diff --git a/sanic/request.py b/sanic/request.py
index f3de36f8..a5d204a8 100644
--- a/sanic/request.py
+++ b/sanic/request.py
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ class Request(dict):
         # so pull it from the headers
         return self.headers.get('Host', '')
 
+    @property
+    def content_type(self):
+        return self.headers.get('Content-Type', DEFAULT_HTTP_CONTENT_TYPE)
+
     @property
     def path(self):
         return self._parsed_url.path.decode('utf-8')
diff --git a/tests/test_requests.py b/tests/test_requests.py
index 06e2b7ae..d61d4d55 100644
--- a/tests/test_requests.py
+++ b/tests/test_requests.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import pytest
 from sanic import Sanic
 from sanic.exceptions import ServerError
 from sanic.response import json, text
-
+from sanic.request import DEFAULT_HTTP_CONTENT_TYPE
 from sanic.testing import HOST, PORT
 
 
@@ -192,6 +192,25 @@ def test_token():
     assert request.token is None
 
 
+def test_content_type():
+    app = Sanic('test_content_type')
+
+    @app.route('/')
+    async def handler(request):
+        return text(request.content_type)
+
+    request, response = app.test_client.get('/')
+    assert request.content_type == DEFAULT_HTTP_CONTENT_TYPE
+    assert response.text == DEFAULT_HTTP_CONTENT_TYPE
+
+    headers = {
+        'content-type': 'application/json',
+    }
+    request, response = app.test_client.get('/', headers=headers)
+    assert request.content_type == 'application/json'
+    assert response.text == 'application/json'
+
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------ #
 #  POST
 # ------------------------------------------------------------ #