diff --git a/tower-http/Cargo.toml b/tower-http/Cargo.toml
index b88ddeb3..598c376f 100644
--- a/tower-http/Cargo.toml
+++ b/tower-http/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ futures-util = { version = "0.3.14", default_features = false, features = [] }
 http = "0.2.7"
 http-body = "0.4.5"
 pin-project-lite = "0.2.7"
+# Required for some semantics in some middlewares that pin-project-lite does not support
+pin-project = "1.1.3"
 tower-layer = "0.3"
 tower-service = "0.3"
 
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ full = [
     "auth",
     "catch-panic",
     "compression-full",
+    "conditional-response",
     "cors",
     "decompression-full",
     "follow-redirect",
@@ -83,6 +86,7 @@ full = [
 add-extension = []
 auth = ["base64", "validate-request"]
 catch-panic = ["tracing", "futures-util/std"]
+conditional-response = []
 cors = []
 follow-redirect = ["iri-string", "tower/util"]
 fs = ["tokio/fs", "tokio-util/io", "tokio/io-util", "dep:http-range-header", "mime_guess", "mime", "percent-encoding", "httpdate", "set-status", "futures-util/alloc", "tracing"]
diff --git a/tower-http/src/builder.rs b/tower-http/src/builder.rs
index 2cb4f94a..c8985a3d 100644
--- a/tower-http/src/builder.rs
+++ b/tower-http/src/builder.rs
@@ -66,6 +66,17 @@ pub trait ServiceBuilderExt<L>: crate::sealed::Sealed<L> + Sized {
         value: T,
     ) -> ServiceBuilder<Stack<crate::add_extension::AddExtensionLayer<T>, L>>;
 
+    /// Conditionally bypass the inner service by providing an "early" response.
+    ///
+    /// See [`tower_http::conditional_response`] for more details.
+    ///
+    /// [`tower_http::conditional_response`]: crate::conditional_response
+    #[cfg(feature = "conditional-response")]
+    fn conditional_response<R>(
+        self,
+        responder: R,
+    ) -> ServiceBuilder<Stack<crate::conditional_response::ConditionalResponseLayer<R>, L>>;
+
     /// Apply a transformation to the request body.
     ///
     /// See [`tower_http::map_request_body`] for more details.
@@ -388,6 +399,14 @@ impl<L> ServiceBuilderExt<L> for ServiceBuilder<L> {
         self.layer(crate::add_extension::AddExtensionLayer::new(value))
     }
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "conditional-response")]
+    fn conditional_response<R>(
+        self,
+        responder: R,
+    ) -> ServiceBuilder<Stack<crate::conditional_response::ConditionalResponseLayer<R>, L>> {
+        self.layer(crate::conditional_response::ConditionalResponseLayer::new(responder))
+    }
+
     #[cfg(feature = "map-request-body")]
     fn map_request_body<F>(
         self,
diff --git a/tower-http/src/conditional_response.rs b/tower-http/src/conditional_response.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c6095a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tower-http/src/conditional_response.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,317 @@
+//!
+//! Conditionally provide a response instead of calling the inner service.
+//! 
+//! This middleware provides a way to conditionally skip calling the inner service
+//! if a response is already available for the request.
+//! 
+//! Probably the simplest visual for this is providing a cached response, though it
+//! is unlikely that this middleware is suitable for a robust response cache interface
+//! (or, more accurately, it's not the motivation for developing this so I haven't
+//! looked into it adequately enough to provide a robust argument for it being so!).
+//! 
+//! The premise is simple - write a (non-async) function that assesses the current request
+//! for the possibility of providing a response before invoking the inner service. Return
+//! the "early" response if that is possible, otherwise return the request.
+//! 
+//! The differences between using this and returning an error from a pre-inner layer are.
+//! 
+//! 1. The response will still pass through any _post_-inner layer processing
+//! 2. You aren't "hacking" the idea of an error when all you are trying to do is avoid
+//!    calling the inner service when it isn't necessary.
+//! 
+//! Possible uses:
+//! 
+//! * A pre-inner layer produces a successful response before the inner service is called
+//! * Caching (though see above - this could, however, be the layer that skips the inner
+//!   call while a more robust pre-inner layer implements the actual caching)
+//! * Mocking
+//! * Debugging
+//! * ...
+
+//! The function signature has to be:
+//!
+//! ```ignore
+//! fn responder(request: request type) -> conditional_response::ConditionalResponse<request type,response type>
+//! ```
+//! 
+//! Note in particular that there is no [`Result`] - if you have an error you should just generate an error response
+//! (or panic and rely on a panic_trapping layer to sort things out)
+//!
+//! # Example
+//! 
