diff --git a/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/RibbonCommand.java b/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/RibbonCommand.java
index bc0fdd2b..b2107601 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/RibbonCommand.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/RibbonCommand.java
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ public class RibbonCommand extends HystrixCommand<HttpResponse> {
     MultivaluedMap<String, String> params;
     InputStream requestEntity;
 
-
     public RibbonCommand(RestClient restClient,
                          Verb verb,
                          String uri,
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@ public class RibbonCommand extends HystrixCommand<HttpResponse> {
         this("default", restClient, verb, uri, headers, params, requestEntity);
     }
 
-
     public RibbonCommand(String commandKey,
                          RestClient restClient,
                          Verb verb,
@@ -76,11 +74,10 @@ public class RibbonCommand extends HystrixCommand<HttpResponse> {
         }
     }
 
-    HttpResponse forward() throws Exception {
+    private HttpResponse forward() throws Exception {
 
         RequestContext context = RequestContext.getCurrentContext();
 
-
         Builder builder = HttpRequest.newBuilder().
                 verb(verb).
                 uri(uri).
diff --git a/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/ZuulProxyProperties.java b/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/ZuulProxyProperties.java
index eb6fba67..80d30d20 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/ZuulProxyProperties.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/ZuulProxyProperties.java
@@ -10,4 +10,5 @@ import org.springframework.boot.context.properties.ConfigurationProperties;
 @ConfigurationProperties("zuul.proxy")
 public class ZuulProxyProperties {
     private String mapping = "/proxy";
+    private boolean stripMapping = true; // this is currently the default behaviour
 }
diff --git a/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/filters/pre/PreDecorationFilter.java b/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/filters/pre/PreDecorationFilter.java
index 5368a2f0..1be07c07 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/filters/pre/PreDecorationFilter.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/zuul/filters/pre/PreDecorationFilter.java
@@ -44,9 +44,14 @@ public class PreDecorationFilter extends ZuulFilter {
 
         String requestURI = ctx.getRequest().getRequestURI();
 
-        //remove proxy prefix TODO: only if embedded proxy
         String proxyMapping = properties.getMapping();
-        final String uriPart = requestURI.replace(proxyMapping, ""); //TODO: better strategy?
+
+        final String uriPart;
+        if (properties.isStripMapping()) {
+            uriPart = requestURI.replace(proxyMapping, ""); //TODO: better strategy?
+        } else {
+            uriPart = requestURI;
+        }
         ctx.put("requestURI", uriPart);
 
         LinkedHashMap<String, String> routesMap = routes.getRoutes();
diff --git a/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/test/resources/application.yml b/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/test/resources/application.yml
index 139ea8cf..20dbfa6b 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/test/resources/application.yml
+++ b/spring-cloud-netflix-core/src/test/resources/application.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ eureka:
 
 zuul:
   proxy:
+    mapping: /api
+    stripMapping: false
     route:
-      testclient: /testing123
-      stores: /stores
+      testclient: /api/testing123
+      stores: /api/stores
+      customers: /api/customers