diff --git a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Controller.h b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Controller.h
index 82d902e4d4..62c135e9f4 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Controller.h
+++ b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Controller.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 	SidebarEntry *sidebarItems;
 	GameInstall *game;
 	NSDictionary *allMods;
+	NSMutableArray *httpRequests;
 	NSMutableDictionary *downloads;
 	BOOL hasMono;
 	
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@
 - (SidebarEntry *)sidebarModsTree;
 - (SidebarEntry *)sidebarOtherTree;
 
+- (void)fetchURL:(NSString *)url withCallback:(NSString *)cb;
 - (BOOL)registerDownload:(NSString *)key withURL:(NSString *)url filePath:(NSString *)path;
 - (Download *)downloadWithKey:(NSString *)key;
 - (BOOL)hasSupportedMono;
diff --git a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Controller.m b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Controller.m
index a9eb226bb8..4eb831ccea 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Controller.m
+++ b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Controller.m
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #import "ImageAndTextCell.h"
 #import "JSBridge.h"
 #import "Download.h"
+#import "HttpRequest.h"
 
 @implementation Controller
 @synthesize allMods;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
 	game = [[GameInstall alloc] initWithPath:gamePath];
 	[[JSBridge sharedInstance] setController:self];
 	downloads = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] init];
+	httpRequests = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
 	hasMono = [self hasSupportedMono];
 	if (hasMono)
 	{
@@ -120,6 +122,7 @@
 {
 	[sidebarItems release]; sidebarItems = nil;
 	[downloads release]; downloads = nil;
+	[httpRequests release]; httpRequests = nil;
 	[super dealloc];
 }
 
@@ -176,6 +179,17 @@
 	return [downloads objectForKey:key];
 }
 
+- (void)fetchURL:(NSString *)url withCallback:(NSString *)cb
+{
+	// Clean up any completed requests
+	for (int i = [httpRequests count] - 1; i >= 0; i--)
+		if ([[httpRequests objectAtIndex:i] terminated])
+			[httpRequests removeObjectAtIndex:i];
+	
+	// Create request
+	[httpRequests addObject:[HttpRequest requestWithURL:url callback:cb game:game]];
+}
+
 #pragma mark Sidebar Datasource and Delegate
 - (NSInteger)outlineView:(NSOutlineView *)anOutlineView numberOfChildrenOfItem:(id)item
 {
@@ -245,6 +259,10 @@ objectValueForTableColumn:(NSTableColumn *)tableColumn
 #pragma mark WebView delegates
 - (void)webView:(WebView *)sender didClearWindowObject:(WebScriptObject *)windowObject forFrame:(WebFrame *)frame
 {
+	// Cancel any in progress http requests
+	for (HttpRequest *r in httpRequests)
+		[r cancel];
+	
 	[windowObject setValue:[JSBridge sharedInstance] forKey:@"external"];
 }
 
diff --git a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Download.m b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Download.m
index 304c6f7737..0c90fe3e8c 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Download.m
+++ b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/Download.m
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 	[[NSFileManager defaultManager] removeItemAtPath:filename error:NULL];
 	bytesCompleted = bytesTotal = -1;
 	
-	[[JSBridge sharedInstance] notifyDownloadProgress:self];
+	[[JSBridge sharedInstance] runCallback:@"downloadProgressed" withArgument:[self key]];
 	[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver:self
 													name:NSFileHandleReadCompletionNotification
 												  object:[[task standardOutput] fileHandleForReading]];
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	[[JSBridge sharedInstance] notifyDownloadProgress:self];
+	[[JSBridge sharedInstance] runCallback:@"downloadProgressed" withArgument:[self key]];
 		
 	// Keep reading
 	if ([n object] != nil)
@@ -171,8 +171,8 @@
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	[[JSBridge sharedInstance] notifyExtractProgress:self];
-	
+	[[JSBridge sharedInstance] runCallback:@"extractProgressed" withArgument:[self key]];
+
 	// Keep reading
 	if ([n object] != nil)
 		[[n object] readInBackgroundAndNotify];
diff --git a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/JSBridge.h b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/JSBridge.h
index dfa82e0836..ec31f26bb3 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/JSBridge.h
+++ b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/JSBridge.h
@@ -19,6 +19,5 @@
 
