diff --git a/swh/core/api.py b/swh/core/api.py
--- a/swh/core/api.py
+++ b/swh/core/api.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
+import collections
 import json
 import logging
 import pickle
@@ -14,6 +15,10 @@
                           msgpack_dumps, msgpack_loads, SWHJSONDecoder)
 
 
+class RemoteException(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 class SWHRemoteAPI:
     """Proxy to an internal SWH API
 
@@ -29,40 +34,61 @@
     def _url(self, endpoint):
         return '%s%s' % (self.url, endpoint)
 
-    def post(self, endpoint, data):
+    def raw_post(self, endpoint, data, **opts):
         try:
-            response = self.session.post(
+            return self.session.post(
                 self._url(endpoint),
-                data=encode_data(data),
-                headers={'content-type': 'application/x-msgpack'},
+                data=data,
+                **opts
             )
         except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError as e:
             raise self.api_exception(e)
 
-        # XXX: this breaks language-independence and should be
-        # replaced by proper unserialization
-        if response.status_code == 400:
-            raise pickle.loads(decode_response(response))
-
-        return decode_response(response)
-
-    def get(self, endpoint, data=None):
+    def raw_get(self, endpoint, params=None, **opts):
         try:
-            response = self.session.get(
+            return self.session.get(
                 self._url(endpoint),
-                params=data,
+                params=params,
+                **opts
             )
         except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError as e:
             raise self.api_exception(e)
 
+    def post(self, endpoint, data, params=None):
+        data = encode_data(data)
+        response = self.raw_post(
+            endpoint, data, params=params,
+            headers={'content-type': 'application/x-msgpack'})
+        return self._decode_response(response)
+
+    def get(self, endpoint, params=None):
+        response = self.raw_get(endpoint, params=params)
+        return self._decode_response(response)
+
+    def post_stream(self, endpoint, data, params=None):
+        if not isinstance(data, collections.Iterable):
+            raise ValueError("`data` must be Iterable")
+        response = self.raw_post(endpoint, data, params=params)
+        return self._decode_response(response)
+
+    def get_stream(self, endpoint, params=None, chunk_size=4096):
+        response = self.raw_get(endpoint, params=params, stream=True)
+        return response.iter_content(chunk_size)
+
+    def _decode_response(self, response):
         if response.status_code == 404:
             return None
+        if response.status_code == 500:
+            data = decode_response(response)
+            if 'exception_pickled' in data:
+                raise pickle.loads(data['exception_pickled'])
+            else:
+                raise RemoteException(data['exception'])
 
         # XXX: this breaks language-independence and should be
         # replaced by proper unserialization
         if response.status_code == 400:
             raise pickle.loads(decode_response(response))
-
         else:
             return decode_response(response)
 
diff --git a/swh/core/api_async.py b/swh/core/api_async.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swh/core/api_async.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import aiohttp.web
+import asyncio
+import json
+import logging
+import multidict
+import pickle
+import sys
+import traceback
+
+from .serializers import msgpack_dumps, msgpack_loads, SWHJSONDecoder
+
+
+def encode_data_server(data, **kwargs):
+    return aiohttp.web.Response(
+        body=msgpack_dumps(data),
+        headers=multidict.MultiDict({'Content-Type': 'application/x-msgpack'}),
+        **kwargs
+    )
+
+
+@asyncio.coroutine
+def decode_request(request):
+    content_type = request.headers.get('Content-Type')
+    data = yield from request.read()
+
+    if content_type == 'application/x-msgpack':
+        r = msgpack_loads(data)
+    elif content_type == 'application/json':
+        r = json.loads(data, cls=SWHJSONDecoder)
+    else:
+        raise ValueError('Wrong content type `%s` for API request'
+                         % content_type)
+    return r
+
+
+@asyncio.coroutine
+def error_middleware(app, handler):
+    @asyncio.coroutine
+    def middleware_handler(request):
+        try:
+            return (yield from handler(request))
+        except Exception as e:
+            if isinstance(e, aiohttp.web.HTTPException):
+                raise
+            logging.exception(e)
+            exception = traceback.format_exception(*sys.exc_info())
+            res = {'exception': exception,
+                   'exception_pickled': pickle.dumps(e)}
+            return encode_data_server(res, status=500)
+    return middleware_handler
+
+
+class SWHRemoteAPI(aiohttp.web.Application):
+    def __init__(self, *args, middlewares=(), **kwargs):
+        middlewares = (error_middleware,) + middlewares
+        super().__init__(*args, middlewares=middlewares, **kwargs)