diff --git a/platypush/__init__.py b/platypush/__init__.py
index 0e220c8096..04b7aea438 100644
--- a/platypush/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/__init__.py
@@ -75,14 +75,6 @@ class Daemon(object):
                 msg -- platypush.message.Message instance """
 
             if isinstance(msg, Request):
-                if msg.action.startswith('procedure.'):
-                    logging.info('Executing procedure request: {}'.format(msg))
-                    proc_name = msg.action.split('.')[-1]
-                    proc_config = Config.get_procedures()[proc_name]
-                    msg = Procedure.build(name=proc_name, requests=proc_config, backend=msg.backend, id=msg.id)
-                else:
-                    logging.info('Processing request: {}'.format(msg))
-
                 msg.execute(n_tries=self.n_tries)
                 self.processed_requests += 1
                 if self.requests_to_process \
diff --git a/platypush/__main__.py b/platypush/__main__.py
index 211b5fef0c..38caff4e55 100644
--- a/platypush/__main__.py
+++ b/platypush/__main__.py
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 import sys
 
-from . import Daemon, __version__
+from platypush import Daemon, __version__
 
-def main(args=sys.argv[1:]):
-    print('Starting platypush v.{}'.format(__version__))
-    app = Daemon.build_from_cmdline(args)
-    app.start()
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    main()
+print('Starting platypush v.{}'.format(__version__))
+app = Daemon.build_from_cmdline(sys.argv[1:])
+app.start()
 
 
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
diff --git a/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..84f41f2458
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import logging
+import json
+
+from multiprocessing import Process
+from flask import Flask, abort, jsonify, request
+
+from platypush.message import Message
+from platypush.message.request import Request
+
+from .. import Backend
+
+
+class HttpBackend(Backend):
+    """ Example interaction with the HTTP backend to make requests:
+        $ curl -XPOST \
+            -d 'msg={"type":"request","target":"volta","action":"tts.say","args": {"phrase":"This is a test"}}' \
+            http://localhost:8008 """
+
+    def __init__(self, port=8008, token=None, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(**kwargs)
+        self.port = port
+        self.token = token
+
+
+    def send_message(self, msg):
+        raise NotImplementedError('Use cURL or any HTTP client to query the HTTP backend')
+
+
+    def _start_server(self):
+        def app_main():
+            app = Flask(__name__)
+
+            @app.route('/', methods=['POST'])
+            def index():
+                args = { k:v for (k,v) in request.form.items() }
+
+                if self.token:
+                    if 'token' not in args or args['token'] != self.token:
+                        abort(401)
+
+                if 'msg' not in args:
+                    abort(400)
+
+                msg = Message.build(args['msg'])
+                logging.debug('Received message on HTTP backend: {}'.format(msg))
+
+                if isinstance(msg, Request):
+                    response = msg.execute(async=False)
+                    return str(response)
+
+                return jsonify({ 'status': 'ok' })
+
+            app.run(debug=True, host='0.0.0.0', port=self.port)
+            logging.info('Initialized HTTP backend on port {}'.format(self.port))
+
+        return app_main
+
+    def run(self):
+        super().run()
+        self.server_proc = Process(target=self._start_server())
+        self.server_proc.start()
+        self.server_proc.join()
+
+
+# vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
+
diff --git a/platypush/message/request/__init__.py b/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
index f506bf37f3..5bc1a0160e 100644
--- a/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/message/request/__init__.py
@@ -51,15 +51,33 @@ class Request(Message):
             id += '%.2x' % random.randint(0, 255)
         return id
 
-    def execute(self, n_tries=1):
+
+    def _execute_procedure(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        from config import Config
+
+        logging.info('Executing procedure request: {}'.format(procedure))
+        proc_name = self.action.split('.')[-1]
+        proc_config = Config.get_procedures()[proc_name]
+        proc = Procedure.build(name=proc_name, requests=proc_config, backend=self.backend, id=self.id)
+        proc.execute(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+    def execute(self, n_tries=1, async=True):
         """
         Execute this request and returns a Response object
         Params:
             n_tries -- Number of tries in case of failure before raising a RuntimeError
+            async   -- If True, the request will be run asynchronously and the
+                       response posted on the bus when available (default),
+                       otherwise the current thread will wait for the response
+                       to be returned synchronously.
         """
-        def _thread_func(n_tries):
-            (module_name, method_name) = get_module_and_method_from_action(self.action)
 