+//! ```rust
+//! use http::{Request, Response};
+//! use std::convert::Infallible;
+//! use tower::{Service, ServiceExt, ServiceBuilder};
+//! use tower_http::conditional_response::ConditionalResponse;
+//! use tower_http::ServiceBuilderExt;
+//! 
+//! # #[tokio::main]
+//! # async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+//! 
+//! //
+//! // The responder function here decides whether to return an early response based
+//! // upon the presence and value of a specific header.L
+//! //
+//! fn responder(request: Request<String>) -> ConditionalResponse<Request<String>,Response<String>> {
+//!     match request.headers().get("x-so-we-skip") {
+//!         Some(a) if a.to_str().unwrap() == "true" => ConditionalResponse::Response(Response::new("We skipped it".to_string())),
+//!         _ => ConditionalResponse::Request(request)
+//!     }
+//! }
+//!
+//! async fn handle(_req: Request<String>) -> Result<Response<String>, Infallible> {
+//!     // ...
+//! 	Ok(Response::new("We ran it".to_string()))
+//! }
+//! 
+//! let mut svc = ServiceBuilder::new()
+//!     //
+//!     // Directly wrap the target service with the conditional responder layer
+//!     //
+//!     .conditional_response(responder)
+//!     .service_fn(handle);
+//! 
+//! let request = Request::builder().header("x-so-we-skip","true").body("".to_string()).expect("Expected an empty body");
+
+//! // Call the service.
+//! let ready = futures::executor::block_on(svc.ready()).expect("Expected the service to be ready");
+//! let response = futures::executor::block_on(ready.call(request)).expect("Expected the service to be successful");
+//! assert_eq!(response.body(), "We skipped it");
+//! #
+//! # Ok(())
+//! # }
+//! ```
+
+use http::{Request, Response};
+use std::future::Future;
+use std::{
+    pin::Pin,
+    task::{Context, Poll},
+};
+use tower_layer::Layer;
+use tower_service::Service;
+use pin_project::pin_project;
+
+/// Layer that applies [`ConditionalResponseService`] which allows the caller to generate/return a response instead of calling the
+/// inner service - useful for stacks where a default response (rather than an error) is determined by a pre-service
+/// filter.
+///
+/// See the [module docs](crate::conditional_response) for more details.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct ConditionalResponseLayer<P> {
+    responder: P
+}
+
+impl<P> ConditionalResponseLayer<P> 
+{
+    /// Create a new [`ConditionalResponseLayer`].
+    pub fn new(responder:P) -> Self {
+        Self { responder }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<S,P> Layer<S> for ConditionalResponseLayer<P>
+where
+    P: Clone
+{
+    type Service = ConditionalResponseService<S,P>;
+
+    fn layer(&self, inner: S) -> Self::Service {
+        ConditionalResponseService::<S,P> {
+            inner,
+            responder: self.responder.clone(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Middleware that conditionally provides a response to a request in lieu of calling the inner service.
+///
+/// See the [module docs](crate::conditional_response) for more details.
+#[derive(Clone,Debug)]
+pub struct ConditionalResponseService<S,P> {
+    inner: S,
+    responder: P,
+}
+
+impl<S,P> ConditionalResponseService<S,P> 
+{
+    /// Create a new [`ConditionalResponseService`] with the inner service and the "responder" function.
+    pub fn new(inner: S, responder: P) -> Self {
+        Self { inner, responder }
+    }
+
+    define_inner_service_accessors!();
+
+    /// Returns a new [`Layer`] that wraps services with a `ConditionalResponseService` middleware.
+    ///
+    /// [`Layer`]: tower_layer::Layer
+    pub fn layer(responder: P) -> ConditionalResponseLayer<P> {
+        ConditionalResponseLayer::<P>::new(responder)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<ReqBody, ResBody, S,P> Service<Request<ReqBody>> for ConditionalResponseService<S,P>
+where
+    S: Service<Request<ReqBody>, Response = Response<ResBody>> + Clone + Send + 'static,
+    P: ConditionalResponder<Request<ReqBody>,Response<ResBody>>,
+    ReqBody: Send + Sync + Clone
+{
+    type Response = S::Response;
+    type Error = S::Error;
+    type Future = ResponseFuture<S::Future,S::Response>;
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
+        self.inner.poll_ready(cx)
+    }
+
+    fn call(&mut self, req: Request<ReqBody>) -> Self::Future {
+        match self.responder.has_response(req) {
+            ConditionalResponse::Request(t) => ResponseFuture::<S::Future,S::Response>::Future(self.inner.call(t)),
+            ConditionalResponse::Response(r) => ResponseFuture::<S::Future,S::Response>::Response(Some(r))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
+/// Response future for [`ConditionalResponseService`].
+/// 
+/// We use an enum because the inner content may be a future or
+/// or may be a direct response.
+/// 
+/// We use an option for the direct response so that ownership can be taken.
