
+	this.request({
+		uri: '/' + escape(name),
 		json: true,
-		headers: {
-			'User-Agent': this.ua,
-		},
-		ca: this.ca,
 	}, function(err, res, body) {
 		if (err) return callback(err);
 		if (res.statusCode === 404) {
@@ -142,15 +165,12 @@ Storage.prototype.get_tarball = function(name, filename) {
 }
 
 Storage.prototype.get_url = function(url) {
+	url = URL.parse(url);
 	var stream = new mystreams.ReadTarballStream();
 	stream.abort = function() {};
 
-	var rstream = request({
-		url: url,
-		headers: {
-			'User-Agent': this.ua,
-		},
-		ca: this.ca,
+	var rstream = this.request({
+		uri: url.path,
 		encoding: null,
 	});