diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 3b612c1..6951222 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -59,10 +59,20 @@ func (c *Client) Get(url string) (*Response, error) {
 //
 // Generally Get will be used instead of Do.
 func (c *Client) Do(req *Request) (*Response, error) {
-	// Punycode request URL
-	if punycode, err := punycodeHost(req.URL.Host); err != nil {
+	// Punycode request URL host
+	hostname, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(req.URL.Host)
+	if err != nil {
+		// Likely no port
+		hostname = req.URL.Host
+		port = "1965"
+	}
+	punycode, err := punycodeHostname(hostname)
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
-	} else {
+	}
+	if hostname != punycode {
+		hostname = punycode
+
 		// Make a copy of the request
 		_req := *req
 		req = &_req
@@ -70,17 +80,21 @@ func (c *Client) Do(req *Request) (*Response, error) {
 		req.URL = &_url
 
 		// Set the host
-		req.URL.Host = punycode
+		req.URL.Host = net.JoinHostPort(hostname, port)
 	}
 
-	// Extract hostname and punycode it
-	hostname, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(req.Host)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	punycode, err := punycodeHostname(hostname)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	// Use request host if provided
+	if req.Host != "" {
+		hostname, port, err = net.SplitHostPort(req.Host)
+		if err != nil {
+			// Port is required
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		// Punycode hostname
+		hostname, err = punycodeHostname(hostname)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Connect to the host
@@ -96,7 +110,7 @@ func (c *Client) Do(req *Request) (*Response, error) {
 		VerifyConnection: func(cs tls.ConnectionState) error {
 			return c.verifyConnection(hostname, punycode, cs)
 		},
-		ServerName: punycode,
+		ServerName: hostname,
 	}
 
 	ctx := req.Context
@@ -109,7 +123,7 @@ func (c *Client) Do(req *Request) (*Response, error) {
 		Timeout: c.Timeout,
 	}
 
-	address := net.JoinHostPort(punycode, port)
+	address := net.JoinHostPort(hostname, port)
 	netConn, err := dialer.DialContext(ctx, "tcp", address)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/punycode.go b/punycode.go
index cf0ecb4..58f84e5 100644
--- a/punycode.go
+++ b/punycode.go
@@ -26,21 +26,3 @@ func punycodeHostname(hostname string) (string, error) {
 	}
 	return idna.Lookup.ToASCII(hostname)
 }
-
-// punycodeHost returns the punycoded version of host.
-// host may contain a port.
-func punycodeHost(host string) (string, error) {
-	hostname, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(host)
-	if err != nil {
-		hostname = host
-		port = ""
-	}
-	hostname, err = punycodeHostname(hostname)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	if port == "" {
-		return hostname, nil
-	}
-	return net.JoinHostPort(hostname, port), nil
-}
diff --git a/request.go b/request.go
index cd6c84f..1ee3789 100644
--- a/request.go
+++ b/request.go
@@ -18,8 +18,12 @@ type Request struct {
 	// requests) or the URL to access (for client requests).
 	URL *url.URL
 
-	// For client requests, Host specifies the server to connect to.
-	// Host must contain a port.
+	// For client requests, Host optionally specifies the server to
+	// connect to. It must be of the form "host:port".
+	// If empty, the value of URL.Host is used.
+	// For international domain names, Host may be in Punycode or
+	// Unicode form. Use golang.org/x/net/idna to convert it to
+	// either format if needed.
 	// This field is ignored by the Gemini server.
 	Host string
 
@@ -55,7 +59,7 @@ type Request struct {
 	Context context.Context
 }
 
-// NewRequest returns a new request. The host is inferred from the URL.
+// NewRequest returns a new request.
 //
 // The returned Request is suitable for use with Client.Do.
 func NewRequest(rawurl string) (*Request, error) {
@@ -67,18 +71,12 @@ func NewRequest(rawurl string) (*Request, error) {
 }
 
 // NewRequestFromURL returns a new request for the given URL.
-// The host is inferred from the URL.
 //
 // Callers should be careful that the URL query is properly escaped.
 // See the documentation for QueryEscape for more information.
 func NewRequestFromURL(url *url.URL) *Request {
-	host := url.Host
-	if url.Port() == "" {
-		host += ":1965"
-	}
 	return &Request{
-		URL:  url,
-		Host: host,
+		URL: url,
 	}
 }