diff --git a/twython/api.py b/twython/api.py
index a133590..f4a7a0b 100644
--- a/twython/api.py
+++ b/twython/api.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ Twitter Authentication, and miscellaneous methods that are useful when
 dealing with the Twitter API
 """
 
+import sys
+
 import requests
 from requests.auth import HTTPBasicAuth
 from requests_oauthlib import OAuth1, OAuth2
@@ -131,7 +133,10 @@ class Twython(EndpointsMixin, object):
                 'data': params,
                 'files': files,
             })
-        response = func(url, **requests_args)
+        try:
+            response = func(url, **requests_args)
+        except requests.RequestException as e:
+            raise TwythonError, str(e), sys.exc_info()[2]
         content = response.content.decode('utf-8')
 
         # create stash for last function intel
diff --git a/twython/streaming/api.py b/twython/streaming/api.py
index c2fcec8..244a550 100644
--- a/twython/streaming/api.py
+++ b/twython/streaming/api.py
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ import time
 
 class TwythonStreamer(object):
     def __init__(self, app_key, app_secret, oauth_token, oauth_token_secret,
-                 timeout=300, retry_count=None, retry_in=10, client_args=None,
-                 handlers=None):
+                 timeout=300, retry_count=None, retry_in=10, headers=None, handlers=None):
         """Streaming class for a friendly streaming user experience
         Authentication IS required to use the Twitter Streaming API
 
@@ -37,9 +36,8 @@ class TwythonStreamer(object):
                             retired
         :param retry_in: (optional) Amount of time (in secs) the previous
                          API call should be tried again
-        :param client_args: (optional) Accepts some requests Session parameters and some requests Request parameters.
-                            See http://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/api/#sessionapi and requests section below it for details.
-                            [ex. headers, proxies, verify(SSL verification)]
+        :param headers: (optional) Custom headers to send along with the
+                        request
         :param handlers: (optional) Array of message types for which
                          corresponding handlers will be called
         """
@@ -47,28 +45,16 @@ class TwythonStreamer(object):
         self.auth = OAuth1(app_key, app_secret,
                            oauth_token, oauth_token_secret)
 
-        self.client_args = client_args or {}
-        default_headers = {'User-Agent': 'Twython Streaming v' + __version__}
-        if not 'headers' in self.client_args:
-            # If they didn't set any headers, set our defaults for them
-            self.client_args['headers'] = default_headers
-        elif 'User-Agent' not in self.client_args['headers']:
-            # If they set headers, but didn't include User-Agent.. set it for them
-            self.client_args['headers'].update(default_headers)
-        self.client_args['timeout'] = timeout
+        self.headers = {'User-Agent': 'Twython Streaming v' + __version__}
+        if headers:
+            self.headers.update(headers)
 
         self.client = requests.Session()
         self.client.auth = self.auth
+        self.client.headers = self.headers
         self.client.stream = True
 
-        # Make a copy of the client args and iterate over them
-        # Pop out all the acceptable args at this point because they will
-        # Never be used again.
-        client_args_copy = self.client_args.copy()
-        for k, v in client_args_copy.items():
-            if k in ('cert', 'headers', 'hooks', 'max_redirects', 'proxies'):
-                setattr(self.client, k, v)
-                self.client_args.pop(k)  # Pop, pop!
+        self.timeout = timeout
 
         self.api_version = '1.1'
 
@@ -94,20 +80,12 @@ class TwythonStreamer(object):
         func = getattr(self.client, method)
 
         def _send(retry_counter):
-            requests_args = {}
-            for k, v in self.client_args.items():
-            # Maybe this should be set as a class variable and only done once?
-                if k in ('timeout', 'allow_redirects', 'verify'):
-                    requests_args[k] = v
-
             while self.connected:
                 try:
                     if method == 'get':
-                        requests_args['params'] = params
+                        response = func(url, params=params, timeout=self.timeout)
                     else:
-                        requests_args['data'] = params
-
-                    response = func(url, **requests_args)
+                        response = func(url, data=params, timeout=self.timeout)
                 except requests.exceptions.Timeout:
                     self.on_timeout()
                 else: