diff --git a/sanic/sanic.py b/sanic/sanic.py
index 98bb230d..08894871 100644
--- a/sanic/sanic.py
+++ b/sanic/sanic.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from .exceptions import Handler
 from .log import log, logging
 from .response import HTTPResponse
 from .router import Router
-from .server import serve
+from .server import serve, HttpProtocol
 from .static import register as static_register
 from .exceptions import ServerError
 
@@ -230,14 +230,15 @@ class Sanic:
     # Execution
     # -------------------------------------------------------------------- #
 
-    def run(self, host="127.0.0.1", port=8000, debug=False, before_start=None,
-            after_start=None, before_stop=None, after_stop=None, sock=None,
-            workers=1, loop=None):
+    def run(self, host="127.0.0.1", port=8000, protocol=HttpProtocol,
+            debug=False, before_start=None, after_start=None, before_stop=None,
+            after_stop=None, sock=None, workers=1, loop=None):
         """
         Runs the HTTP Server and listens until keyboard interrupt or term
         signal. On termination, drains connections before closing.
         :param host: Address to host on
         :param port: Port to host on
+        :param protocol: Subclass of asyncio.Protocol
         :param debug: Enables debug output (slows server)
         :param before_start: Function to be executed before the server starts
         accepting connections
@@ -258,6 +259,7 @@ class Sanic:
         self.loop = loop
 
         server_settings = {
+            'protocol': protocol,
             'host': host,
             'port': port,
             'sock': sock,
diff --git a/sanic/server.py b/sanic/server.py
index 9340f374..cad957f0 100644
--- a/sanic/server.py
+++ b/sanic/server.py
@@ -221,12 +221,13 @@ def trigger_events(events, loop):
                 loop.run_until_complete(result)
 
 
-def serve(host, port, request_handler, error_handler, before_start=None,
-          after_start=None, before_stop=None, after_stop=None,
-          debug=False, request_timeout=60, sock=None,
+def serve(protocol, host, port, request_handler, error_handler,
+          before_start=None, after_start=None, before_stop=None,
+          after_stop=None, debug=False, request_timeout=60, sock=None,
           request_max_size=None, reuse_port=False, loop=None):
     """
     Starts asynchronous HTTP Server on an individual process.
+    :param protocol: subclass of asyncio.Protocol
     :param host: Address to host on
     :param port: Port to host on
     :param request_handler: Sanic request handler with middleware
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ def serve(host, port, request_handler, error_handler, before_start=None,
     connections = set()
     signal = Signal()
     server = partial(
-        HttpProtocol,
+        protocol,
         loop=loop,
         connections=connections,
         signal=signal,