diff --git a/include/bitcoin/server/protocols/protocol_http.hpp b/include/bitcoin/server/protocols/protocol_http.hpp
index 3fa46ded..ccf8202e 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/server/protocols/protocol_http.hpp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/server/protocols/protocol_http.hpp
@@ -57,6 +57,16 @@ class BCS_API protocol_http
     /// Obtain cached request and clear cache (requires strand).
     network::http::request_cptr reset_request() NOEXCEPT;
 
+    /// Serialize the model into text, reserved from size_hint. The text is
+    /// the body and its length is the content_length, so the model is
+    /// serialized once and released before the write. A sufficient hint
+    /// serializes without reallocation, an insufficient one is correct but
+    /// grows, so the hint sizes the response rather than a reused buffer.
+    /// False where the model cannot be serialized, in which case text is not
+    /// assigned.
+    static bool materialize(std::string& text,
+        const boost::json::value& model, size_t size_hint) NOEXCEPT;
+
 private:
     // This is protected by strand.
     network::http::request_cptr request_{};
diff --git a/src/protocols/bitcoind/protocol_bitcoind_rest.cpp b/src/protocols/bitcoind/protocol_bitcoind_rest.cpp
index 02105c32..f2900187 100644
--- a/src/protocols/bitcoind/protocol_bitcoind_rest.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/bitcoind/protocol_bitcoind_rest.cpp
@@ -624,11 +624,17 @@ void protocol_bitcoind_rest::send_json(value&& model,
     add_common_headers(message, *request);
     add_access_control_headers(message, *request);
     message.set(field::content_type, json);
-    message.body() = json_value
+
+    // bitcoind frames every response with a content_length, so the body is
+    // serialized here and its length is the length of the buffer written.
+    std::string text{};
+    if (!materialize(text, model, size_hint))
     {
-        .model = std::move(model),
-        .size_hint = size_hint
-    };
+        send_internal_server_error(network::error::bad_alloc);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    message.body() = std::move(text);
     message.prepare_payload();
     SEND(std::move(message), handle_complete, _1, error::success);
 }
diff --git a/src/protocols/protocol_html.cpp b/src/protocols/protocol_html.cpp
index f0c2a68e..1f21cbed 100644
--- a/src/protocols/protocol_html.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/protocol_html.cpp
@@ -189,7 +189,16 @@ void protocol_html::send_json(boost::json::value&& model, size_t size_hint,
         .model = std::move(model),
         .size_hint = size_hint
     };
-    response.prepare_payload();
+
+    // http::body defines size(), so preparing the payload would declare a
+    // content_length. These clients read chunked and do not require one, and
+    // measuring a json body for it is a second serialization, so the framing
+    // is set here instead. A 1.0 response cannot chunk, so it is measured.
+    if (response.version() == version_1_1)
+        response.chunked(true);
+    else
+        response.prepare_payload();
+
     SEND(std::move(response), handle_complete, _1, error::success);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/protocols/protocol_http.cpp b/src/protocols/protocol_http.cpp
index d0a561dd..a5231124 100644
--- a/src/protocols/protocol_http.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/protocol_http.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 #include <bitcoin/server/protocols/protocol_http.hpp>
 
+#include <array>
 #include <bitcoin/server/define.hpp>
 
 namespace libbitcoin {
@@ -32,6 +33,51 @@ using namespace std::placeholders;
 BC_PUSH_WARNING(NO_VALUE_OR_CONST_REF_SHARED_PTR)
 BC_PUSH_WARNING(SMART_PTR_NOT_NEEDED)
 
+// Serialization.
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// The measure of an unmaterialized json body is a second serialization, as
+// beast requires the length before the body is written. Serializing once into
+// the buffer that is written obtains the same length from the bytes that carry
+// it, and releases the model before the write.
+bool protocol_http::materialize(std::string& text,
+    const boost::json::value& model, size_t size_hint) NOEXCEPT
+{
+    // The hint reserves the buffer, so a sufficient hint does not reallocate.
+    // The scratch is a serialization window, not a bound on the body.
+    constexpr size_t window = 4096;
+    std::string out{};
+
+    try
+    {
+        // Reserved within the guard, as a hint that exceeds max_size or
+        // cannot be allocated throws, which must not escape.
+        out.reserve(size_hint);
+
+        std::array<char, window> scratch{};
+        boost::json::serializer serializer{ model.storage() };
+        serializer.reset(&model);
+
+        while (!serializer.done())
+        {
+            const auto view = serializer.read(scratch.data(), scratch.size());
+
+            // No progress (edge case), as guarded by the json body writer.
+            if (view.empty())
+                return false;
+
+            out.append(view.data(), view.size());
+        }
+    }
+    catch (...)
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    text = std::move(out);
+    return true;
+}
+
 // Websocket dispatch.
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------