 + (JSBridge *)sharedInstance;
 - (void)setController:(Controller *)aController;
-- (void)notifyDownloadProgress:(Download *)download;
-- (void)notifyExtractProgress:(Download *)download;
+- (void)runCallback:(NSString *)cb withArgument:(NSString *)arg;
 @end
diff --git a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/JSBridge.m b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/JSBridge.m
index 53c9b79be3..09fa40ed38 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/JSBridge.m
+++ b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/JSBridge.m
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ static JSBridge *SharedInstance;
 						@"log", NSStringFromSelector(@selector(log:)),
 						@"existsInMod", NSStringFromSelector(@selector(fileExists:inMod:)),
 						@"metadata", NSStringFromSelector(@selector(metadata:forMod:)),
-						@"httpRequest", NSStringFromSelector(@selector(httpRequest:)),
+						@"httpRequest", NSStringFromSelector(@selector(httpRequest:withCallback:)),
 						
 						// File downloading
 						@"registerDownload", NSStringFromSelector(@selector(registerDownload:withURL:filename:)),
@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ static JSBridge *SharedInstance;
 	[super dealloc];
 }
 
+- (void)runCallback:(NSString *)cb withArgument:(NSString *)arg
+{
+	NSString *cmd = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@('%@')", cb, 
+					  [arg stringByReplacingOccurrencesOfString:@"\n" withString:@"\\n"]];
+	[[[controller webView] windowScriptObject] evaluateWebScript:cmd];
+}
+
 #pragma mark JS API methods
 
 - (BOOL)launchMod:(NSString *)aMod
@@ -155,18 +162,6 @@ static JSBridge *SharedInstance;
 	return (d == nil) ? -1 : [d bytesTotal];
 }
 
-- (void)notifyDownloadProgress:(Download *)download
-{
-	[[[controller webView] windowScriptObject] evaluateWebScript:
-	 [NSString stringWithFormat:@"downloadProgressed('%@')",[download key]]];
-}
-
-- (void)notifyExtractProgress:(Download *)download
-{
-	[[[controller webView] windowScriptObject] evaluateWebScript:
-	 [NSString stringWithFormat:@"extractProgressed('%@')",[download key]]];
-}
-
 - (BOOL)extractDownload:(NSString *)key toPath:(NSString *)aFile inMod:(NSString *)aMod
 {
 	Download *d = [controller downloadWithKey:key];
@@ -233,12 +228,9 @@ static JSBridge *SharedInstance;
 	return @"";
 }
 
-- (NSString *)httpRequest:(NSString *)url
+- (void)httpRequest:(NSString *)url withCallback:(NSString *)cb
 {
-	NSLog(@"Requesting url %@",url);
-	NSString *response = [NSString stringWithContentsOfURL:[NSURL URLWithString:url] encoding:NSASCIIStringEncoding error:NULL];
-	NSLog(@"Response %@",response);
-	return response;
+	[controller fetchURL:url withCallback:cb];
 }
 
 @end
diff --git a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/OpenRA.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/OpenRA.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index 1df2076db4..5e6ff11485 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/OpenRA.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/OpenRA.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 		DA81FC3F12911E2B00C48F2F /* GameInstall.m in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = DA81FC3E12911E2B00C48F2F /* GameInstall.m */; };
 		DA9295A712921DF900EDB02E /* WebKit.framework in Frameworks */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = DA9295A612921DF900EDB02E /* WebKit.framework */; };
 		DA9296901292328200EDB02E /* SidebarEntry.m in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = DA92968F1292328200EDB02E /* SidebarEntry.m */; };
+		DAA3F31C12CBF60D00E214BF /* HttpRequest.m in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = DAA3F31B12CBF60D00E214BF /* HttpRequest.m */; };
 		DAB887F5129E5D6C00C99407 /* SDL in Resources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = DAB887EE129E5D6100C99407 /* SDL */; };
 /* End PBXBuildFile section */
 
@@ -49,6 +50,8 @@
 		DA9295A612921DF900EDB02E /* WebKit.framework */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = wrapper.framework; name = WebKit.framework; path = System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework; sourceTree = SDKROOT; };
 		DA92968E1292328200EDB02E /* SidebarEntry.h */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.h; path = SidebarEntry.h; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		DA92968F1292328200EDB02E /* SidebarEntry.m */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.objc; path = SidebarEntry.m; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		DAA3F31A12CBF60D00E214BF /* HttpRequest.h */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.h; path = HttpRequest.h; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		DAA3F31B12CBF60D00E214BF /* HttpRequest.m */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.objc; path = HttpRequest.m; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		DAB887EE129E5D6100C99407 /* SDL */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = "compiled.mach-o.dylib"; path = SDL; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 /* End PBXFileReference section */
 
