diff --git a/actix-http/CHANGES.md b/actix-http/CHANGES.md
index 2beda3dcc..c3dc1de0f 100644
--- a/actix-http/CHANGES.md
+++ b/actix-http/CHANGES.md
@@ -3,9 +3,14 @@
 ## Unreleased - 2021-xx-xx
 ### Added
 * `AnyBody::empty` for quickly creating an empty body. [#2446]
+* `impl Clone` for `AnyBody<S> where S: Clone`. [#????]
+* `AnyBody::into_boxed` for quickly converting to a type-erased, boxed body type. [#????]
 
 ### Changed
 * Rename `AnyBody::{Message => Stream}`. [#2446]
+* Rename `AnyBody::{from_message => new_boxed}`. [#????]
+* Rename `BoxAnyBody` to `BoxBody` [#????]
+* Change representation of `AnyBody` to include a type parameter in `Stream` variant. Defaults to `BoxBody`. [#????]
 
 ### Removed
 * `AnyBody::Empty`; an empty body can now only be represented as a zero-length `Bytes` variant. [#2446]
diff --git a/actix-http/Cargo.toml b/actix-http/Cargo.toml
index 784312445..27a147379 100644
--- a/actix-http/Cargo.toml
+++ b/actix-http/Cargo.toml
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ regex = "1.3"
 rustls-pemfile = "0.2"
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1.0"
+static_assertions = "1"
 tls-openssl = { package = "openssl", version = "0.10.9" }
 tls-rustls = { package = "rustls", version = "0.20.0" }
 tokio = { version = "1.2", features = ["net", "rt"] }
diff --git a/actix-http/src/body/body.rs b/actix-http/src/body/body.rs
index 32b464486..6b6263889 100644
--- a/actix-http/src/body/body.rs
+++ b/actix-http/src/body/body.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ use super::{BodySize, BodyStream, MessageBody, MessageBodyMapErr, SizedStream};
 pub type Body = AnyBody;
 
 /// Represents various types of HTTP message body.
-pub enum AnyBody {
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub enum AnyBody<S = BoxBody> {
     /// Empty response. `Content-Length` header is not set.
     None,
 
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ pub enum AnyBody {
     Bytes(Bytes),
 
     /// Generic message body.
-    Stream(BoxAnyBody),
+    Stream(S),
 }
 
 impl AnyBody {
@@ -33,22 +34,45 @@ impl AnyBody {
         Self::Bytes(Bytes::new())
     }
 
-    /// Create body from slice (copy)
-    pub fn from_slice(s: &[u8]) -> Self {
-        Self::Bytes(Bytes::copy_from_slice(s))
-    }
-
-    /// Create body from generic message body.
-    pub fn from_message<B>(body: B) -> Self
+    /// Create boxed body from generic message body.
+    pub fn new_boxed<B>(body: B) -> Self
     where
         B: MessageBody + 'static,
         B::Error: Into<Box<dyn StdError + 'static>>,
     {
-        Self::Stream(BoxAnyBody::from_body(body))
+        Self::Stream(BoxBody::from_body(body))
+    }
+
+    /// Create body from slice (copy)
+    pub fn from_slice(s: &[u8]) -> Self {
+        Self::Bytes(Bytes::copy_from_slice(s))
     }
 }
 
-impl MessageBody for AnyBody {
+impl<B> AnyBody<B>
+where
+    B: MessageBody + 'static,
+    B::Error: Into<Box<dyn StdError + 'static>>,
+{
+    /// Create body from generic message body.
+    pub fn new(body: B) -> Self {
+        Self::Stream(body)
+    }
+
+    pub fn into_boxed(self) -> AnyBody {
+        match self {
+            AnyBody::None => AnyBody::new_boxed(()),
+            AnyBody::Bytes(body) => AnyBody::new_boxed(body),
+            AnyBody::Stream(body) => AnyBody::new_boxed(body),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<S> MessageBody for AnyBody<S>
+where
+    S: MessageBody + Unpin,
+    S::Error: StdError + 'static,
+{
     type Error = Error;
 
     fn size(&self) -> BodySize {
@@ -74,8 +98,7 @@ impl MessageBody for AnyBody {
                 }
             }
 
