diff --git a/libmproxy/flow_format_compat.py b/libmproxy/flow_format_compat.py
index 2b99b8054..5af9b762f 100644
--- a/libmproxy/flow_format_compat.py
+++ b/libmproxy/flow_format_compat.py
@@ -21,9 +21,23 @@ def convert_014_015(data):
     return data
 
 
+def convert_015_016(data):
+    for m in ("request", "response"):
+        if "body" in data[m]:
+            data[m]["content"] = data[m].pop("body")
+        if "httpversion" in data[m]:
+            data[m]["http_version"] = data[m].pop("httpversion")
+    if "msg" in data["response"]:
+        data["response"]["reason"] = data["response"].pop("msg")
+    data["request"].pop("form_out", None)
+    data["version"] = (0, 16)
+    return data
+
+
 converters = {
     (0, 13): convert_013_014,
     (0, 14): convert_014_015,
+    (0, 15): convert_015_016,
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libmproxy/models/connections.py b/libmproxy/models/connections.py
index a45e1629e..d59202560 100644
--- a/libmproxy/models/connections.py
+++ b/libmproxy/models/connections.py
@@ -42,28 +42,14 @@ class ClientConnection(tcp.BaseHandler, stateobject.StateObject):
         return self.ssl_established
 
     _stateobject_attributes = dict(
+        address=tcp.Address,
+        clientcert=certutils.SSLCert,
         ssl_established=bool,
         timestamp_start=float,
         timestamp_end=float,
         timestamp_ssl_setup=float
     )
 
-    def get_state(self, short=False):
-        d = super(ClientConnection, self).get_state(short)
-        d.update(
-            address=({
-                "address": self.address(),
-                "use_ipv6": self.address.use_ipv6} if self.address else {}),
-            clientcert=self.cert.to_pem() if self.clientcert else None)
-        return d
-
-    def load_state(self, state):
-        super(ClientConnection, self).load_state(state)
-        self.address = tcp.Address(
-            **state["address"]) if state["address"] else None
-        self.clientcert = certutils.SSLCert.from_pem(
-            state["clientcert"]) if state["clientcert"] else None
-
     def copy(self):
         return copy.copy(self)
 
@@ -76,7 +62,7 @@ class ClientConnection(tcp.BaseHandler, stateobject.StateObject):
     @classmethod
     def from_state(cls, state):
         f = cls(None, tuple(), None)
-        f.load_state(state)
+        f.set_state(state)
         return f
 
     def convert_to_ssl(self, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -130,33 +116,11 @@ class ServerConnection(tcp.TCPClient, stateobject.StateObject):
         ssl_established=bool,
         sni=str
     )
-    _stateobject_long_attributes = {"cert"}
-
-    def get_state(self, short=False):
-        d = super(ServerConnection, self).get_state(short)
-        d.update(
-            address=({"address": self.address(),
-                      "use_ipv6": self.address.use_ipv6} if self.address else {}),
-            source_address=({"address": self.source_address(),
-                             "use_ipv6": self.source_address.use_ipv6} if self.source_address else None),
-            cert=self.cert.to_pem() if self.cert else None
-        )
-        return d
-
-    def load_state(self, state):
-        super(ServerConnection, self).load_state(state)
-
-        self.address = tcp.Address(
-            **state["address"]) if state["address"] else None
-        self.source_address = tcp.Address(
-            **state["source_address"]) if state["source_address"] else None
-        self.cert = certutils.SSLCert.from_pem(
-            state["cert"]) if state["cert"] else None
 
     @classmethod
     def from_state(cls, state):
         f = cls(tuple())
-        f.load_state(state)
+        f.set_state(state)
         return f
 
     def copy(self):
diff --git a/libmproxy/models/flow.py b/libmproxy/models/flow.py
index b4e8cb886..10255dad9 100644
--- a/libmproxy/models/flow.py
+++ b/libmproxy/models/flow.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class Error(stateobject.StateObject):
         # the default implementation assumes an empty constructor. Override
         # accordingly.
         f = cls(None)
-        f.load_state(state)
+        f.set_state(state)
         return f
 
     def copy(self):
@@ -86,16 +86,19 @@ class Flow(stateobject.StateObject):
         intercepted=bool
     )
 
-    def get_state(self, short=False):
-        d = super(Flow, self).get_state(short)
+    def get_state(self):
+        d = super(Flow, self).get_state()
         d.update(version=version.IVERSION)
         if self._backup and self._backup != d:
-            if short:
-                d.update(modified=True)
-            else:
-                d.update(backup=self._backup)
+            d.update(backup=self._backup)
         return d
 
+    def set_state(self, state):
+        state.pop("version")
+        if "backup" in state:
+            self._backup = state.pop("backup")
+        super(Flow, self).set_state(state)
+
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return self is other
 
