diff --git a/examples/lib/store.js b/examples/helpers/store.js
similarity index 100%
rename from examples/lib/store.js
rename to examples/helpers/store.js
diff --git a/lib/node-http-proxy.js b/lib/node-http-proxy.js
index 4769312..12bc716 100644
--- a/lib/node-http-proxy.js
+++ b/lib/node-http-proxy.js
@@ -56,12 +56,14 @@ var HttpProxy    = exports.HttpProxy    = require('./node-http-proxy/http-proxy'
 //
 exports.createServer = function () {
   var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments),
+      handlers = [],
       options = {},
-      host, port,
-      server, proxy,
-      callback,
+      message,
       handler,
-      silent;
+      server,
+      proxy,
+      host,
+      port;
 
   //
   // Liberally parse arguments of the form:
@@ -75,18 +77,50 @@ exports.createServer = function () {
       case 'string':   host = arg; break;
       case 'number':   port = arg; break;
       case 'object':   options = arg || {}; break;
-      case 'function': callback = arg; break;
+      case 'function': handlers.push(arg); break;
     };
   });
   
-  if (!host && !port && !options) {
-    //
-    // If `host`, `port` and `options` are all not passed, then
-    // this server is improperly configured.
-    //
-    throw new Error('Cannot proxy without port, host, or router.')
-  }
+  //
+  // Helper function to create intelligent error message(s)
+  // for the very liberal arguments parsing performed by
+  // `require('http-proxy').createServer()`.
+  //
+  function validArguments() {
+    var conditions = {
+      'port and host': function () {
+        return port && host; 
+      },
+      'options.target or options.router': function () {
+        return options && (options.router || 
+          (options.target && options.target.host && options.target.port));
+      },
+      'or proxy handlers': function () {
+        return handlers && handlers.length;
+      }
+    }
+    
+    var missing = Object.keys(conditions).filter(function (name) {
+      return !conditions[name]();
+    });
+    
+    if (missing.length === 3) {
+      message = 'Cannot proxy without ' + missing.join(', ');
+      return false;
+    }
+    
+    return true;
+  } 
   
+  if (!validArguments()) {
+    //
+    // If `host`, `port` and `options` are all not passed (with valid 
+    // options) then this server is improperly configured.
+    //
+    throw new Error(message);
+    return;
+  }
+
   //
   // Hoist up any explicit `host` or `port` arguments
   // that have been passed in to the options we will
@@ -96,28 +130,57 @@ exports.createServer = function () {
   options.target.port = options.target.port || port;
   options.target.host = options.target.host || host;
   
+  if (options.target && options.target.host && options.target.port) {
+    //
+    // If an explicit `host` and `port` combination has been passed
+    // to `.createServer()` then instantiate a hot-path optimized
+    // `HttpProxy` object and add the "proxy" middleware layer.
+    //
+    proxy = new HttpProxy(options);
+    handlers.push(function (req, res) {
+      proxy.proxyRequest(req, res);
+    });
+  }
+  else {
+    //
+    // If no explicit `host` or `port` combination has been passed then
+    // we have to assume that this is a "go-anywhere" Proxy (i.e. a `RoutingProxy`).
+    //
+    proxy = new RoutingProxy(options);
+    
+    if (options.router) {
+      //
+      // If a routing table has been supplied than we assume 
+      // the user intends us to add the "proxy" middleware layer
+      // for them  
+      //
+      handlers.push(function (req, res) {
+        proxy.proxyRequest(req, res);
+      });
+      
+      proxy.on('routes', function (routes) {
+        server.emit('routes', routes);
+      });
+    } 
+  }
+  
   //
   // Create the `http[s].Server` instance which will use
   // an instance of `httpProxy.HttpProxy`.
   //
-  proxy   = new HttpProxy(options);
-  handler = callback 
-    ? function (req, res) { callback(req, res, proxy) }
-    : function (req, res) { proxy.proxyRequest(req, res) };
+  handler = handlers.length > 1 
+    ? exports.stack(handlers, proxy)
+    : function (req, res) { handlers[0](req, res, proxy) };
   
   server  = options.https
     ? https.createServer(options.https, handler)
     : http.createServer(handler);
 
-  //server.on('close', function () {
-  //  proxy.close();
-  //});
-
-  proxy.on('routes', function (routes) {
-    server.emit('routes', routes);
+  server.on('close', function () {
+    proxy.close();
   });
 
-  if (!callback) {
+  if (handlers.length <= 1) {
     //
     // If an explicit callback has not been supplied then
     // automagically proxy the request using the `HttpProxy` 
@@ -213,6 +276,13 @@ exports.setMaxSockets = function (value) {
 
 //
 // ### function stack (middlewares, proxy)
+// #### @middlewares {Array} Array of functions to stack.
+// #### @proxy {HttpProxy|RoutingProxy} Proxy instance to 
+// Iteratively build up a single handler to the `http.Server`
+// `request` event (i.e. `function (req, res)`) by wrapping
+// each middleware `layer` into a `child` middleware which 
+// is in invoked by the parent (i.e. predecessor in the Array).
+//
 // adapted from https://github.com/creationix/stack
 //
 exports.stack = function stack (middlewares, proxy) {
@@ -235,9 +305,18 @@ exports.stack = function stack (middlewares, proxy) {
           return;
         }
         
-        child(req, res);
-      }
+        if (child) {
+          child(req, res);
+        }
+      };
 
+      //
+      // Set the prototype of the `next` function to the instance
+      // of the `proxy` so that in can be used interchangably from
+      // a `connect` style callback and a true `HttpProxy` object.
+      //
+      // e.g. `function (req, res, next)` vs. `function (req, res, proxy)`
+      //
       next.__proto__ = proxy;
       layer(req, res, next);
     };
diff --git a/lib/node-http-proxy/http-proxy.js b/lib/node-http-proxy/http-proxy.js
index babf1ac..e02be9c 100644
--- a/lib/node-http-proxy/http-proxy.js
+++ b/lib/node-http-proxy/http-proxy.js
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.proxyWebSocketRequest = function (req, socket, head, buffer)
 //
 HttpProxy.prototype.close = function () {
   [this.forward, this.target].forEach(function (proxy) {
-    if (proxy.agent) {
+    if (proxy && proxy.agent) {
       proxy.agent.sockets.forEach(function (socket) {
         socket.end();
       });