diff --git a/src/http/client.cr b/src/http/client.cr
index 09e1bfea28e0..8b652c52734d 100644
--- a/src/http/client.cr
+++ b/src/http/client.cr
@@ -478,7 +478,6 @@ class HTTP::Client
   # response.body # => "..."
   # ```
   def exec(request : HTTP::Request) : HTTP::Client::Response
-    execute_callbacks(request)
     exec_internal(request)
   end
 
@@ -496,9 +495,7 @@ class HTTP::Client
   end
 
   private def exec_internal_single(request)
-    decompress = set_defaults request
-    request.to_io(socket)
-    socket.flush
+    decompress = send_request(request)
     HTTP::Client::Response.from_io?(socket, ignore_body: request.ignore_body?, decompress: decompress)
   end
 
@@ -517,7 +514,6 @@ class HTTP::Client
   # end
   # ```
   def exec(request : HTTP::Request, &block)
-    execute_callbacks(request)
     exec_internal(request) do |response|
       yield response
     end
@@ -544,9 +540,7 @@ class HTTP::Client
   end
 
   private def exec_internal_single(request)
-    decompress = set_defaults request
-    request.to_io(socket)
-    socket.flush
+    decompress = send_request(request)
     HTTP::Client::Response.from_io?(socket, ignore_body: request.ignore_body?, decompress: decompress) do |response|
       yield response
     end
@@ -559,6 +553,14 @@ class HTTP::Client
     value
   end
 
+  private def send_request(request)
+    decompress = set_defaults request
+    run_before_request_callbacks(request)
+    request.to_io(socket)
+    socket.flush
+    decompress
+  end
+
   private def set_defaults(request)
     request.headers["User-Agent"] ||= "Crystal"
     {% if flag?(:without_zlib) %}
@@ -573,6 +575,10 @@ class HTTP::Client
     {% end %}
   end
 
+  private def run_before_request_callbacks(request)
+    @before_request.try &.each &.call(request)
+  end
+
   # Executes a request.
   # The response will have its body as a `String`, accessed via `HTTP::Client::Response#body`.
   #
@@ -641,10 +647,6 @@ class HTTP::Client
     end
   end
 
-  private def execute_callbacks(request)
-    @before_request.try &.each &.call(request)
-  end
-
   private def socket
     socket = @socket
     return socket if socket