diff --git a/docs/readme.md b/docs/readme.md
index a3f42520..0f6452ce 100644
--- a/docs/readme.md
+++ b/docs/readme.md
@@ -21,13 +21,12 @@
 There's opt-in support for throttling requests to the endpoint.
 
 ```js
-const withThrottling = require('hafas-client/throttle')
 const createClient = require('hafas-client')
+const withThrottling = require('hafas-client/throttle')
 const dbProfile = require('hafas-client/p/db')
 
 // create a throttled HAFAS client with Deutsche Bahn profile
-const createThrottledClient = withThrottling(createClient)
-const client = createThrottledClient(dbProfile, 'my-awesome-program')
+const client = createClient(withThrottling(dbProfile), 'my-awesome-program')
 
 // Berlin Jungfernheide to München Hbf
 client.journeys('8011167', '8000261', {results: 1})
@@ -39,8 +38,8 @@ You can pass custom values for the nr of requests (`limit`) per interval into `w
 
 ```js
 // 2 requests per second
-const createThrottledClient = withThrottling(createClient, 2, 1000)
-const client = createThrottledClient(dbProfile, 'my-awesome-program')
+const throttledDbProfile = withThrottling(dbProfile, 2, 1000)
+const client = createClient(throttledDbProfile, 'my-awesome-program')
 ```
 
 ## Retrying failed requests
@@ -48,13 +47,12 @@ const client = createThrottledClient(dbProfile, 'my-awesome-program')
 There's opt-in support for retrying failed requests to the endpoint.
 
 ```js
-const withRetrying = require('hafas-client/retry')
 const createClient = require('hafas-client')
+const withRetrying = require('hafas-client/retry')
 const dbProfile = require('hafas-client/p/db')
 
 // create a client with Deutsche Bahn profile that will retry on HAFAS errors
-const createRetryingClient = withRetrying(createClient)
-const client = createRetryingClient(dbProfile, 'my-awesome-program')
+const client = createClient(withRetrying(dbProfile), 'my-awesome-program')
 
 // Berlin Jungfernheide to München Hbf
 client.journeys('8011167', '8000261', {results: 1})
@@ -66,12 +64,12 @@ You can pass custom options into `withRetrying`. They will be passed into [`retr
 
 ```js
 // retry 2 times, after 10 seconds & 30 seconds
-const createRetryingClient = withRetrying(createClient, {
+const retryingDbProfile = withRetrying(dbProfile, {
 	retries: 2,
 	minTimeout: 10 * 1000,
 	factor: 3
 })
-const client = createRetryingClient(dbProfile, 'my-awesome-program')
+const client = createClient(retryingDbProfile, 'my-awesome-program')
 ```
 
 ## Writing a profile
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 1b2514b8..a4350704 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ const pRetry = require('p-retry')
 const defaultProfile = require('./lib/default-profile')
 const createFormatProductsFilter = require('./format/products-filter')
 const validateProfile = require('./lib/validate-profile')
-const _request = require('./lib/request')
 
 const isNonEmptyString = str => 'string' === typeof str && str.length > 0
 
@@ -25,10 +24,6 @@ const validateLocation = (loc, name = 'location') => {
 	}
 }
 
-const defaults = {
-	request: _request
-}
-
 const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 	profile = Object.assign({}, defaultProfile, profile)
 	if (!profile.formatProductsFilter) {
@@ -40,10 +35,6 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 		throw new TypeError('userAgent must be a string');
 	}
 
-	const {
-		request
-	} = Object.assign({}, defaults, opt)
-
 	const _stationBoard = (station, type, parse, opt = {}) => {
 		if (isObj(station)) station = profile.formatStation(station.id)
 		else if ('string' === typeof station) station = profile.formatStation(station)
@@ -88,7 +79,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 		if (profile.departuresGetPasslist) req.getPasslist = !!opt.stopovers
 		if (profile.departuresStbFltrEquiv) req.stbFltrEquiv = !opt.includeRelatedStations
 
-		return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+		return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 			meth: 'StationBoard',
 			req
 		})
@@ -230,7 +221,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 			if (profile.journeysNumF && opt.results !== null) query.numF = opt.results
 			if (profile.journeysOutFrwd) query.outFrwd = outFrwd
 
-			return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+			return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 				cfg: {polyEnc: 'GPA'},
 				meth: 'TripSearch',
 				req: profile.transformJourneysQuery({profile, opt}, query)
@@ -277,7 +268,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 			remarks: true // parse & expose hints & warnings?
 		}, opt)
 
-		return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+		return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 			meth: 'Reconstruction',
 			req: {
 				ctxRecon: refreshToken,
@@ -311,7 +302,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 		}, opt)
 
 		const f = profile.formatLocationFilter(opt.stops, opt.addresses, opt.poi)
-		return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+		return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 			cfg: {polyEnc: 'GPA'},
 			meth: 'LocMatch',
 			req: {input: {
@@ -339,7 +330,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 		opt = Object.assign({
 			linesOfStops: false // parse & expose lines at the stop/station?
 		}, opt)
-		return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+		return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 			meth: 'LocDetails',
 			req: {
 				locL: [stop]
@@ -367,7 +358,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 			linesOfStops: false // parse & expose lines at each stop/station?
 		}, opt)
 
-		return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+		return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 			cfg: {polyEnc: 'GPA'},
 			meth: 'LocGeoPos',
 			req: {
@@ -405,7 +396,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 			remarks: true // parse & expose hints & warnings?
 		}, opt)
 
-		return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+		return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 			cfg: {polyEnc: 'GPA'},
 			meth: 'JourneyDetails',
 			req: {
@@ -454,7 +445,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 		if (Number.isNaN(+opt.when)) throw new TypeError('opt.when is invalid')
 
 		const durationPerStep = opt.duration / Math.max(opt.frames, 1) * 1000
-		return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+		return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 			meth: 'JourneyGeoPos',
 			req: {
 				maxJny: opt.results,
@@ -492,7 +483,7 @@ const createClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
 		if (Number.isNaN(+opt.when)) throw new TypeError('opt.when is invalid')
 
 		const refetch = () => {
-			return request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
+			return profile.request({profile, opt}, userAgent, {
 				meth: 'LocGeoReach',
 				req: {
 					loc: profile.formatLocation(profile, address, 'address'),
diff --git a/lib/default-profile.js b/lib/default-profile.js
index 9d501cf5..62572667 100644
--- a/lib/default-profile.js
+++ b/lib/default-profile.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 'use strict'
 
+const request = require('../lib/request')
+
 const parseDateTime = require('../parse/date-time')
 const parsePlatform = require('../parse/platform')
 const parseProductsBitmask = require('../parse/products-bitmask')
@@ -34,13 +36,13 @@ const filters = require('../format/filters')
 const id = (ctx, x) => x
 
 const defaultProfile = {
+	request,
+	transformReqBody: id,
+	transformReq: id,
 	salt: null,
 	addChecksum: false,
 	addMicMac: false,
 
-	transformReqBody: id,
-	transformReq: id,
-
 	transformJourneysQuery: id,
 
 	parseDateTime,
diff --git a/lib/validate-profile.js b/lib/validate-profile.js
index 4c7f6374..6a08fcb6 100644
--- a/lib/validate-profile.js
+++ b/lib/validate-profile.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 const types = {
 	locale: 'string',
 	timezone: 'string',
+
+	request: 'function',
 	transformReq: 'function',
 	transformReqBody: 'function',
 	transformJourneysQuery: 'function',
diff --git a/retry.js b/retry.js
index cafe160b..3a33b3cb 100644
--- a/retry.js
+++ b/retry.js
@@ -2,42 +2,36 @@
 
 const retry = require('p-retry')
 
-const _request = require('./lib/request')
-
 const retryDefaults = {
 	retries: 3,
 	factor: 3,
 	minTimeout: 5 * 1000
 }
 
-const withRetrying = (createClient, retryOpts = {}) => {
+const withRetrying = (profile, retryOpts = {}) => {
 	retryOpts = Object.assign({}, retryDefaults, retryOpts)
+	const {request} = profile
 
-	const createRetryingClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
-		const request = 'request' in opt ? opt.request : _request
-
-		const retryingRequest = (profile, userAgent, opt, data) => {
-			const attempt = () => {
-				return request(profile, userAgent, opt, data)
-				.catch((err) => {
-					if (err.isHafasError) throw err // continue
-					if (err.code === 'ENOTFOUND') { // abort
-						const abortErr = new retry.AbortError(err)
-						Object.assign(abortErr, err)
-						throw abortErr
-					}
-					throw err // continue
-				})
-			}
-			return retry(attempt, retryOpts)
+	const retryingRequest = (...args) => {
+		const attempt = () => {
+			return request(...args)
+			.catch((err) => {
+				if (err.isHafasError) throw err // continue
+				if (err.code === 'ENOTFOUND') { // abort
+					const abortErr = new retry.AbortError(err)
+					Object.assign(abortErr, err)
+					throw abortErr
+				}
+				throw err // continue
+			})
 		}
-
-		return createClient(profile, userAgent, {
-			...opt,
-			request: retryingRequest
-		})
+		return retry(attempt, retryOpts)
+	}
+
+	return {
+		...profile,
+		request: retryingRequest
 	}
-	return createRetryingClient
 }
 