@@ -80,8 +83,10 @@
 				DA7D85661295E92900E58547 /* Download.m */,
 				DA92968E1292328200EDB02E /* SidebarEntry.h */,
 				DA92968F1292328200EDB02E /* SidebarEntry.m */,
-				DA38212012925344003B0BB5 /* JSBridge.h */,
 				DA38212112925344003B0BB5 /* JSBridge.m */,
+				DA38212012925344003B0BB5 /* JSBridge.h */,
+				DAA3F31A12CBF60D00E214BF /* HttpRequest.h */,
+				DAA3F31B12CBF60D00E214BF /* HttpRequest.m */,
 			);
 			name = Classes;
 			sourceTree = "<group>";
@@ -229,6 +234,7 @@
 				DA9296901292328200EDB02E /* SidebarEntry.m in Sources */,
 				DA38212212925344003B0BB5 /* JSBridge.m in Sources */,
 				DA7D85671295E92900E58547 /* Download.m in Sources */,
+				DAA3F31C12CBF60D00E214BF /* HttpRequest.m in Sources */,
 			);
 			runOnlyForDeploymentPostprocessing = 0;
 		};
diff --git a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/build/Release/OpenRA.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenRA b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/build/Release/OpenRA.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenRA
index f22171139b..0a8ad609c0 100755
Binary files a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/build/Release/OpenRA.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenRA and b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/build/Release/OpenRA.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenRA differ
diff --git a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/build/Release/OpenRA.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MainMenu.nib b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/build/Release/OpenRA.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MainMenu.nib
index ee744dd90a..b2340f1712 100644
Binary files a/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/build/Release/OpenRA.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MainMenu.nib and b/OpenRA.Launcher.Mac/build/Release/OpenRA.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MainMenu.nib differ
diff --git a/OpenRA.Utility/Command.cs b/OpenRA.Utility/Command.cs
index 191dbdd872..a1247bae9c 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Utility/Command.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Utility/Command.cs
@@ -85,29 +85,48 @@ namespace OpenRA.Utility
 		public static void DownloadUrl(string argValue)
 		{
 			string[] args = argValue.Split(',');
+			string url = args[0];
+			WebClient wc = new WebClient();
+
+			if (args.Length == 1)
+			{
+				wc.DownloadStringCompleted += DownloadStringCompleted;
+				
+				wc.DownloadStringAsync(new Uri(url));
+			}
+			else if (args.Length == 2)
+			{
+				string path = args[1].Replace("~",Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal));
+				
+				wc.DownloadProgressChanged += DownloadProgressChanged;
+				wc.DownloadFileCompleted += DownloadFileCompleted;
+	
+				Console.WriteLine("Downloading {0} to {1}", url, path);
+				Console.WriteLine("Status: Initializing");
 			
-			if (args.Length != 2)
+				wc.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri(url), path);
+			}
+			else
 			{
 				Console.WriteLine("Error: invalid syntax");
 				return;
 			}
-			string url = args[0];
-			string path = args[1].Replace("~",Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal));
 			
-			WebClient wc = new WebClient();
-			wc.DownloadProgressChanged += DownloadProgressChanged;
-			wc.DownloadFileCompleted += DownloadFileCompleted;
-
-			Console.WriteLine("Downloading {0} to {1}", url, path);
-			Console.WriteLine("Status: Initializing");
-			
-			wc.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri(url), path);
 			while (!completed)
 				Thread.Sleep(500);
 		}
 
 		static bool completed = false;
 
