diff --git a/bzz/httpaccess.go b/bzz/httpaccess.go
index 824667596f..35e84f29d6 100644
--- a/bzz/httpaccess.go
+++ b/bzz/httpaccess.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ A simple http server interface to Swarm
 package bzz
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethutil"
 	"io"
@@ -17,7 +18,9 @@ const (
 )
 
 var (
-	uriMatcher = regexp.MustCompile("^/raw/[0-9A-Fa-f]{64}$")
+	uriMatcher      = regexp.MustCompile("^/raw/[0-9A-Fa-f]{64}$")
+	manifestMatcher = regexp.MustCompile("^/[0-9A-Fa-f]{64}")
+	hashMatcher     = regexp.MustCompile("^[0-9A-Fa-f]{64}$")
 )
 
 type sequentialReader struct {
@@ -26,6 +29,13 @@ type sequentialReader struct {
 	ahead  map[int64](chan bool)
 }
 
+type manifestEntry struct {
+	Path         string
+	Hash         string
+	Content_type string
+	Status       int16
+}
+
 func (self *sequentialReader) ReadAt(target []byte, off int64) (n int, err error) {
 	if self.pos != off {
 		dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: deferred read in POST at position %d, offset %d.",
@@ -80,9 +90,68 @@ func handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, dpa *DPA) {
 		}
 	case r.Method == "GET":
 		if uriMatcher.MatchString(uri) {
+			dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: Raw GET request %s received", uri)
 			name := uri[5:]
 			key := ethutil.Hex2Bytes(name)
 			http.ServeContent(w, r, name+".bin", time.Unix(0, 0), dpa.Retrieve(key))
+			dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: Object %s returned.", name)
+		} else if manifestMatcher.MatchString(uri) {
+			dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: Structured GET request %s received.", uri)
+			name := uri[1:65]
+			path := uri[65:] // typically begins with a /
+			key := ethutil.Hex2Bytes(name)
+			manifestReader := dpa.Retrieve(key)
+			// TODO check size for oversized manifests
+			manifest := make([]byte, manifestReader.Size())
+			n, err := manifestReader.Read(manifest)
+			if err != nil {
+				dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: Manifest %s not found.", name)
+				http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+				return
+			}
+			dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: Manifest %s retrieved.")
+			manifestEntries := make([]manifestEntry, 0)
+			err = json.Unmarshal(manifest, &manifestEntries)
+			if err != nil {
+				dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: Manifest %s is malformed.", name)
+				http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+				return
+			} else {
+				dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: Manifest %s has %d entries.", name, len(manifestEntries))
+			}
+			var mimeType string
+			key = nil
+			prefix := 0
+			status := int16(404)
+			for i, entry := range manifestEntries {
+				if !hashMatcher.MatchString(entry.Hash) {
+					// hash is mandatory
+					break
+				}
+				if entry.Content_type == "" {
+					// content type defaults to manifest
+					entry.Content_type = "application/bzz-manifest+json"
+				}
+				if entry.Status == 0 {
+					// status defaults to 200
+					entry.Status = 200
+				}
+				pathLen := len(entry.Path)
+				if len(path) >= pathLen && path[:pathLen] == entry.Path && prefix < pathLen {
+					prefix = pathLen
+					key = ethutil.Hex2Bytes(entry.Hash)
+					mimeType = entry.Content_type
+					status = entry.Status
+				}
+			}
+			if key == nil {
+				http.Error(w, "Object "+uri+" not found.", http.StatusNotFound)
+			} else {
+				w.Header().Set("Content-Type", mimeType)
+				w.WriteHeader(int(status))
+				http.ServeContent(w, r, "", time.Unix(0, 0), dpa.Retrieve(key))
+				dpaLogger.Debugf("Swarm: Served %s as %s.", mimeType, uri)
+			}
 		} else {
 			http.Error(w, "Object "+uri+" not found.", http.StatusNotFound)
 		}
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index 367ca7ec68..0e51f3a277 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func New(config *Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 		ChunkStore: netStore,
 	}
 	dpa.Start()
-	bzz.StartHttpServer(dpa)
+	go bzz.StartHttpServer(dpa)
 
 	nat, err := p2p.ParseNAT(config.NATType, config.PMPGateway)
 	if err != nil {