diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index f2c52522d..3160978a6 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ services:
             - "./tests/system/test_apps/reporting_app:/opt/splunk/etc/apps/reporting_app"
             - "./tests/system/test_apps/streaming_app:/opt/splunk/etc/apps/streaming_app"
             - "./tests/system/test_apps/modularinput_app:/opt/splunk/etc/apps/modularinput_app"
+            - "./tests/system/test_apps/cre_app:/opt/splunk/etc/apps/cre_app"
             - "./splunklib:/opt/splunk/etc/apps/eventing_app/bin/splunklib"
             - "./splunklib:/opt/splunk/etc/apps/generating_app/bin/splunklib"
             - "./splunklib:/opt/splunk/etc/apps/reporting_app/bin/splunklib"
diff --git a/splunklib/binding.py b/splunklib/binding.py
index 4785309d1..84044fa62 100644
--- a/splunklib/binding.py
+++ b/splunklib/binding.py
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ class Context:
     :param headers: List of extra HTTP headers to send (optional).
     :type headers: ``list`` of 2-tuples.
     :param retries: Number of retries for each HTTP connection (optional, the default is 0).
-                    NOTE: THIS MAY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ROUNDTRIP CONNECTIONS 
+                    NOTE: THIS MAY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ROUNDTRIP CONNECTIONS
                     TO THE SPLUNK SERVER AND BLOCK THE CURRENT THREAD WHILE RETRYING.
     :type retries: ``int``
     :param retryDelay: How long to wait between connection attempts if `retries` > 0 (optional, defaults to 10s).
@@ -938,7 +938,12 @@ def request(
             str(mask_sensitive_data(dict(all_headers))),
             mask_sensitive_data(body),
         )
-        if body:
+
+        if isinstance(body, str):
+            if method.upper() == "GET":
+                raise Exception("unable to set string body on GET method request")
+            message = {"method": method, "headers": all_headers, "body": body}
+        elif body:
             body = _encode(**body)
 
             if method == "GET":
diff --git a/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/bin/execute.py b/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/bin/execute.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6dcf2122c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/bin/execute.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import splunk.rest
+import json
+
+
+class Handler(splunk.rest.BaseRestHandler):
+    def handle_GET(self):
+        self.response.setHeader("Content-Type", "application/json")
+        self.response.setHeader("x-foo", "bar")
+        self.response.status = 200
+        self.response.write(
+            json.dumps(
+                {
+                    "headers": self.headers(),
+                    "method": "GET",
+                }
+            )
+        )
+
+    def handle_DELETE(self):
+        self.handle_with_payload("DELETE")
+
+    def handle_POST(self):
+        self.handle_with_payload("POST")
+
+    def handle_PUT(self):
+        self.handle_with_payload("PUT")
+
+    def handle_PATCH(self):
+        self.handle_with_payload("PATCH")
+
+    def handle_with_payload(self, method):
+        self.response.setHeader("Content-Type", "application/json")
+        self.response.setHeader("x-foo", "bar")
+        self.response.status = 200
+        self.response.write(
+            json.dumps(
+                {
+                    "payload": self.request.get("payload"),
+                    "headers": self.headers(),
+                    "method": method,
+                }
+            )
+        )
+
+    def headers(self):
+        return {
+            k: v
+            for k, v in self.request.get("headers", {}).items()
+            if k.lower().startswith("x")
+        }
diff --git a/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/default/app.conf b/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/default/app.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3bed3cf95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/default/app.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+[id]
+name = cre_app
+version = 0.1.0
+
+[package]
+id = cre_app
+check_for_updates = False
+
+[install]
+is_configured = 0
+state = enabled
+
+[ui]
+is_visible = 1
+label = [EXAMPLE] CRE app
+
+[launcher]
+description = Example app that exposes custom rest endpoints
+version = 0.0.1
+author = Splunk
diff --git a/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/default/restmap.conf b/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/default/restmap.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2d9213910
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/system/test_apps/cre_app/default/restmap.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+[script:execute]
+match                 = /execute
+scripttype            = python
+handler               = execute.Handler
+
diff --git a/tests/system/test_cre_apps.py b/tests/system/test_cre_apps.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8a1a28f99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/system/test_cre_apps.py
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+#
+# Copyright © 2011-2025 Splunk, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"): you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+import json
+import pytest
+
+from tests import testlib
+from splunklib import results
+
+
+class TestJSONCustomRestEndpointsSpecialMethodHelpers(testlib.SDKTestCase):
+    app_name = "cre_app"
+
+    def test_GET(self):
+        resp = self.service.get(
+            app=self.app_name,
+            path_segment="execute",
+            headers=[("x-bar", "baz")],
+        )
+        self.assertIn(("x-foo", "bar"), resp.headers)
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            json.loads(str(resp.body)),
+            {
+                "headers": {"x-bar": "baz"},
+                "method": "GET",
+            },
+        )
+
+    def test_POST(self):
+        body = json.dumps({"foo": "bar"})
+        resp = self.service.post(
+            app=self.app_name,
+            path_segment="execute",
+            body=body,
+            headers=[("x-bar", "baz")],
+        )
+        self.assertIn(("x-foo", "bar"), resp.headers)
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            json.loads(str(resp.body)),
+            {
+                "payload": '{"foo": "bar"}',
+                "headers": {"x-bar": "baz"},
+                "method": "POST",
+            },
+        )
+
+    def test_DELETE(self):
+        # delete does allow specifying body and custom headers.
+        resp = self.service.delete(
+            app=self.app_name,
+            path_segment="execute",
+        )
+        self.assertIn(("x-foo", "bar"), resp.headers)
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            json.loads(str(resp.body)),
+            {
+                "payload": "",
+                "headers": {},
+                "method": "DELETE",
+            },
+        )
+
+
+class TestJSONCustomRestEndpointGenericRequest(testlib.SDKTestCase):
+    app_name = "cre_app"
+
+    def test_no_str_body_GET(self):
+        def with_body():
+            self.service.request(
+                app=self.app_name, method="GET", path_segment="execute", body="str"
+            )
+
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(
+            Exception, "unable to set string body on GET method request", with_body
+        )
+
+    def test_GET(self):
+        resp = self.service.request(
+            app=self.app_name,
+            method="GET",
+            path_segment="execute",
+            headers=[("x-bar", "baz")],
+        )
+        self.assertIn(("x-foo", "bar"), resp.headers)
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            json.loads(str(resp.body)),
+            {
+                "headers": {"x-bar": "baz"},
+                "method": "GET",
+            },
+        )
+
+    def test_POST(self):
+        self.method("POST")
+
+    def test_PUT(self):
+        self.method("PUT")
+
+    def test_PATCH(self):
+        if self.service.splunk_version[0] < 10:
+            self.skipTest("PATCH custom REST endpoints not supported on splunk < 10")
+        self.method("PATCH")
+
+    def test_DELETE(self):
+        self.method("DELETE")
+
+    def method(self, method: str):
+        body = json.dumps({"foo": "bar"})
+        resp = self.service.request(
+            app=self.app_name,
+            method=method,
+            path_segment="execute",
+            body=body,
+            headers=[("x-bar", "baz")],
+        )
+        self.assertIn(("x-foo", "bar"), resp.headers)
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            json.loads(str(resp.body)),
+            {
+                "payload": '{"foo": "bar"}',
+                "headers": {"x-bar": "baz"},
+                "method": method,
+            },
+        )