diff --git a/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpUtils.java b/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpUtils.java
index 238341a1dcc..ada1b027ab7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpUtils.java
@@ -863,7 +863,32 @@ public static void validateHeader(CharSequence name, Iterable<? extends CharSequ
     });
   }
 
-  public static void validateHeaderValue(CharSequence seq) {
+  public static void validateHeaderValue(CharSequence value) {
+    if (value instanceof AsciiString) {
+      validateAsciiHeaderValue((AsciiString) value);
+    } else if (value instanceof String) {
+      validateStringHeaderValue((String) value);
+    } else {
+      validateSequenceHeaderValue(value);
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static void validateAsciiHeaderValue(AsciiString asciiString) {
+    byte[] asciiChars = asciiString.array();
+    int off = asciiString.arrayOffset();
+    int len = asciiString.length();
+    int state = 0;
+    // Start looping through each of the character
+    for (int index = 0; index < len; index++) {
+      state = validateLatinValue(asciiString, state, asciiChars[off + index]);
+    }
+
+    if (state != 0) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header value must not end with '\\r' or '\\n':" + asciiString);
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static void validateStringHeaderValue(String seq) {
 
     int state = 0;
     // Start looping through each of the character
@@ -876,54 +901,140 @@ public static void validateHeaderValue(CharSequence seq) {
     }
   }
 
+  private static void validateSequenceHeaderValue(CharSequence seq) {
+    int state = 0;
+    // Start looping through each of the character
+    for (int index = 0; index < seq.length(); index++) {
+      state = validateValueChar(seq, state, seq.charAt(index));
+    }
+
+    if (state != 0) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header value must not end with '\\r' or '\\n':" + seq);
+    }
+  }
+
   private static final int HIGHEST_INVALID_VALUE_CHAR_MASK = ~0x1F;
+  private static final int NO_CR_LF_STATE = 0;
+  private static final int CR_STATE = 1;
+  private static final int LF_STATE = 2;
 
-  private static int validateValueChar(CharSequence seq, int state, char character) {
+  private static int validateLatinValue(CharSequence seq, int state, byte latinChar) {
     /*
      * State:
      * 0: Previous character was neither CR nor LF
      * 1: The previous character was CR
      * 2: The previous character was LF
      */
-    if ((character & HIGHEST_INVALID_VALUE_CHAR_MASK) == 0 || character == 0x7F) { // 0x7F is "DEL".
-      // The only characters allowed in the range 0x00-0x1F are : HTAB, LF and CR
-      switch (character) {
-        case 0x09: // Horizontal tab - HTAB
-        case 0x0a: // Line feed - LF
-        case 0x0d: // Carriage return - CR
-          break;
-        default:
-          throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header value contains a prohibited character '" + (int) character + "': " + seq);
-      }
+    if ((latinChar & HIGHEST_INVALID_VALUE_CHAR_MASK) == 0 || latinChar == 0x7F) {
+      validateNonPrintableCtrlLatin(seq, latinChar);
     }
 