@@ -133,7 +136,7 @@ class Flow(stateobject.StateObject):
             Revert to the last backed up state.
         """
         if self._backup:
-            self.load_state(self._backup)
+            self.set_state(self._backup)
             self._backup = None
 
     def kill(self, master):
diff --git a/libmproxy/models/http.py b/libmproxy/models/http.py
index d3919adf4..3c024e764 100644
--- a/libmproxy/models/http.py
+++ b/libmproxy/models/http.py
@@ -1,41 +1,20 @@
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, print_function, division)
 import Cookie
 import copy
+import warnings
 from email.utils import parsedate_tz, formatdate, mktime_tz
 import time
 
 from libmproxy import utils
 from netlib import encoding
-from netlib.http import status_codes, Headers, Request, Response, CONTENT_MISSING, decoded
+from netlib.http import status_codes, Headers, Request, Response, decoded
 from netlib.tcp import Address
-from .. import version, stateobject
+from .. import version
 from .flow import Flow
 
-from collections import OrderedDict
 
-class MessageMixin(stateobject.StateObject):
-    # The restoration order is important currently, e.g. because
-    # of .content setting .headers["content-length"] automatically.
-    # Using OrderedDict is the short term fix, restoring state should
-    # be implemented without side-effects again.
-    _stateobject_attributes = OrderedDict(
-        http_version=bytes,
-        headers=Headers,
-        timestamp_start=float,
-        timestamp_end=float
-    )
-    _stateobject_long_attributes = {"body"}
 
-    def get_state(self, short=False):
-        ret = super(MessageMixin, self).get_state(short)
-        if short:
-            if self.content:
-                ret["contentLength"] = len(self.content)
-            elif self.content == CONTENT_MISSING:
-                ret["contentLength"] = None
-            else:
-                ret["contentLength"] = 0
-        return ret
+class MessageMixin(object):
 
     def get_decoded_content(self):
         """
@@ -141,6 +120,9 @@ class HTTPRequest(MessageMixin, Request):
             timestamp_start=None,
             timestamp_end=None,
             form_out=None,
+            is_replay=False,
+            stickycookie=False,
+            stickyauth=False,
     ):
         Request.__init__(
             self,
@@ -159,51 +141,26 @@ class HTTPRequest(MessageMixin, Request):
         self.form_out = form_out or first_line_format  # FIXME remove
 
         # Have this request's cookies been modified by sticky cookies or auth?
-        self.stickycookie = False
-        self.stickyauth = False
+        self.stickycookie = stickycookie
+        self.stickyauth = stickyauth
 
         # Is this request replayed?
-        self.is_replay = False
+        self.is_replay = is_replay
 
-    _stateobject_attributes = MessageMixin._stateobject_attributes.copy()
-    _stateobject_attributes.update(
-        content=bytes,
-        first_line_format=str,
-        method=bytes,
-        scheme=bytes,
-        host=bytes,
-        port=int,
-        path=bytes,
-        form_out=str,
-        is_replay=bool
-    )
+    def get_state(self):
+        state = super(HTTPRequest, self).get_state()
+        state.update(
+            stickycookie = self.stickycookie,
+            stickyauth = self.stickyauth,
+            is_replay = self.is_replay,
+        )
+        return state
 
-    @classmethod
-    def from_state(cls, state):
-        f = cls(
-            None,
-            b"",
-            None,
-            None,
-            None,
-            None,
-            None,
-            None,
-            None,
-            None,
-            None)
-        f.load_state(state)
-        return f
-
-    @classmethod
-    def from_protocol(
-            self,
-            protocol,
-            *args,
-            **kwargs
-    ):
-        req = protocol.read_request(*args, **kwargs)
-        return self.wrap(req)
+    def set_state(self, state):
+        self.stickycookie = state.pop("stickycookie")
+        self.stickyauth = state.pop("stickyauth")
+        self.is_replay = state.pop("is_replay")
+        super(HTTPRequest, self).set_state(state)
 
     @classmethod
     def wrap(self, request):
@@ -223,6 +180,15 @@ class HTTPRequest(MessageMixin, Request):
         )
         return req
 
+    @property
+    def form_out(self):
+        warnings.warn(".form_out is deprecated, use .first_line_format instead.", DeprecationWarning)
+        return self.first_line_format
+
+    @form_out.setter
+    def form_out(self, value):
+        warnings.warn(".form_out is deprecated, use .first_line_format instead.", DeprecationWarning)
+
     def __hash__(self):
         return id(self)
 
@@ -275,6 +241,7 @@ class HTTPResponse(MessageMixin, Response):
             content,
             timestamp_start=None,
             timestamp_end=None,
+            is_replay = False
     ):
         Response.__init__(
             self,
@@ -288,32 +255,9 @@ class HTTPResponse(MessageMixin, Response):
         )
 