+		static void DownloadStringCompleted(object sender, DownloadStringCompletedEventArgs e)
+		{
+			if (e.Error != null)
+				Console.WriteLine("Error: {0}", e.Error.Message);
+			else
+				Console.WriteLine(e.Result);
+			completed = true;
+		}
+		
 		static void DownloadFileCompleted(object sender, System.ComponentModel.AsyncCompletedEventArgs e)
 		{
 			if (e.Error != null)
diff --git a/OpenRA.Utility/Program.cs b/OpenRA.Utility/Program.cs
index c3e00f72ba..ccaf377137 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Utility/Program.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Utility/Program.cs
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Utility
 			Console.WriteLine();
 			Console.WriteLine("  -l,--list-mods                   List currently installed mods");
 			Console.WriteLine("  -i=MODS,--mod-info=MODS          List metadata for MODS (comma separated list of mods)");
-			Console.WriteLine("  --download-url=URL,DEST          Download a file from URL to DEST");
+			Console.WriteLine("  --download-url=URL,DEST          Download a file from URL to DEST (omit DEST to print to stdout)");
 			Console.WriteLine("  --extract-zip=ZIPFILE,PATH       Extract the zip ZIPFILE to DEST (relative to openra dir)");
 			Console.WriteLine("  --install-ra-packages=PATH       Install required packages for RA from CD to PATH");
 			Console.WriteLine("  --install-cnc-packages=PATH      Install required packages for C&C from CD to PATH");
diff --git a/mods/cnc/mod.html b/mods/cnc/mod.html
index fa15f5cd70..56673dba62 100644
--- a/mods/cnc/mod.html
+++ b/mods/cnc/mod.html
@@ -123,15 +123,23 @@
             window.external.extractDownload("cnc-packages","packages","cnc");
         }
         
+        function versionCallback(version)
+        {
+            document.getElementById("latestversion").innerHTML = version;
+        }
+        
+        function motdCallback(motd)
+        {
+            document.getElementById("motd").innerHTML = motd;
+        }
+        
         function onLoad()
         {
             refreshSections();
             var version = window.external.metadata("VERSION", "cnc");
             document.getElementById("installedversion").innerHTML = version;
-            document.getElementById("latestversion").innerHTML = window.external.httpRequest("http://master.open-ra.org/VERSION");
-            var motd = window.external.httpRequest("http://master.open-ra.org/motd.php?v="+version);
-            if (motd != undefined)
-                document.getElementById("motd").innerHTML = motd.substring(3);
+            window.external.httpRequest("http://master.open-ra.org/VERSION", "versionCallback");
+            window.external.httpRequest("http://master.open-ra.org/motd.php?v="+version, "motdCallback");
         }
         
         function refreshSections()
@@ -223,7 +231,7 @@
 
 		<div id="main">
 			<div id="content">
-			    <p>Latest version: <span id="latestversion">Unknown</span></p>
+			    <p>Latest version: <span id="latestversion">Checking...</span></p>
 				<p id="motd"></p>
 			</div>
 			<div id="buttons-install" class="buttons" style="display:none">
diff --git a/mods/ra/mod.html b/mods/ra/mod.html
index b88a41c0ac..39cec0cf5a 100644
--- a/mods/ra/mod.html
+++ b/mods/ra/mod.html
@@ -123,16 +123,23 @@
             window.external.extractDownload("ra-packages","packages","ra");
         }
         
+        function versionCallback(version)
+        {
+            document.getElementById("latestversion").innerHTML = version;
+        }
+        
+        function motdCallback(motd)
+        {
+            document.getElementById("motd").innerHTML = motd;
+        }
+        
         function onLoad()
         {
             refreshSections();
-            var version = window.external.metadata("VERSION", "ra");
+            var version = window.external.metadata("VERSION", "cnc");
             document.getElementById("installedversion").innerHTML = version;
-            document.getElementById("latestversion").innerHTML = window.external.httpRequest("http://master.open-ra.org/VERSION");
-            var motd = window.external.httpRequest("http://master.open-ra.org/motd.php?v="+version);
-            
-            if (motd != undefined)
-                document.getElementById("motd").innerHTML = motd.substring(3);
+            window.external.httpRequest("http://master.open-ra.org/VERSION", "versionCallback");
+            window.external.httpRequest("http://master.open-ra.org/motd.php?v="+version, "motdCallback");
         }
         
         function refreshSections()
@@ -224,7 +231,7 @@
 
 		<div id="main">
 			<div id="content">
-			    <p>Latest version: <span id="latestversion">Unknown</span></p>
+			    <p>Latest version: <span id="latestversion">Checking...</span></p>
 				<p id="motd"></p>
 			</div>
 			<div id="buttons-install" class="buttons" style="display:none">