diff --git a/github/github.go b/github/github.go
index 957ac0c7ff8..0a32a53c447 100644
--- a/github/github.go
+++ b/github/github.go
@@ -512,16 +512,15 @@ func parseRate(r *http.Response) Rate {
 	return rate
 }
 
-// Do sends an API request and returns the API response. The API response is
-// JSON decoded and stored in the value pointed to by v, or returned as an
-// error if an API error has occurred. If v implements the io.Writer
-// interface, the raw response body will be written to v, without attempting to
-// first decode it. If rate limit is exceeded and reset time is in the future,
-// Do returns *RateLimitError immediately without making a network API call.
+// BareDo sends an API request and lets you handle the api response. If an error
+// or API Error occurs, the error will contain more information. Otherwise you
+// are supposed to read and close the response's Body. If rate limit is exceeded
+// and reset time is in the future, BareDo returns *RateLimitError immediately
+// without making a network API call.
 //
-// The provided ctx must be non-nil, if it is nil an error is returned. If it is canceled or times out,
-// ctx.Err() will be returned.
-func (c *Client) Do(ctx context.Context, req *http.Request, v interface{}) (*Response, error) {
+// The provided ctx must be non-nil, if it is nil an error is returned. If it is
+// canceled or times out, ctx.Err() will be returned.
+func (c *Client) BareDo(ctx context.Context, req *http.Request) (*Response, error) {
 	if ctx == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("context must be non-nil")
 	}
@@ -558,8 +557,6 @@ func (c *Client) Do(ctx context.Context, req *http.Request, v interface{}) (*Res
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
-
 	response := newResponse(resp)
 
 	c.rateMu.Lock()
@@ -568,6 +565,7 @@ func (c *Client) Do(ctx context.Context, req *http.Request, v interface{}) (*Res
 
 	err = CheckResponse(resp)
 	if err != nil {
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
 		// Special case for AcceptedErrors. If an AcceptedError
 		// has been encountered, the response's payload will be
 		// added to the AcceptedError and returned.
@@ -581,27 +579,43 @@ func (c *Client) Do(ctx context.Context, req *http.Request, v interface{}) (*Res
 			}
 
 			aerr.Raw = b
-			return response, aerr
+			err = aerr
 		}
+	}
+	return response, err
+}
 
-		return response, err
+// Do sends an API request and returns the API response. The API response is
+// JSON decoded and stored in the value pointed to by v, or returned as an
+// error if an API error has occurred. If v implements the io.Writer interface,
+// the raw response body will be written to v, without attempting to first
+// decode it. If v is nil, and no error hapens, the response is returned as is.
+// If rate limit is exceeded and reset time is in the future, Do returns
+// *RateLimitError immediately without making a network API call.
+//
+// The provided ctx must be non-nil, if it is nil an error is returned. If it
+// is canceled or times out, ctx.Err() will be returned.
+func (c *Client) Do(ctx context.Context, req *http.Request, v interface{}) (*Response, error) {
+	resp, err := c.BareDo(ctx, req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return resp, err
 	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
-	if v != nil {
-		if w, ok := v.(io.Writer); ok {
-			io.Copy(w, resp.Body)
-		} else {
-			decErr := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(v)
-			if decErr == io.EOF {
-				decErr = nil // ignore EOF errors caused by empty response body
-			}
-			if decErr != nil {
-				err = decErr
-			}
+	switch v := v.(type) {
+	case nil:
+	case io.Writer:
+		_, err = io.Copy(v, resp.Body)
+	default:
+		decErr := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(v)
+		if decErr == io.EOF {
+			decErr = nil // ignore EOF errors caused by empty response body
+		}
+		if decErr != nil {
+			err = decErr
 		}
 	}
-
-	return response, err
+	return resp, err
 }
 
 // checkRateLimitBeforeDo does not make any network calls, but uses existing knowledge from
diff --git a/github/github_test.go b/github/github_test.go
index e95c2d00b00..db50b465555 100644
--- a/github/github_test.go
+++ b/github/github_test.go
@@ -1560,3 +1560,38 @@ func TestAddOptions_QueryValues(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("addOptions err = nil, want error")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestBareDo_returnsOpenBody(t *testing.T) {
+
+	client, mux, _, teardown := setup()
+	defer teardown()
+
+	expectedBody := "Hello from the other side !"
+
+	mux.HandleFunc("/test-url", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		testMethod(t, r, "GET")
+		fmt.Fprint(w, expectedBody)
+	})
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	req, err := client.NewRequest("GET", "test-url", nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("client.NewRequest returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	resp, err := client.BareDo(ctx, req)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("client.BareDo returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	got, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ioutil.ReadAll returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if string(got) != expectedBody {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected %q, got %q", expectedBody, string(got))
+	}
+	if err := resp.Body.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("resp.Body.Close() returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+}