diff --git a/lib/py/src/server/TServer.py b/lib/py/src/server/TServer.py
index d5d9c98..df2a7bb 100644
--- a/lib/py/src/server/TServer.py
+++ b/lib/py/src/server/TServer.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import threading
 
 from thrift.protocol import TBinaryProtocol
+from thrift.protocol.THeaderProtocol import THeaderProtocolFactory
 from thrift.transport import TTransport
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -60,6 +61,12 @@
         self.inputProtocolFactory = inputProtocolFactory
         self.outputProtocolFactory = outputProtocolFactory
 
+        input_is_header = isinstance(self.inputProtocolFactory, THeaderProtocolFactory)
+        output_is_header = isinstance(self.outputProtocolFactory, THeaderProtocolFactory)
+        if any((input_is_header, output_is_header)) and input_is_header != output_is_header:
+            raise ValueError("THeaderProtocol servers require that both the input and "
+                             "output protocols are THeaderProtocol.")
+
     def serve(self):
         pass
 
@@ -76,10 +83,20 @@
             client = self.serverTransport.accept()
             if not client:
                 continue
+
             itrans = self.inputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
-            otrans = self.outputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
             iprot = self.inputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(itrans)
-            oprot = self.outputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(otrans)
+
+            # for THeaderProtocol, we must use the same protocol instance for
+            # input and output so that the response is in the same dialect that
+            # the server detected the request was in.
+            if isinstance(self.inputProtocolFactory, THeaderProtocolFactory):
+                otrans = None
+                oprot = iprot
+            else:
+                otrans = self.outputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
+                oprot = self.outputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(otrans)
+
             try:
                 while True:
                     self.processor.process(iprot, oprot)
@@ -89,7 +106,8 @@
                 logger.exception(x)
 
             itrans.close()
-            otrans.close()
+            if otrans:
+                otrans.close()
 
 
 class TThreadedServer(TServer):
@@ -116,9 +134,18 @@
 
     def handle(self, client):
         itrans = self.inputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
-        otrans = self.outputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
         iprot = self.inputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(itrans)
-        oprot = self.outputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(otrans)
+
+        # for THeaderProtocol, we must use the same protocol instance for input
+        # and output so that the response is in the same dialect that the
+        # server detected the request was in.
+        if isinstance(self.inputProtocolFactory, THeaderProtocolFactory):
+            otrans = None
+            oprot = iprot
+        else:
+            otrans = self.outputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
+            oprot = self.outputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(otrans)
+
         try:
             while True:
                 self.processor.process(iprot, oprot)
@@ -128,7 +155,8 @@
             logger.exception(x)
 
         itrans.close()
-        otrans.close()
+        if otrans:
+            otrans.close()
 
 
 class TThreadPoolServer(TServer):
@@ -156,9 +184,18 @@
     def serveClient(self, client):
         """Process input/output from a client for as long as possible"""
         itrans = self.inputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
-        otrans = self.outputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
         iprot = self.inputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(itrans)
-        oprot = self.outputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(otrans)
+
+        # for THeaderProtocol, we must use the same protocol instance for input
+        # and output so that the response is in the same dialect that the
+        # server detected the request was in.
+        if isinstance(self.inputProtocolFactory, THeaderProtocolFactory):
+            otrans = None
+            oprot = iprot
+        else:
+            otrans = self.outputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
+            oprot = self.outputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(otrans)
+
         try:
             while True:
                 self.processor.process(iprot, oprot)
@@ -168,7 +205,8 @@
             logger.exception(x)
 
         itrans.close()
-        otrans.close()
+        if otrans:
+            otrans.close()
 
     def serve(self):
         """Start a fixed number of worker threads and put client into a queue"""
@@ -237,10 +275,18 @@
                     try_close(otrans)
                 else:
                     itrans = self.inputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
-                    otrans = self.outputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
-
                     iprot = self.inputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(itrans)
-                    oprot = self.outputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(otrans)
+
+                    # for THeaderProtocol, we must use the same protocol
+                    # instance for input and output so that the response is in
+                    # the same dialect that the server detected the request was
+                    # in.
+                    if isinstance(self.inputProtocolFactory, THeaderProtocolFactory):
+                        otrans = None
+                        oprot = iprot
+                    else:
+                        otrans = self.outputTransportFactory.getTransport(client)
+                        oprot = self.outputProtocolFactory.getProtocol(otrans)
 
                     ecode = 0
                     try:
@@ -254,7 +300,8 @@
                             ecode = 1
                     finally:
                         try_close(itrans)
-                        try_close(otrans)
+                        if otrans:
+                            try_close(otrans)
 
                     os._exit(ecode)