diff --git a/django_downloadview/response.py b/django_downloadview/response.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..592f41d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/django_downloadview/response.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+"""HttpResponse subclasses."""
+from django.http import HttpResponse
+
+
+class DownloadResponse(HttpResponse):
+    """File download response."""
+    def __init__(self, content, content_type, content_length, basename,
+                 status=200, content_encoding=None, expires=None,
+                 filename=None):
+        """Constructor.
+
+        It differs a bit from HttpResponse constructor.
+
+        Required arguments:
+
+        * ``content`` is supposed to be an iterable that can read the file.
+          Consider :py:class:`wsgiref.util.FileWrapper`` as a good candidate.
+
+        * ``content_type`` contains mime-type and charset of the file.
+          It is used as "Content-Type" header.
+
+        * ``content_length`` is the size, in bytes, of the file.
+          It is used as "Content-Length" header.
+
+        * ``basename`` is the client-side name of the file ("save as" name).
+          It is used in "Content-Disposition" header.
+
+        Optional arguments:
+
+        * ``status`` is HTTP status code.
+
+        * ``content_encoding`` is used for "Content-Encoding" header.
+
+        * ``expires`` is a datetime.
+          It is used to set the "Expires" header.
+
+        * ``filename`` is the server-side name of the file.
+          It may be used by decorators or middlewares to delegate the actual
+          streaming to a more efficient server (i.e. Nginx, Lighttpd...).
+
+        """
+        super(DownloadResponse, self).__init__(content=content, status=status,
+                                               content_type=content_type)
+        self.filename = filename
+        self.basename = basename
+        self['Content-Length'] = content_length
+        if content_encoding:
+            self['Content-Encoding'] = content_encoding
+        self.expires = expires
+        if expires:
+            self['Expires'] = expires
+        self['Content-Disposition'] = 'attachment; filename=%s' % basename
diff --git a/django_downloadview/views.py b/django_downloadview/views.py
index bd2b4c7..c5419bc 100644
--- a/django_downloadview/views.py
+++ b/django_downloadview/views.py
@@ -6,11 +6,13 @@ from wsgiref.util import FileWrapper
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.files import File
 from django.core.files.storage import DefaultStorage
-from django.http import Http404, HttpResponse, HttpResponseNotModified
+from django.http import Http404, HttpResponseNotModified
 from django.views.generic.base import View
 from django.views.generic.detail import BaseDetailView
 from django.views.static import was_modified_since
 
+from django_downloadview.response import DownloadResponse
+
 
 class DownloadMixin(object):
     """Placeholders and base implementation to create file download views.
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ class DownloadMixin(object):
 
     """
     #: Response class to be used in render_to_response().
-    response_class = HttpResponse
+    response_class = DownloadResponse
 
     def get_file(self):
         """Return a django.core.files.File object, which is to be served."""
@@ -130,13 +132,16 @@ class DownloadMixin(object):
         basename = self.get_basename()
         encoding = self.get_encoding()
         wrapper = self.get_file_wrapper()
-        response = self.response_class(wrapper, content_type=content_type)
-        if encoding:
-            response['Content-Encoding'] = encoding
-        response['Content-Length'] = size
-        # Do not call fsock.close() as HttpResponse needs it open.
-        # Garbage collector will close it.
-        response['Content-Disposition'] = 'attachment; filename=%s' % basename
+        response = self.response_class(content=wrapper,
+                                       content_type=content_type,
+                                       content_length=size,
+                                       filename=filename,
+                                       basename=basename,
+                                       content_encoding=encoding,
+                                       expires=None)
+        # Do not close the file as response class may need it open: the wrapper
+        # is an iterator on the content of the file.
+        # Garbage collector will close the file.
         return response
 
 
@@ -172,7 +177,7 @@ class DownloadView(DownloadMixin, View):
                     self._file = File(open(self.filename))
                 return self._file
             except IOError:
-                raise Http404
+                raise Http404()
 
     def get(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         """Handle GET requests: stream a file."""