diff --git a/Remote/Web.hs b/Remote/Web.hs
index 71591b7aa0..d3d140d73b 100644
--- a/Remote/Web.hs
+++ b/Remote/Web.hs
@@ -14,10 +14,9 @@ module Remote.Web (
 import Control.Monad.State (liftIO)
 import Control.Exception
 import System.FilePath
-import Network.Curl.Easy
-import Network.Curl.Opts
-import Network.Curl.Types
-import Network.Curl.Code
+import Network.Browser
+import Network.HTTP
+import Network.URI
 
 import Types
 import Types.Remote
@@ -31,6 +30,8 @@ import PresenceLog
 import LocationLog
 import Locations
 
+type URLString = String
+
 remote :: RemoteType Annex
 remote = RemoteType {
 	typename = "web",
@@ -111,13 +112,19 @@ checkKey' (u:us) = do
 
 urlexists :: URLString -> IO Bool
 urlexists url = do
-	curl <- initialize
-	_ <- setopt curl (CurlURL url)
-	_ <- setopt curl (CurlNoBody True)
-	_ <- setopt curl (CurlFailOnError True)
-	_ <- setopt curl (CurlFollowLocation True)
-	res <- perform curl
-	return $ res == CurlOK
+	case parseURI url of
+		Nothing -> return False
+		Just u -> do
+			(_, r) <- Network.Browser.browse $ do
+				setErrHandler ignore
+				setOutHandler ignore
+				setAllowRedirects True
+				request (mkRequest HEAD u :: Request_String)
+			case rspCode r of
+				(2,_,_) -> return True
+				_ -> return False
+	where
+		ignore = const $ return ()
 
 download :: [URLString] -> FilePath -> Annex Bool
 download [] _ = return False
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 8f559bb028..37d03ceb20 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ git-annex (3.20110703) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     hard link made to it.
   * uninit: Use unannex in --fast mode, to support unannexing multiple
     files that link to the same content.
+  * Drop the dependency on the haskell curl bindings, use regular haskell HTTP.
 
  -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:50:21 -0400
 
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 07a9e4bbb2..4347233841 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ Build-Depends:
 	libghc-pcre-light-dev,
 	libghc-sha-dev,
 	libghc-dataenc-dev,
+	libghc-http-dev,
 	libghc-utf8-string-dev,
-	libghc-curl-dev,
 	libghc-hs3-dev (>= 0.5.6),
 	libghc-testpack-dev [any-i386 any-amd64],
 	ikiwiki,
diff --git a/doc/install.mdwn b/doc/install.mdwn
index 23a0da902d..38963695b8 100644
--- a/doc/install.mdwn
+++ b/doc/install.mdwn
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ To build and use git-annex, you will need:
   * [dataenc](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/dataenc)
   * [TestPack](http://hackage.haskell.org/cgi-bin/hackage-scripts/package/testpack)
   * [QuickCheck 2](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/QuickCheck)
-  * [curl](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/curl)
+  * [HTTP](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/HTTP)
   * [hS3](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hS3) (optional, but recommended)
 * Shell commands
   * [git](http://git-scm.com/)
diff --git a/doc/install/Fedora.mdwn b/doc/install/Fedora.mdwn
index 0050295e86..7814eec940 100644
--- a/doc/install/Fedora.mdwn
+++ b/doc/install/Fedora.mdwn
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ sudo cabal install pcre-light
 sudo cabal install quickcheck
 sudo cabal install SHA
 sudo cabal install dataenc
+sudo cabal install HTTP
 sudo cabal install hS3
 
 git clone git://git-annex.branchable.com/
diff --git a/doc/install/OSX.mdwn b/doc/install/OSX.mdwn
index 81ffe1d035..ade4fa30e8 100644
--- a/doc/install/OSX.mdwn
+++ b/doc/install/OSX.mdwn
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ sudo cabal install pcre-light
 sudo cabal install quickcheck  
 sudo cabal install SHA
 sudo cabal install dataenc
+sudo cabal install HTTP
 sudo cabal install hS3 # optional
 
 # optional: this will enable the gnu tools, (to give sha224sum etc..., it does not override the BSD userland)
diff --git a/git-annex.cabal b/git-annex.cabal
index d5a066cdff..f7a2bde858 100644
--- a/git-annex.cabal
+++ b/git-annex.cabal
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@ Executable git-annex
   Main-Is: git-annex.hs
   Build-Depends: haskell98, MissingH, hslogger, directory, filepath,
    unix, containers, utf8-string, network, mtl, bytestring, old-locale, time,
-   pcre-light, extensible-exceptions, dataenc, SHA, process, hS3, curl,
+   pcre-light, extensible-exceptions, dataenc, SHA, process, hS3, HTTP
    base < 5
 
 Executable git-annex-shell
   Main-Is: git-annex-shell.hs
   Build-Depends: haskell98, MissingH, hslogger, directory, filepath,
    unix, containers, utf8-string, network, mtl, bytestring, old-locale, time,
-   pcre-light, extensible-exceptions, dataenc, SHA, process, hS3, curl,
+   pcre-light, extensible-exceptions, dataenc, SHA, process, hS3, HTTP
    base < 5
 
 Executable git-union-merge