 module.exports = withRetrying
diff --git a/test/retry.js b/test/retry.js
index 86ce4b02..1ef371a8 100644
--- a/test/retry.js
+++ b/test/retry.js
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 const test = require('tape')
 
-const withRetrying = require('../retry')
 const createClient = require('..')
+const withRetrying = require('../retry')
 const vbbProfile = require('../p/vbb')
 
 const userAgent = 'public-transport/hafas-client:test'
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const spichernstr = '900000042101'
 test('withRetrying works', (t) => {
 	// for the first 3 calls, return different kinds of errors
 	let calls = 0
-	const failingRequest = (profile, userAgent, opt, data) => {
+	const failingRequest = async (ctx, userAgent, reqData) => {
 		calls++
 		if (calls === 1) {
 			const err = new Error('HAFAS error')
@@ -25,18 +25,22 @@ test('withRetrying works', (t) => {
 			return Promise.reject(err)
 		}
 		if (calls < 4) return Promise.reject(new Error('generic error'))
-		return Promise.resolve([])
+		return {
+			res: [],
+			common: {}
+		}
 	}
 
-	const createRetryingClient = withRetrying(createClient, {
+	const profile = withRetrying({
+		...vbbProfile,
+		request: failingRequest
+	}, {
 		retries: 3,
 		minTimeout: 100,
 		factor: 2,
 		randomize: false
 	})
-	const client = createRetryingClient(vbbProfile, userAgent, {
-		request: failingRequest
-	})
+	const client = createClient(profile, userAgent)
 
 	t.plan(1 + 4)
 	client.departures(spichernstr, {duration: 1})
diff --git a/test/throttle.js b/test/throttle.js
index 79c63866..3de45479 100644
--- a/test/throttle.js
+++ b/test/throttle.js
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 const tapePromise = require('tape-promise').default
 const tape = require('tape')
 
-const withThrottling = require('../throttle')
 const createClient = require('..')
+const withThrottling = require('../throttle')
 const vbbProfile = require('../p/vbb')
 const depsRes = require('./fixtures/vbb-departures.json')
 
@@ -14,10 +14,8 @@ const spichernstr = '900000042101'
 const test = tapePromise(tape)
 
 test('withThrottling works', async (t) => {
-	const ctx = {profile: vbbProfile, opt: {}}
-
 	let calls = 0
-	const mockedRequest = async (ctx, _, reqData) => {
+	const mockedRequest = async (ctx, userAgent, reqData) => {
 		calls++
 		return {
 			res: depsRes,
@@ -25,8 +23,11 @@ test('withThrottling works', async (t) => {
 		}
 	}
 
-	const createThrottledClient = withThrottling(createClient, 2, 1000)
-	const client = createThrottledClient(vbbProfile, ua, mockedRequest)
+	const profile = withThrottling({
+		...vbbProfile,
+		request: mockedRequest
+	}, 2, 1000)
+	const client = createClient(profile, ua)
 
 	t.plan(3)
 	for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
diff --git a/throttle.js b/throttle.js
index b003011a..233a7c7b 100644
--- a/throttle.js
+++ b/throttle.js
@@ -2,20 +2,13 @@
 
 const throttle = require('p-throttle')
 
-const _request = require('./lib/request')
+const withThrottling = (profile, limit = 5, interval = 1000) => {
+	const {request} = profile
 
-const withThrottling = (createClient, limit = 5, interval = 1000) => {
-	const createThrottledClient = (profile, userAgent, opt = {}) => {
-		const request = 'request' in opt ? opt.request : _request
-
-		const throttledRequest = throttle(request, limit, interval)
-
-		return createClient(profile, userAgent, {
-			...opt,
-			request: throttledRequest
-		})
+	return {
+		...profile,
+		request: throttle(request, limit, interval)
 	}
-	return createThrottledClient
 }
 
 module.exports = withThrottling