         # Is this request replayed?
-        self.is_replay = False
+        self.is_replay = is_replay
         self.stream = False
 
-    _stateobject_attributes = MessageMixin._stateobject_attributes.copy()
-    _stateobject_attributes.update(
-        body=bytes,
-        status_code=int,
-        msg=bytes
-    )
-
-    @classmethod
-    def from_state(cls, state):
-        f = cls(None, None, None, None, None)
-        f.load_state(state)
-        return f
-
-    @classmethod
-    def from_protocol(
-            self,
-            protocol,
-            *args,
-            **kwargs
-    ):
-        resp = protocol.read_response(*args, **kwargs)
-        return self.wrap(resp)
-
     @classmethod
     def wrap(self, response):
         resp = HTTPResponse(
@@ -424,7 +368,7 @@ class HTTPFlow(Flow):
     @classmethod
     def from_state(cls, state):
         f = cls(None, None)
-        f.load_state(state)
+        f.set_state(state)
         return f
 
     def __repr__(self):
diff --git a/libmproxy/stateobject.py b/libmproxy/stateobject.py
index 52a8347f3..9600ab091 100644
--- a/libmproxy/stateobject.py
+++ b/libmproxy/stateobject.py
@@ -1,52 +1,51 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
+from netlib.utils import Serializable
 
 
-class StateObject(object):
-
+class StateObject(Serializable):
     """
-        An object with serializable state.
+    An object with serializable state.
 
-        State attributes can either be serializable types(str, tuple, bool, ...)
-        or StateObject instances themselves.
+    State attributes can either be serializable types(str, tuple, bool, ...)
+    or StateObject instances themselves.
     """
-    # An attribute-name -> class-or-type dict containing all attributes that
-    # should be serialized. If the attribute is a class, it must implement the
-    # StateObject protocol.
+
     _stateobject_attributes = None
-    # A set() of attributes that should be ignored for short state
-    _stateobject_long_attributes = frozenset([])
+    """
+    An attribute-name -> class-or-type dict containing all attributes that
+    should be serialized. If the attribute is a class, it must implement the
+    Serializable protocol.
+    """
 
-    def from_state(self, state):
-        raise NotImplementedError()
-
-    def get_state(self, short=False):
+    def get_state(self):
         """
-            Retrieve object state. If short is true, return an abbreviated
-            format with long data elided.
+        Retrieve object state.
         """
         state = {}
         for attr, cls in self._stateobject_attributes.iteritems():
-            if short and attr in self._stateobject_long_attributes:
-                continue
             val = getattr(self, attr)
             if hasattr(val, "get_state"):
-                state[attr] = val.get_state(short)
+                state[attr] = val.get_state()
             else:
                 state[attr] = val
         return state
 
-    def load_state(self, state):
+    def set_state(self, state):
         """
-            Load object state from data returned by a get_state call.
+        Load object state from data returned by a get_state call.
         """
+        state = state.copy()
         for attr, cls in self._stateobject_attributes.iteritems():
-            if state.get(attr, None) is None:
-                setattr(self, attr, None)
+            if state.get(attr) is None:
+                setattr(self, attr, state.pop(attr))
             else:
                 curr = getattr(self, attr)
-                if hasattr(curr, "load_state"):
-                    curr.load_state(state[attr])
+                if hasattr(curr, "set_state"):
+                    curr.set_state(state.pop(attr))
                 elif hasattr(cls, "from_state"):
-                    setattr(self, attr, cls.from_state(state[attr]))
-                else:
-                    setattr(self, attr, cls(state[attr]))
+                    obj = cls.from_state(state.pop(attr))
+                    setattr(self, attr, obj)
+                else:  # primitive types such as int, str, ...
+                    setattr(self, attr, cls(state.pop(attr)))
+        if state:
+            raise RuntimeWarning("Unexpected State in __setstate__: {}".format(state))
diff --git a/libmproxy/version.py b/libmproxy/version.py
index 03c2f256b..25c567069 100644
--- a/libmproxy/version.py
+++ b/libmproxy/version.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, print_function, division)
 
-IVERSION = (0, 15)
+IVERSION = (0, 16)
 VERSION = ".".join(str(i) for i in IVERSION)
 MINORVERSION = ".".join(str(i) for i in IVERSION[:2])
 NAME = "mitmproxy"
diff --git a/libmproxy/web/__init__.py b/libmproxy/web/__init__.py
index 43fc993dc..c48b3d09b 100644
--- a/libmproxy/web/__init__.py
+++ b/libmproxy/web/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 import collections
 import tornado.ioloop
 import tornado.httpserver
+
 from .. import controller, flow
 from . import app
 
