diff --git a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
index 54e732943b..4c3d45f48d 100755
--- a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ from .utils import (
     preferredencoding,
     SameFileError,
     sanitize_filename,
+    std_headers,
     subtitles_filename,
     takewhile_inclusive,
     UnavailableVideoError,
@@ -865,6 +866,36 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
                 return matches[-1]
         return None
 
+    def _calc_headers(self, info_dict):
+        res = std_headers.copy()
+
+        add_headers = info_dict.get('http_headers')
+        if add_headers:
+            res.update(add_headers)
+
+        cookies = self._calc_cookies(info_dict)
+        if cookies:
+            res['Cookie'] = cookies
+
+        return res
+
+    def _calc_cookies(self, info_dict):
+        class _PseudoRequest(object):
+            def __init__(self, url):
+                self.url = url
+                self.headers = {}
+                self.unverifiable = False
+
+            def add_unredirected_header(self, k, v):
+                self.headers[k] = v
+
+            def get_full_url(self):
+                return self.url
+
+        pr = _PseudoRequest(info_dict['url'])
+        self.cookiejar.add_cookie_header(pr)
+        return pr.headers.get('Cookie')
+
     def process_video_result(self, info_dict, download=True):
         assert info_dict.get('_type', 'video') == 'video'
 
@@ -933,6 +964,11 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
             # Automatically determine file extension if missing
             if 'ext' not in format:
                 format['ext'] = determine_ext(format['url']).lower()
+            # Add HTTP headers, so that external programs can use them from the
+            # json output
+            full_format_info = info_dict.copy()
+            full_format_info.update(format)
+            format['http_headers'] = self._calc_headers(full_format_info)
 
         format_limit = self.params.get('format_limit', None)
         if format_limit:
diff --git a/youtube_dl/downloader/external.py b/youtube_dl/downloader/external.py
index 5bf24ccbb7..af9fdba750 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/downloader/external.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/downloader/external.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import sys
 from .common import FileDownloader
 from ..utils import (
     encodeFilename,
-    std_headers,
 )
 
 
@@ -46,42 +45,6 @@ class ExternalFD(FileDownloader):
     def supports(cls, info_dict):
         return info_dict['protocol'] in ('http', 'https', 'ftp', 'ftps')
 
-    def _calc_headers(self, info_dict):
-        res = std_headers.copy()
-
-        add_headers = info_dict.get('http_headers')
-        if add_headers:
-            res.update(add_headers)
-
-        cookies = self._calc_cookies(info_dict)
-        if cookies:
-            res['Cookie'] = cookies
-
-        return res
-
-    def _calc_cookies(self, info_dict):
-        class _PseudoRequest(object):
-            def __init__(self, url):
-                self.url = url
-                self.headers = {}
-                self.unverifiable = False
-
-            def add_unredirected_header(self, k, v):
-                self.headers[k] = v
-
-            def get_full_url(self):
-                return self.url
-
-            def is_unverifiable(self):
-                return self.unverifiable
-
-            def has_header(self, h):
-                return h in self.headers
-
-        pr = _PseudoRequest(info_dict['url'])
-        self.ydl.cookiejar.add_cookie_header(pr)
-        return pr.headers.get('Cookie')
-
     def _call_downloader(self, tmpfilename, info_dict):
         """ Either overwrite this or implement _make_cmd """
         cmd = self._make_cmd(tmpfilename, info_dict)
@@ -107,7 +70,7 @@ class ExternalFD(FileDownloader):
 class CurlFD(ExternalFD):
     def _make_cmd(self, tmpfilename, info_dict):
         cmd = [self.exe, '-o', tmpfilename]
-        for key, val in self._calc_headers(info_dict).items():
+        for key, val in info_dict['http_headers'].items():
             cmd += ['--header', '%s: %s' % (key, val)]
         cmd += ['--', info_dict['url']]
         return cmd
@@ -116,7 +79,7 @@ class CurlFD(ExternalFD):
 class WgetFD(ExternalFD):
     def _make_cmd(self, tmpfilename, info_dict):
         cmd = [self.exe, '-O', tmpfilename, '-nv', '--no-cookies']
-        for key, val in self._calc_headers(info_dict).items():
+        for key, val in info_dict['http_headers'].items():
             cmd += ['--header', '%s: %s' % (key, val)]
         cmd += ['--', info_dict['url']]
         return cmd
@@ -131,7 +94,7 @@ class Aria2cFD(ExternalFD):
         if dn:
             cmd += ['--dir', dn]
         cmd += ['--out', os.path.basename(tmpfilename)]
-        for key, val in self._calc_headers(info_dict).items():
+        for key, val in info_dict['http_headers'].items():
             cmd += ['--header', '%s: %s' % (key, val)]
         cmd += ['--', info_dict['url']]
         return cmd