-            AnyBody::Stream(body) => body
-                .as_pin_mut()
+            AnyBody::Stream(body) => Pin::new(body)
                 .poll_next(cx)
                 .map_err(|err| Error::new_body().with_cause(err)),
         }
@@ -95,25 +118,25 @@ impl PartialEq for AnyBody {
     }
 }
 
-impl fmt::Debug for AnyBody {
+impl<S: fmt::Debug> fmt::Debug for AnyBody<S> {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         match *self {
             AnyBody::None => write!(f, "AnyBody::None"),
-            AnyBody::Bytes(ref b) => write!(f, "AnyBody::Bytes({:?})", b),
-            AnyBody::Stream(_) => write!(f, "AnyBody::Message(_)"),
+            AnyBody::Bytes(ref bytes) => write!(f, "AnyBody::Bytes({:?})", bytes),
+            AnyBody::Stream(ref stream) => write!(f, "AnyBody::Message({:?})", stream),
         }
     }
 }
 
 impl From<&'static str> for AnyBody {
-    fn from(s: &'static str) -> Body {
-        AnyBody::Bytes(Bytes::from_static(s.as_ref()))
+    fn from(string: &'static str) -> Body {
+        AnyBody::Bytes(Bytes::from_static(string.as_ref()))
     }
 }
 
 impl From<&'static [u8]> for AnyBody {
-    fn from(s: &'static [u8]) -> Body {
-        AnyBody::Bytes(Bytes::from_static(s))
+    fn from(bytes: &'static [u8]) -> Body {
+        AnyBody::Bytes(Bytes::from_static(bytes))
     }
 }
 
@@ -124,20 +147,20 @@ impl From<Vec<u8>> for AnyBody {
 }
 
 impl From<String> for AnyBody {
-    fn from(s: String) -> Body {
-        s.into_bytes().into()
+    fn from(string: String) -> Body {
+        string.into_bytes().into()
     }
 }
 
 impl From<&'_ String> for AnyBody {
-    fn from(s: &String) -> Body {
-        AnyBody::Bytes(Bytes::copy_from_slice(AsRef::<[u8]>::as_ref(&s)))
+    fn from(string: &String) -> Body {
+        AnyBody::Bytes(Bytes::copy_from_slice(AsRef::<[u8]>::as_ref(&string)))
     }
 }
 
 impl From<Cow<'_, str>> for AnyBody {
-    fn from(s: Cow<'_, str>) -> Body {
-        match s {
+    fn from(string: Cow<'_, str>) -> Body {
+        match string {
             Cow::Owned(s) => AnyBody::from(s),
             Cow::Borrowed(s) => {
                 AnyBody::Bytes(Bytes::copy_from_slice(AsRef::<[u8]>::as_ref(s)))
@@ -147,41 +170,41 @@ impl From<Cow<'_, str>> for AnyBody {
 }
 
 impl From<Bytes> for AnyBody {
-    fn from(s: Bytes) -> Body {
-        AnyBody::Bytes(s)
+    fn from(bytes: Bytes) -> Body {
+        AnyBody::Bytes(bytes)
     }
 }
 
 impl From<BytesMut> for AnyBody {
-    fn from(s: BytesMut) -> Body {
-        AnyBody::Bytes(s.freeze())
+    fn from(bytes: BytesMut) -> Body {
+        AnyBody::Bytes(bytes.freeze())
     }
 }
 
 impl<S, E> From<SizedStream<S>> for AnyBody
 where
     S: Stream<Item = Result<Bytes, E>> + 'static,
-    E: Into<Box<dyn StdError>> + 'static,
+    E: StdError + 'static,
 {
-    fn from(s: SizedStream<S>) -> Body {
-        AnyBody::from_message(s)
+    fn from(stream: SizedStream<S>) -> Body {
+        AnyBody::new_boxed(stream)
     }
 }
 
 impl<S, E> From<BodyStream<S>> for AnyBody
 where
     S: Stream<Item = Result<Bytes, E>> + 'static,
-    E: Into<Box<dyn StdError>> + 'static,
+    E: StdError + 'static,
 {
-    fn from(s: BodyStream<S>) -> Body {
-        AnyBody::from_message(s)
+    fn from(stream: BodyStream<S>) -> Body {
+        AnyBody::new_boxed(stream)
     }
 }
 
