diff --git a/wsme/api.py b/wsme/api.py
index 9d9da8a..c092da5 100644
--- a/wsme/api.py
+++ b/wsme/api.py
@@ -118,8 +118,9 @@ class expose(object):
             def getint(self):
                 return 1
     """
-    def __init__(self, return_type=None, **options):
+    def __init__(self, return_type=None, body=None, **options):
         self.return_type = return_type
+        self.body_type = body
         self.options = options
 
     def __call__(self, func):
@@ -127,6 +128,7 @@ class expose(object):
         if fd.extra_options is not None:
             raise ValueError("This function is already exposed")
         fd.return_type = self.return_type
+        fd.body_type = self.body_type
         fd.extra_options = self.options
         return func
 
@@ -176,8 +178,11 @@ class validate(object):
         args, varargs, keywords, defaults = inspect.getargspec(func)
         if args[0] == 'self':
             args = args[1:]
+        param_types = list(self.param_types)
+        if fd.body_type is not None:
+            param_types.append(fd.body_type)
         for i, argname in enumerate(args):
-            datatype = self.param_types[i]
+            datatype = param_types[i]
             mandatory = defaults is None or i < (len(args) - len(defaults))
             default = None
             if not mandatory:
diff --git a/wsme/pecan.py b/wsme/pecan.py
index a8fcbc3..db26986 100644
--- a/wsme/pecan.py
+++ b/wsme/pecan.py
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ def wsexpose(*args, **kwargs):
 
         def callfunction(self, *args, **kwargs):
             args, kwargs = wsme.protocols.commons.get_args(
-                funcdef, args, kwargs
+                funcdef, args, kwargs,
+                pecan.request.body, pecan.request.content_type
             )
             result = f(self, *args, **kwargs)
             return dict(
diff --git a/wsme/protocols/commons.py b/wsme/protocols/commons.py
index f925b40..fe9e691 100644
--- a/wsme/protocols/commons.py
+++ b/wsme/protocols/commons.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ from wsme.types import iscomplex, list_attributes, Unset
 from wsme.types import UserType, ArrayType, DictType, File
 from wsme.utils import parse_isodate, parse_isotime, parse_isodatetime
 
-
 ARRAY_MAX_SIZE = 1000
 
 
@@ -114,11 +113,33 @@ def dict_from_params(datatype, params, path, hit_paths):
         for key in keys))
 
 
-def get_args(funcdef, args, kwargs):
+def get_args(funcdef, args, kwargs, body, mimetype):
     newargs = []
     for argdef, arg in zip(funcdef.arguments[:len(args)], args):
         newargs.append(from_param(argdef.datatype, arg))
     newkwargs = {}
     for argname, value in kwargs.items():
         newkwargs[argname] = from_param(funcdef.get_arg(argname), value)
+    if funcdef.body_type is not None:
+        bodydata = None
+        if mimetype in restjson.RestJsonProtocol.content_types:
+            if hasattr(body, 'read'):
+                jsonbody = restjson.json.load(body)
+            else:
+                jsonbody = restjson.json.loads(body)
+            bodydata = restjson.fromjson(funcdef.body_type, jsonbody)
+        elif mimetype in restxml.RestXmlProtocol.content_types:
+            if hasattr(body, 'read'):
+                xmlbody = restxml.et.parse(body)
+            else:
+                xmlbody = restxml.et.fromstring(body)
+            bodydata = restxml.fromxml(funcdef.body_type, xmlbody)
+        if bodydata:
+            if len(newargs) < len(funcdef.arguments):
+                newkwargs[funcdef.arguments[-1].name] = bodydata
+            else:
+                newargs[-1] = bodydata
     return newargs, newkwargs
+
+from . import restjson
+from . import restxml