diff --git a/lib/request.js b/lib/request.js
index d1e2b42..69ec49c 100644
--- a/lib/request.js
+++ b/lib/request.js
@@ -22,15 +22,20 @@ var Request = module.exports = function (xhr, params) {
     try { xhr.withCredentials = params.withCredentials }
     catch (e) {}
     
-    if (params.responseType) try { xhr.responseType = params.responseType }
-    catch (e) {}
-    
     xhr.open(
         params.method || 'GET',
         self.uri,
         true
     );
 
+    if (params.responseType) {
+        try {
+            xhr.responseType = params.responseType
+        } catch (e) {
+            self.emit('error', e);
+        }
+    }
+
     xhr.onerror = function(event) {
         self.emit('error', new Error('Network error'));
     };
diff --git a/test/request_url.js b/test/request_url.js
index 1ff8e53..205aabb 100644
--- a/test/request_url.js
+++ b/test/request_url.js
@@ -86,3 +86,11 @@ test('Test withCredentials param', function(t) {
 
   t.end();
 });
+
+test('Test responseType param', function(t) {
+  var url = '/api/binary-endpoint';
+  var request = http.request({url: url, responseType: 'arraybuffer'}, noop);
+  t.equal(request.xhr.responseType, 'arraybuffer', 'xhr.responseType should be set');
+  t.end();
+});
+