 /// A boxed message body with boxed errors.
-pub struct BoxAnyBody(Pin<Box<dyn MessageBody<Error = Box<dyn StdError + 'static>>>>);
+pub struct BoxBody(Pin<Box<dyn MessageBody<Error = Box<dyn StdError>>>>);
 
-impl BoxAnyBody {
+impl BoxBody {
     /// Boxes a `MessageBody` and any errors it generates.
     pub fn from_body<B>(body: B) -> Self
     where
@@ -195,18 +218,18 @@ impl BoxAnyBody {
     /// Returns a mutable pinned reference to the inner message body type.
     pub fn as_pin_mut(
         &mut self,
-    ) -> Pin<&mut (dyn MessageBody<Error = Box<dyn StdError + 'static>>)> {
+    ) -> Pin<&mut (dyn MessageBody<Error = Box<dyn StdError>>)> {
         self.0.as_mut()
     }
 }
 
-impl fmt::Debug for BoxAnyBody {
+impl fmt::Debug for BoxBody {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         f.write_str("BoxAnyBody(dyn MessageBody)")
     }
 }
 
-impl MessageBody for BoxAnyBody {
+impl MessageBody for BoxBody {
     type Error = Error;
 
     fn size(&self) -> BodySize {
@@ -223,3 +246,18 @@ impl MessageBody for BoxAnyBody {
             .map_err(|err| Error::new_body().with_cause(err))
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use static_assertions::{assert_impl_all, assert_not_impl_all};
+
+    use super::*;
+
+    assert_impl_all!(AnyBody<()>: MessageBody, fmt::Debug, Send, Sync);
+    assert_impl_all!(AnyBody<Bytes>: MessageBody, fmt::Debug, Send, Sync);
+    assert_impl_all!(AnyBody: MessageBody, fmt::Debug);
+    assert_impl_all!(BoxBody: MessageBody, fmt::Debug);
+
+    assert_not_impl_all!(AnyBody: Send, Sync);
+    assert_not_impl_all!(BoxBody: Send, Sync);
+}
diff --git a/actix-http/src/body/body_stream.rs b/actix-http/src/body/body_stream.rs
index f726f4475..31de9b48f 100644
--- a/actix-http/src/body/body_stream.rs
+++ b/actix-http/src/body/body_stream.rs
@@ -75,10 +75,22 @@ mod tests {
     use derive_more::{Display, Error};
     use futures_core::ready;
     use futures_util::{stream, FutureExt as _};
+    use static_assertions::{assert_impl_all, assert_not_impl_all};
 
     use super::*;
     use crate::body::to_bytes;
 
+    assert_impl_all!(BodyStream<stream::Empty<Result<Bytes, crate::Error>>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_impl_all!(BodyStream<stream::Empty<Result<Bytes, &'static str>>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_impl_all!(BodyStream<stream::Repeat<Result<Bytes, &'static str>>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_impl_all!(BodyStream<stream::Empty<Result<Bytes, Infallible>>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_impl_all!(BodyStream<stream::Repeat<Result<Bytes, Infallible>>>: MessageBody);
+
+    assert_not_impl_all!(BodyStream<stream::Empty<Bytes>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_not_impl_all!(BodyStream<stream::Repeat<Bytes>>: MessageBody);
+    // crate::Error is not Clone
+    assert_not_impl_all!(BodyStream<stream::Repeat<Result<Bytes, crate::Error>>>: MessageBody);
+
     #[actix_rt::test]
     async fn skips_empty_chunks() {
         let body = BodyStream::new(stream::iter(
@@ -124,6 +136,30 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(matches!(to_bytes(body).await, Err(StreamErr)));
     }
 