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ class WebFlowView(flow.FlowView):
         app.ClientConnection.broadcast(
             type="flows",
             cmd="add",
-            data=f.get_state(short=True)
+            data=app._strip_content(f.get_state())
         )
 
     def _update(self, f):
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ class WebFlowView(flow.FlowView):
         app.ClientConnection.broadcast(
             type="flows",
             cmd="update",
-            data=f.get_state(short=True)
+            data=app._strip_content(f.get_state())
         )
 
     def _remove(self, f):
diff --git a/libmproxy/web/app.py b/libmproxy/web/app.py
index 79f76013d..958b86698 100644
--- a/libmproxy/web/app.py
+++ b/libmproxy/web/app.py
@@ -4,9 +4,38 @@ import tornado.web
 import tornado.websocket
 import logging
 import json
+
+from netlib.http import CONTENT_MISSING
 from .. import version, filt
 
 
+def _strip_content(flow_state):
+    """
+    Remove flow message content and cert to save transmission space.
+
+    Args:
+        flow_state: The original flow state. Will be left unmodified
+    """
+    for attr in ("request", "response"):
+        if attr in flow_state:
+            message = flow_state[attr]
+            if message["content"]:
+                message["contentLength"] = len(message["content"])
+            elif message["content"] == CONTENT_MISSING:
+                message["contentLength"] = None
+            else:
+                message["contentLength"] = 0
+            del message["content"]
+
+    if "backup" in flow_state:
+        del flow_state["backup"]
+        flow_state["modified"] = True
+
+    flow_state.get("server_conn", {}).pop("cert", None)
+
+    return flow_state
+
+
 class APIError(tornado.web.HTTPError):
     pass
 
@@ -100,7 +129,7 @@ class Flows(RequestHandler):
 
     def get(self):
         self.write(dict(
-            data=[f.get_state(short=True) for f in self.state.flows]
+            data=[_strip_content(f.get_state()) for f in self.state.flows]
         ))
 
 
@@ -141,7 +170,7 @@ class FlowHandler(RequestHandler):
                     elif k == "port":
                         request.port = int(v)
                     elif k == "headers":
-                        request.headers.load_state(v)
+                        request.headers.set_state(v)
                     else:
                         print "Warning: Unknown update {}.{}: {}".format(a, k, v)
 
@@ -155,7 +184,7 @@ class FlowHandler(RequestHandler):
                     elif k == "http_version":
                         response.http_version = str(v)
                     elif k == "headers":
-                        response.headers.load_state(v)
+                        response.headers.set_state(v)
                     else:
                         print "Warning: Unknown update {}.{}: {}".format(a, k, v)
             else:
diff --git a/test/test_flow.py b/test/test_flow.py
index 68316f2a4..51b88fff8 100644
--- a/test/test_flow.py
+++ b/test/test_flow.py
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ class TestFlow(object):
         assert not f == f2
         f2.error = Error("e2")
         assert not f == f2
-        f.load_state(f2.get_state())
+        f.set_state(f2.get_state())
         assert f.get_state() == f2.get_state()
 
     def test_kill(self):
@@ -1204,7 +1204,7 @@ class TestError:
 
         e2 = Error("bar")
         assert not e == e2
-        e.load_state(e2.get_state())
+        e.set_state(e2.get_state())
         assert e.get_state() == e2.get_state()
 
         e3 = e.copy()
@@ -1224,7 +1224,7 @@ class TestClientConnection:
         assert not c == c2
 
         c2.timestamp_start = 42
-        c.load_state(c2.get_state())
+        c.set_state(c2.get_state())
         assert c.timestamp_start == 42
 
         c3 = c.copy()
diff --git a/test/tutils.py b/test/tutils.py
index 5bd913070..2ce0884d3 100644
--- a/test/tutils.py
+++ b/test/tutils.py
@@ -76,7 +76,11 @@ def tclient_conn():
     """
     c = ClientConnection.from_state(dict(
         address=dict(address=("address", 22), use_ipv6=True),
-        clientcert=None
+        clientcert=None,
+        ssl_established=False,
+        timestamp_start=1,
+        timestamp_ssl_setup=2,
+        timestamp_end=3,
     ))
     c.reply = controller.DummyReply()
     return c
@@ -88,9 +92,15 @@ def tserver_conn():
     """
     c = ServerConnection.from_state(dict(
         address=dict(address=("address", 22), use_ipv6=True),
-        state=[],
         source_address=dict(address=("address", 22), use_ipv6=True),
-        cert=None
+        cert=None,
+        timestamp_start=1,
+        timestamp_tcp_setup=2,
+        timestamp_ssl_setup=3,
+        timestamp_end=4,
+        ssl_established=False,
+        sni="address",
+        via=None
     ))
     c.reply = controller.DummyReply()
     return c