diff --git a/src/withParams.spec.ts b/src/withParams.spec.ts
index 3f109ad..7b8f42d 100644
--- a/src/withParams.spec.ts
+++ b/src/withParams.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { Router } from './Router'
 import { withParams } from './withParams'
+import { toReq } from '../lib/index'
 
 describe('withParams (middleware)', () => {
   it('allows accessing route params from the request itself', async () => {
@@ -69,4 +70,14 @@ describe('withParams (middleware)', () => {
       testParam: 'testValue',
     })
   })
+
+  it('downstream handlers can access original Request through request.raw', async () => {
+    const handler = vi.fn(r => r.raw)
+    const router = Router().get('/', withParams, handler)
+    const request = toReq('/')
+
+    await router.fetch(request)
+
+    expect(handler).toHaveReturnedWith(request)
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/withParams.ts b/src/withParams.ts
index 2388a88..588c645 100644
--- a/src/withParams.ts
+++ b/src/withParams.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import { IRequest } from './types'
 
 export const withParams = (request: IRequest): void => {
-  request.proxy = new Proxy(request.proxy || request, {
-    get: (obj, prop) => obj[prop] !== undefined
-                    ? obj[prop]?.bind?.(request) || obj[prop]
-                    : obj?.params?.[prop]
+  request.raw = request.raw ?? request  // places reference to request in request.raw if safe to do so
+  request.proxy = new Proxy(request.proxy ?? request, {
+    get: (obj, prop, receiver) =>
+            obj[prop]?.bind?.(request)  // if prop exists (as function), return the function, bound to the original request
+            ?? obj[prop]                // if prop exists, return it
+            ?? obj?.params?.[prop]      // if no prop exists, try the params object
   })
 }