diff --git a/pywebhdfs/webhdfs.py b/pywebhdfs/webhdfs.py
index 656b7f6..36720a1 100644
--- a/pywebhdfs/webhdfs.py
+++ b/pywebhdfs/webhdfs.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ def __init__(self, host='localhost', port='50070', user_name=None):
         self.host = host
         self.port = port
         self.user_name = user_name
+        self.session = requests.Session()
 
         # create base uri to be used in request operations
         self.base_uri = 'http://{host}:{port}/webhdfs/v1/'.format(
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ def create_file(self, path, file_data, **kwargs):
         # make the initial CREATE call to the HDFS namenode
         optional_args = kwargs
         uri = self._create_uri(path, operations.CREATE, **optional_args)
-        init_response = requests.put(uri, allow_redirects=False)
+        init_response = self._put(uri, allow_redirects=False)
 
         if not init_response.status_code == httplib.TEMPORARY_REDIRECT:
             _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ def create_file(self, path, file_data, **kwargs):
         # initial response from the namenode and make the CREATE request
         # to the datanode
         uri = init_response.headers['location']
-        response = requests.put(
+        response = self._put(
             uri, data=file_data,
             headers={'content-type': 'application/octet-stream'})
 
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ def append_file(self, path, file_data, **kwargs):
         # make the initial APPEND call to the HDFS namenode
         optional_args = kwargs
         uri = self._create_uri(path, operations.APPEND, **optional_args)
-        init_response = requests.post(uri, allow_redirects=False)
+        init_response = self._post(uri, allow_redirects=False)
 
         if not init_response.status_code == httplib.TEMPORARY_REDIRECT:
             _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ def append_file(self, path, file_data, **kwargs):
         # initial response from the namenode and make the APPEND request
         # to the datanode
         uri = init_response.headers['location']
-        response = requests.post(
+        response = self._post(
             uri, data=file_data,
             headers={'content-type': 'application/octet-stream'})
 
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ def read_file(self, path, **kwargs):
         optional_args = kwargs
         uri = self._create_uri(path, operations.OPEN, **optional_args)
 
-        response = requests.get(uri, allow_redirects=True)
+        response = self._get(uri, allow_redirects=True)
 
         if not response.status_code == httplib.OK:
             _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(response.status_code, response.content)
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ def make_dir(self, path, **kwargs):
         optional_args = kwargs
         uri = self._create_uri(path, operations.MKDIRS, **optional_args)
 
-        response = requests.put(uri, allow_redirects=True)
+        response = self._put(uri, allow_redirects=True)
 
         if not response.status_code == httplib.OK:
             _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(response.status_code, response.content)
@@ -243,7 +244,7 @@ def rename_file_dir(self, path, destination_path):
         uri = self._create_uri(path, operations.RENAME,
                                destination=destination_path)
 
-        response = requests.put(uri, allow_redirects=True)
+        response = self._put(uri, allow_redirects=True)
 
         if not response.status_code == httplib.OK:
             _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(response.status_code, response.content)
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ def delete_file_dir(self, path, recursive=False):
         """
 
         uri = self._create_uri(path, operations.DELETE, recursive=recursive)
-        response = requests.delete(uri, allow_redirects=True)
+        response = self._delete(uri, allow_redirects=True)
 
         if not response.status_code == httplib.OK:
             _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(response.status_code, response.content)
@@ -332,7 +333,7 @@ def get_file_dir_status(self, path):
         """
 
         uri = self._create_uri(path, operations.GETFILESTATUS)
-        response = requests.get(uri, allow_redirects=True)
+        response = self._get(uri, allow_redirects=True)
 
         if not response.status_code == httplib.OK:
             _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(response.status_code, response.content)
@@ -388,7 +389,7 @@ def list_dir(self, path):
         """
 
         uri = self._create_uri(path, operations.LISTSTATUS)
-        response = requests.get(uri, allow_redirects=True)
+        response = self._get(uri, allow_redirects=True)
 
         if not response.status_code == httplib.OK:
             _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(response.status_code, response.content)
@@ -430,6 +431,18 @@ def _create_uri(self, path, operation, **kwargs):
 
         return uri
 
+    def _put(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self.session.put(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def _post(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self.session.post(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def _get(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self.session.get(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def _delete(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self.session.delete(*args, **kwargs)
+
 
 def _raise_pywebhdfs_exception(resp_code, message=None):