+/// 
+#[derive(Debug)]
+#[pin_project(project = ResponseFutureProj)]
+pub enum ResponseFuture<F,R> {
+    ///
+    /// The future contains a direct response to return on first poll
+    ///
+    Response(Option<R>),
+    ///
+    /// The future contains a "child" future that should be polled
+    ///
+    Future(#[pin] F),
+}
+
+impl<F, ResBody, E> Future for ResponseFuture<F,Response<ResBody>>
+where
+    F: Future<Output = Result<Response<ResBody>, E>>, 
+{
+    type Output = F::Output;
+
+    fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
+        match self.project() {
+            ResponseFutureProj::Response(r) => Poll::Ready(Ok(r.take().unwrap())),
+            ResponseFutureProj::Future(ref mut future) => future.as_mut().poll(cx)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+///
+/// The response required from the responder function.
+/// 
+pub enum ConditionalResponse<T,R>  {
+    ///
+    /// No response is available, so return the request
+    /// 
+    Request(T),
+    ///
+    /// A response is available, so return the response
+    /// 
+    Response(R)
+}
+
+///
+/// Fn trait for functions that consume a request and return a
+/// ConditionalResponse variant.
+/// 
+
+pub trait ConditionalResponder<T,R> {
+    /// The type of requests returned by [`has_response`].
+    ///
+    /// This request is forwarded to the inner service if the responder
+    /// succeeds.
+    ///
+    /// [`has_response`]: crate::filter::responder::has_response
+    /// has_response whether the given request should be forwarded.
+    ///
+    /// If the future resolves with [`Ok`], the request is forwarded to the inner service.
+    fn has_response(&mut self, request: T) -> ConditionalResponse<T,R>;
+}
+
+impl<F, T, R> ConditionalResponder<T,R> for F
+where
+    F: FnMut(T) -> ConditionalResponse<T,R>,
+{
+    fn has_response(&mut self, request: T) -> ConditionalResponse<T,R> {
+        self(request)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+ mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+ 	use http::{Request, Response};
+ 	use std::convert::Infallible;
+ 	use tower::{Service, ServiceExt, ServiceBuilder};
+    use crate::builder::ServiceBuilderExt;
+ 	use crate::conditional_response::ConditionalResponseLayer;
+
+    fn responder(request: Request<String>) -> ConditionalResponse<Request<String>,Response<String>> {
+        match request.headers().get("x-so-we-skip") {
+            Some(a) if a.to_str().unwrap() == "true" => ConditionalResponse::Response(Response::new("We skipped it".to_string())),
+            _ => ConditionalResponse::Request(request)
+        }
+    }
+
+    async fn handle(_req: Request<String>) -> Result<Response<String>, Infallible> {
+		Ok(Response::new("We ran it".to_string()))
+	}
+
+    #[test]
+    fn skip_test() {
+		let mut svc = ServiceBuilder::new()
+			.layer(ConditionalResponseLayer::new(responder))
+			.service_fn(handle);
+
+		let request = Request::builder().header("x-so-we-skip","true").body("".to_string()).expect("Expected an empty body");
+
+		// Call the service.
+		let ready = futures::executor::block_on(svc.ready()).expect("Expected the service to be ready");
+		let response = futures::executor::block_on(ready.call(request)).expect("Expected the service to be successful");
+		assert_eq!(response.body(), "We skipped it");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_skip_test_header() {
+		let mut svc = ServiceBuilder::new()
+			.layer(ConditionalResponseLayer::new(responder))
+			.service_fn(handle);
+
+		let request = Request::builder().header("x-so-we-skip","not true").body("".to_string()).expect("Expected an empty body");
+
+		// Call the service.
+		let ready = futures::executor::block_on(svc.ready()).expect("Expected the service to be ready");
+		let response = futures::executor::block_on(ready.call(request)).expect("Expected the service to be successful");
+		assert_eq!(response.body(), "We ran it");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_skip_test_no_header() {
+		let mut svc = ServiceBuilder::new()
+			.conditional_response(responder)
+			.service_fn(handle);
+
+		let request = Request::builder().body("".to_string()).expect("Expected an empty body");
+
+		// Call the service.
+		let ready = futures::executor::block_on(svc.ready()).expect("Expected the service to be ready");
+		let response = futures::executor::block_on(ready.call(request)).expect("Expected the service to be successful");
+		assert_eq!(response.body(), "We ran it");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tower-http/src/lib.rs b/tower-http/src/lib.rs
index 6719ddbd..734c4484 100644
--- a/tower-http/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tower-http/src/lib.rs
@@ -320,6 +320,9 @@ pub mod request_id;
 #[cfg(feature = "catch-panic")]
 pub mod catch_panic;
 
+#[cfg(feature = "conditional-response")]
+pub mod conditional_response;
+
 #[cfg(feature = "set-status")]
 pub mod set_status;