     // Check the CRLF (HT | SP) pattern
+    if (state == NO_CR_LF_STATE) {
+      switch (latinChar) {
+        case '\r':
+          return CR_STATE;
+        case '\n':
+          return LF_STATE;
+      }
+      return NO_CR_LF_STATE;
+    } else {
+      return validateCrLfLatin(seq, state, latinChar);
+    }
+  }
+  private static void validateNonPrintableCtrlLatin(CharSequence seq, byte latinChar) {
+    // The only characters allowed in the range 0x00-0x1F are : HTAB, LF and CR
+    switch (latinChar) {
+      case 0x09: // Horizontal tab - HTAB
+      case 0x0a: // Line feed - LF
+      case 0x0d: // Carriage return - CR
+        break;
+      default:
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header value contains a prohibited character '" + Byte.toUnsignedInt(latinChar) + "': " + seq);
+    }
+  }
+
+
+  private static int validateCrLfLatin(CharSequence seq, int state, byte latinChar) {
     switch (state) {
-      case 0:
-        switch (character) {
-          case '\r':
-            return 1;
-          case '\n':
-            return 2;
+      case CR_STATE:
+        if (latinChar == '\n') {
+          return LF_STATE;
         }
-        break;
-      case 1:
-        switch (character) {
-          case '\n':
-            return 2;
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("only '\\n' is allowed after '\\r': " + seq);
+      case LF_STATE:
+        switch (latinChar) {
+          case '\t':
+          case ' ':
+            // return to the normal state
+            return NO_CR_LF_STATE;
           default:
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("only '\\n' is allowed after '\\r': " + seq);
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("only ' ' and '\\t' are allowed after '\\n': " + seq);
         }
-      case 2:
+      default:
+        // this should never happen
+        throw new AssertionError();
+    }
+  }
+
+
+  private static int validateValueChar(CharSequence seq, int state, char character) {
+    /*
+     * State:
+     * 0: Previous character was neither CR nor LF
+     * 1: The previous character was CR
+     * 2: The previous character was LF
+     */
+    if ((character & HIGHEST_INVALID_VALUE_CHAR_MASK) == 0 || character == 0x7F) {
+      validateNonPrintableCtrlChar(seq, character);
+    }
+
+    // Check the CRLF (HT | SP) pattern
+    if (state == NO_CR_LF_STATE) {
+      switch (character) {
+        case '\r':
+          return CR_STATE;
+        case '\n':
+          return LF_STATE;
+      }
+      return NO_CR_LF_STATE;
+    } else {
+      return validateCrLfChar(seq, state, character);
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static int validateCrLfChar(CharSequence seq, int state, char character) {
+    switch (state) {
+      case CR_STATE:
+        if (character == '\n') {
+          return LF_STATE;
+        }
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("only '\\n' is allowed after '\\r': " + seq);
+      case LF_STATE:
         switch (character) {
           case '\t':
           case ' ':
-            return 0;
+            // return to the normal state
+            return NO_CR_LF_STATE;
           default:
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("only ' ' and '\\t' are allowed after '\\n': " + seq);
         }
+      default:
+        // this should never happen
+        throw new AssertionError();
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static void validateNonPrintableCtrlChar(CharSequence seq, char character) {
+    // The only characters allowed in the range 0x00-0x1F are : HTAB, LF and CR
+    switch (character) {
+      case 0x09: // Horizontal tab - HTAB
+      case 0x0a: // Line feed - LF
+      case 0x0d: // Carriage return - CR
+        break;
+      default:
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header value contains a prohibited character '" + (int) character + "': " + seq);
     }
-    return state;
   }
 
   private static final boolean[] VALID_H_NAME_ASCII_CHARS;
@@ -959,13 +1070,15 @@ private static int validateValueChar(CharSequence seq, int state, char character
   public static void validateHeaderName(CharSequence value) {
     if (value instanceof AsciiString) {
       // no need to check for ASCII-ness anymore
-      validateHeaderName((AsciiString) value);
+      validateAsciiHeaderName((AsciiString) value);
+    } else if(value instanceof String) {
+      validateStringHeaderName((String) value);
     } else {
-      validateHeaderName0(value);
+      validateSequenceHeaderName(value);
     }
   }
 
-  private static void validateHeaderName(AsciiString value) {
+  private static void validateAsciiHeaderName(AsciiString value) {
     final int len = value.length();
     final int off = value.arrayOffset();
     final byte[] asciiChars = value.array();
@@ -981,7 +1094,20 @@ private static void validateHeaderName(AsciiString value) {
     }
   }
 
-  private static void validateHeaderName0(CharSequence value) {
+  private static void validateStringHeaderName(String value) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < value.length(); i++) {
+      final char c = value.charAt(i);
+      // Check to see if the character is not an ASCII character, or invalid
+      if (c > 0x7f) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header name cannot contain non-ASCII character: " + value);
+      }
+      if (!VALID_H_NAME_ASCII_CHARS[c & 0x7F]) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("a header name cannot contain some prohibited characters, such as : " + value);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static void validateSequenceHeaderName(CharSequence value) {
     for (int i = 0; i < value.length(); i++) {
       final char c = value.charAt(i);
       // Check to see if the character is not an ASCII character, or invalid