+    #[actix_rt::test]
+    async fn stream_string_error() {
+        // `&'static str` does not impl `Error`
+        // but it does impl `Into<Box<dyn Error>>`
+
+        let body = BodyStream::new(stream::once(async { Err("stringy error") }));
+        assert!(matches!(to_bytes(body).await, Err("stringy error")));
+    }
+
+    #[actix_rt::test]
+    async fn stream_boxed_error() {
+        // `Box<dyn Error>` does not impl `Error`
+        // but it does impl `Into<Box<dyn Error>>`
+
+        let body = BodyStream::new(stream::once(async {
+            Err(Box::<dyn StdError>::from("stringy error"))
+        }));
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            to_bytes(body).await.unwrap_err().to_string(),
+            "stringy error"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[actix_rt::test]
     async fn stream_delayed_error() {
         let body =
diff --git a/actix-http/src/body/mod.rs b/actix-http/src/body/mod.rs
index 0d5b0f079..59c0eaf79 100644
--- a/actix-http/src/body/mod.rs
+++ b/actix-http/src/body/mod.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ mod response_body;
 mod size;
 mod sized_stream;
 
-pub use self::body::{AnyBody, Body, BoxAnyBody};
+pub use self::body::{AnyBody, Body, BoxBody};
 pub use self::body_stream::BodyStream;
 pub use self::message_body::MessageBody;
 pub(crate) use self::message_body::MessageBodyMapErr;
diff --git a/actix-http/src/body/sized_stream.rs b/actix-http/src/body/sized_stream.rs
index b6ceb32fe..b92de44cc 100644
--- a/actix-http/src/body/sized_stream.rs
+++ b/actix-http/src/body/sized_stream.rs
@@ -72,10 +72,22 @@ mod tests {
     use actix_rt::pin;
     use actix_utils::future::poll_fn;
     use futures_util::stream;
+    use static_assertions::{assert_impl_all, assert_not_impl_all};
 
     use super::*;
     use crate::body::to_bytes;
 
+    assert_impl_all!(SizedStream<stream::Empty<Result<Bytes, crate::Error>>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_impl_all!(SizedStream<stream::Empty<Result<Bytes, &'static str>>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_impl_all!(SizedStream<stream::Repeat<Result<Bytes, &'static str>>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_impl_all!(SizedStream<stream::Empty<Result<Bytes, Infallible>>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_impl_all!(SizedStream<stream::Repeat<Result<Bytes, Infallible>>>: MessageBody);
+
+    assert_not_impl_all!(SizedStream<stream::Empty<Bytes>>: MessageBody);
+    assert_not_impl_all!(SizedStream<stream::Repeat<Bytes>>: MessageBody);
+    // crate::Error is not Clone
+    assert_not_impl_all!(SizedStream<stream::Repeat<Result<Bytes, crate::Error>>>: MessageBody);
+
     #[actix_rt::test]
     async fn skips_empty_chunks() {
         let body = SizedStream::new(
@@ -119,4 +131,37 @@ mod tests {
 
         assert_eq!(to_bytes(body).await.ok(), Some(Bytes::from("12")));
     }
+
+    #[actix_rt::test]
+    async fn stream_string_error() {
+        // `&'static str` does not impl `Error`
+        // but it does impl `Into<Box<dyn Error>>`
+
+        let body = SizedStream::new(0, stream::once(async { Err("stringy error") }));
+        assert_eq!(to_bytes(body).await, Ok(Bytes::new()));
+
+        let body = SizedStream::new(1, stream::once(async { Err("stringy error") }));
+        assert!(matches!(to_bytes(body).await, Err("stringy error")));
+    }
+
+    #[actix_rt::test]
+    async fn stream_boxed_error() {
+        // `Box<dyn Error>` does not impl `Error`
+        // but it does impl `Into<Box<dyn Error>>`
+
+        let body = SizedStream::new(
+            0,
+            stream::once(async { Err(Box::<dyn StdError>::from("stringy error")) }),
+        );
+        assert_eq!(to_bytes(body).await.unwrap(), Bytes::new());
+
+        let body = SizedStream::new(
+            1,
+            stream::once(async { Err(Box::<dyn StdError>::from("stringy error")) }),
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            to_bytes(body).await.unwrap_err().to_string(),
+            "stringy error"
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/actix-http/src/encoding/encoder.rs b/actix-http/src/encoding/encoder.rs
index 6cb034b76..b145cc26a 100644
--- a/actix-http/src/encoding/encoder.rs
+++ b/actix-http/src/encoding/encoder.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ use flate2::write::{GzEncoder, ZlibEncoder};
 use zstd::stream::write::Encoder as ZstdEncoder;
 