+        def _thread_func(n_tries):
+            if self.action.startswith('procedure.'):
+                return self._execute_procedure(n_tries=n_tries)
+
+            (module_name, method_name) = get_module_and_method_from_action(self.action)
             plugin = get_plugin(module_name)
 
             try:
@@ -80,14 +98,20 @@ class Request(Message):
                     _thread_func(n_tries-1)
                     return
             finally:
-                # Send the response on the backend
-                if self.backend and self.origin:
-                    self.backend.send_response(response=response, request=self)
+                if async:
+                    # Send the response on the backend
+                    if self.backend and self.origin:
+                        self.backend.send_response(response=response, request=self)
+                    else:
+                        logging.info('Response whose request has no ' +
+                                    'origin attached: {}'.format(response))
                 else:
-                    logging.info('Response whose request has no ' +
-                                 'origin attached: {}'.format(response))
+                    return response
 
-        Thread(target=_thread_func, args=(n_tries,)).start()
+        if async:
+            Thread(target=_thread_func, args=(n_tries,)).start()
+        else:
+            return _thread_func(n_tries)
 
 
     def __str__(self):
diff --git a/platypush/pusher/__main__.py b/platypush/pusher/__main__.py
index f805600944..34bdf2b544 100644
--- a/platypush/pusher/__main__.py
+++ b/platypush/pusher/__main__.py
@@ -2,17 +2,14 @@ import sys
 
 from . import Pusher
 
-def main(args=sys.argv[1:]):
-    opts = Pusher.parse_build_args(args)
-    pusher = Pusher(config_file=opts.config, backend=opts.backend)
+opts = Pusher.parse_build_args(sys.argv[1:])
+pusher = Pusher(config_file=opts.config, backend=opts.backend)
 
-    if opts.type == 'event':
-        pusher.send_event(target=opts.target, type=opts.event, **opts.args)
-    else:
-        pusher.send_request(target=opts.target, action=opts.action, timeout=opts.timeout, **opts.args)
+if opts.type == 'event':
+    pusher.send_event(target=opts.target, type=opts.event, **opts.args)
+else:
+    pusher.send_request(target=opts.target, action=opts.action, timeout=opts.timeout, **opts.args)
 
 
-main()
-
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
 
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index b978796957..c65c0d08a9 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ kafka-python
 # PushBullet backend support
 websocket-client
 
+# HTTP backend support
+flask
+
 # Philips Hue plugin support
 phue
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 5787887e72..e158908e6f 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ setup(
     packages = find_packages(),
     entry_points = {
         'console_scripts': [
-            'platypush=platypush.__main__:main',
-            'pusher=platypush.pusher.__main__:main',
+            'platypush=platypush.__main__',
+            'pusher=platypush.pusher.__main__',
         ],
     },
     data_files = [
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ setup(
     extras_require = {
         'Support for Apache Kafka backend': ['kafka-python'],
         'Support for Pushbullet backend': ['requests', 'websocket-client'],
+        'Support for HTTP backend': ['flask'],
         'Support for Philips Hue plugin': ['phue'],
         'Support for MPD/Mopidy music server plugin': ['python-mpd2'],
         'Support for Belkin WeMo Switch plugin': ['ouimeaux'],
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ setup(
         'Support for OMXPlayer plugin': ['omxplayer'],
         'Support for YouTube in the OMXPlayer plugin': ['youtube-dl'],
         'Support for Google Assistant': ['google-assistant-sdk[samples]'],
-        'Support for Flic buttons': ['-e git+https://github.com/50ButtonsEach/fliclib-linux-hci']
+        # 'Support for Flic buttons': ['-e git+https://github.com/50ButtonsEach/fliclib-linux-hci']
     },
 )