diff --git a/hiredis.c b/hiredis.c
index a6c1261..877e446 100644
--- a/hiredis.c
+++ b/hiredis.c
@@ -633,12 +633,12 @@ static int redisContextConnect(redisContext *c, const char *ip, int port) {
     return REDIS_OK;
 }
 
-static redisContext *redisContextInit(redisReplyObjectFunctions *fn) {
+static redisContext *redisContextInit() {
     redisContext *c = calloc(sizeof(redisContext),1);
     c->error = NULL;
     c->obuf = sdsempty();
-    c->fn = fn == NULL ? &defaultFunctions : fn;
-    c->reader = redisReplyReaderCreate(c->fn);
+    c->fn = &defaultFunctions;
+    c->reader = NULL;
     return c;
 }
 
@@ -661,29 +661,46 @@ void redisFree(redisContext *c) {
         sdsfree(c->error);
     if (c->obuf != NULL)
         sdsfree(c->obuf);
-    redisReplyReaderFree(c->reader);
+    if (c->reader != NULL)
+        redisReplyReaderFree(c->reader);
     free(c);
 }
 
 /* Connect to a Redis instance. On error the field error in the returned
  * context will be set to the return value of the error function.
  * When no set of reply functions is given, the default set will be used. */
-redisContext *redisConnect(const char *ip, int port, redisReplyObjectFunctions *fn) {
-    redisContext *c = redisContextInit(fn);
+redisContext *redisConnect(const char *ip, int port) {
+    redisContext *c = redisContextInit();
     c->flags |= REDIS_BLOCK;
     c->flags |= REDIS_CONNECTED;
     redisContextConnect(c,ip,port);
     return c;
 }
 
-redisContext *redisConnectNonBlock(const char *ip, int port, redisReplyObjectFunctions *fn) {
-    redisContext *c = redisContextInit(fn);
+redisContext *redisConnectNonBlock(const char *ip, int port) {
+    redisContext *c = redisContextInit();
     c->flags &= ~REDIS_BLOCK;
     c->flags |= REDIS_CONNECTED;
     redisContextConnect(c,ip,port);
     return c;
 }
 
+/* Set the replyObjectFunctions to use. Returns REDIS_ERR when the reader
+ * was already initialized and the function set could not be re-set.
+ * Return REDIS_OK when they could be set. */
+int redisSetReplyObjectFunctions(redisContext *c, redisReplyObjectFunctions *fn) {
+    if (c->reader != NULL)
+        return REDIS_ERR;
+    c->fn = fn;
+    return REDIS_OK;
+}
+
+/* Helper function to lazily create a reply reader. */
+static void __redisCreateReplyReader(redisContext *c) {
+    if (c->reader == NULL)
+        c->reader = redisReplyReaderCreate(c->fn);
+}
+
 /* Register callback that is triggered when redisDisconnect is called. */
 void redisSetDisconnectCallback(redisContext *c, redisContextCallbackFn *fn, void *privdata) {
     c->cbDisconnect.fn = fn;
@@ -725,6 +742,7 @@ int redisBufferRead(redisContext *c) {
             "read: Server closed the connection");
         return REDIS_ERR;
     } else {
+        __redisCreateReplyReader(c);
         redisReplyReaderFeed(c->reader,buf,nread);
     }
     return REDIS_OK;
@@ -768,6 +786,7 @@ int redisBufferWrite(redisContext *c, int *done) {
 /* Internal helper function to try and get a reply from the reader,
  * or set an error in the context otherwise. */
 static int __redisGetReply(redisContext *c, void **reply) {
+    __redisCreateReplyReader(c);
     if (redisReplyReaderGetReply(c->reader,reply) == REDIS_ERR) {
         /* Copy the (protocol) error from the reader to the context. */
         c->error = sdsnew(((redisReader*)c->reader)->error);
diff --git a/hiredis.h b/hiredis.h
index 7a352b3..4142573 100644
--- a/hiredis.h
+++ b/hiredis.h
@@ -114,8 +114,9 @@ int redisvFormatCommand(char **target, const char *format, va_list ap);
 int redisFormatCommand(char **target, const char *format, ...);
 int redisFormatCommandArgv(char **target, int argc, const char **argv, const size_t *argvlen);
 
-redisContext *redisConnect(const char *ip, int port, redisReplyObjectFunctions *fn);
-redisContext *redisConnectNonBlock(const char *ip, int port, redisReplyObjectFunctions *fn);
+redisContext *redisConnect(const char *ip, int port);
+redisContext *redisConnectNonBlock(const char *ip, int port);
+int redisSetReplyObjectFunctions(redisContext *c, redisReplyObjectFunctions *fn);
 void redisDisconnect(redisContext *c);
 void redisFree(redisContext *c);
 int redisBufferRead(redisContext *c);
diff --git a/test.c b/test.c
index c1bbc21..b6e86f5 100644
--- a/test.c
+++ b/test.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ static long long usec(void) {
 
 static redisContext *blocking_context = NULL;
 static void __connect(redisContext **target) {
-    *target = blocking_context = redisConnect((char*)"127.0.0.1", 6379, NULL);
+    *target = blocking_context = redisConnect((char*)"127.0.0.1", 6379);
     if (blocking_context->error != NULL) {
         printf("Connection error: %s\n", blocking_context->error);
         exit(1);