 use crate::{
-    body::{Body, BodySize, BoxAnyBody, MessageBody, ResponseBody},
+    body::{Body, BodySize, BoxBody, MessageBody, ResponseBody},
     http::{
         header::{ContentEncoding, CONTENT_ENCODING},
         HeaderValue, StatusCode,
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ impl<B: MessageBody> Encoder<B> {
 enum EncoderBody<B> {
     Bytes(Bytes),
     Stream(#[pin] B),
-    BoxedStream(BoxAnyBody),
+    BoxedStream(BoxBody),
 }
 
 impl<B> MessageBody for EncoderBody<B>
diff --git a/actix-http/src/response_builder.rs b/actix-http/src/response_builder.rs
index a1cb1a423..e934f94dc 100644
--- a/actix-http/src/response_builder.rs
+++ b/actix-http/src/response_builder.rs
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ impl ResponseBuilder {
         S: Stream<Item = Result<Bytes, E>> + 'static,
         E: Into<Box<dyn StdError>> + 'static,
     {
-        self.body(AnyBody::from_message(BodyStream::new(stream)))
+        self.body(AnyBody::new_boxed(BodyStream::new(stream)))
     }
 
     /// Generate response with an empty body.
diff --git a/awc/src/sender.rs b/awc/src/sender.rs
index fcd0c71af..02870aea9 100644
--- a/awc/src/sender.rs
+++ b/awc/src/sender.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use std::{
 };
 
 use actix_http::{
-    body::{Body, BodyStream},
+    body::{AnyBody, Body, BodyStream},
     http::{
         header::{self, HeaderMap, HeaderName, IntoHeaderValue},
         Error as HttpError,
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ impl RequestSender {
             response_decompress,
             timeout,
             config,
-            Body::from_message(BodyStream::new(stream)),
+            AnyBody::new_boxed(BodyStream::new(stream)),
         )
     }
 
diff --git a/src/middleware/compat.rs b/src/middleware/compat.rs
index 0a6256fe2..752e90f94 100644
--- a/src/middleware/compat.rs
+++ b/src/middleware/compat.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use std::{
     task::{Context, Poll},
 };
 
-use actix_http::body::{Body, MessageBody};
+use actix_http::body::{AnyBody, MessageBody};
 use actix_service::{Service, Transform};
 use futures_core::{future::LocalBoxFuture, ready};
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ where
     B::Error: Into<Box<dyn StdError + 'static>>,
 {
     fn map_body(self) -> ServiceResponse {
-        self.map_body(|_, body| Body::from_message(body))
+        self.map_body(|_, body| AnyBody::new_boxed(body))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/response/builder.rs b/src/response/builder.rs
index f6099a019..e42d85f59 100644
--- a/src/response/builder.rs
+++ b/src/response/builder.rs
@@ -354,10 +354,10 @@ impl HttpResponseBuilder {
     #[inline]
     pub fn streaming<S, E>(&mut self, stream: S) -> HttpResponse
     where
-        S: Stream<Item = Result<Bytes, E>> + Unpin + 'static,
+        S: Stream<Item = Result<Bytes, E>> + 'static,
         E: Into<Box<dyn StdError>> + 'static,
     {
-        self.body(AnyBody::from_message(BodyStream::new(stream)))
+        self.body(AnyBody::new_boxed(BodyStream::new(stream)))
     }
 
     /// Set a json body and generate `Response`