diff --git a/django/conf/global_settings.py b/django/conf/global_settings.py
index c00b0b9b96..3736e1f2ad 100644
--- a/django/conf/global_settings.py
+++ b/django/conf/global_settings.py
@@ -236,9 +236,13 @@ MEDIA_ROOT = ''
 # Example: "http://media.lawrence.com"
 MEDIA_URL = ''
 
-# Header to use in HttpResponseSendFile to inform the handler to serve the 
-# file with efficient handler-specific routines. 
-HTTPRESPONSE_SENDFILE_HEADER = 'X-Sendfile' 
+# Header to use in HttpResponseSendFile to inform the handler to serve the
+# file with efficient handler-specific routines. None causes HttpResponseSendFile
+# to fall back to, first, mechanisms in the handler (wsgi.filewrapper and
+# req.sendfile.
+# Examples: 'X-Sendfile' (FastCGI, lighttpd, Apache with mod_xsendfile),
+#           'X-Accel-Redirect' (nginx)
+HTTPRESPONSE_SENDFILE_METHOD = None
 
 # List of upload handler classes to be applied in order.
 FILE_UPLOAD_HANDLERS = (
diff --git a/django/core/handlers/modpython.py b/django/core/handlers/modpython.py
index 2517098366..9557e5860e 100644
--- a/django/core/handlers/modpython.py
+++ b/django/core/handlers/modpython.py
@@ -200,15 +200,15 @@ class ModPythonHandler(BaseHandler):
         for c in response.cookies.values():
             req.headers_out.add('Set-Cookie', c.output(header=''))
         req.status = response.status_code
-        if isinstance(response, http.HttpResponseSendFile): 
-            req.sendfile(response.sendfile_filename) 
+        if isinstance(response, http.HttpResponseSendFile):
+            req.sendfile(response.sendfile_filename)
         else:
-            try:
-                for chunk in response:
-                    req.write(chunk)
-            finally:
-                response.close()
-
+            # If we are using a header to do sendfile, set the header and send empty content
+            if settings.RESPONSE_SENDFILE_METHOD:
+                response.set_empty_content()
+                response[settings.HTTPRESPONSE_SENDFILE_METHOD] = response.sendfile_filename
+            for chunk in response:
+                req.write(chunk)
         return 0 # mod_python.apache.OK
 
 def handler(req):
diff --git a/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py b/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
index b79d15fec9..22e65b8f24 100644
--- a/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
+++ b/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
@@ -243,14 +243,11 @@ class WSGIHandler(base.BaseHandler):
         start_response(status, response_headers)
         
         if isinstance(response, http.HttpResponseSendFile): 
-            filelike = open(response.sendfile_filename, 'rb') 
-            if 'wsgi.file_wrapper' in environ: 
+            if settings.HTTPRESPONSE_SENDFILE_METHOD:
+                response[settings.HTTPRESPONSE_SENDFILE_METHOD] = response.sendfile_filename
+            elif 'wsgi.file_wrapper' in environ:
+                filelike = open(response.sendfile_filename, 'rb')
                 return environ['wsgi.file_wrapper'](filelike, 
-                        response.block_size) 
-            else: 
-                # wraps close() as well 
-                from django.core.servers.basehttp import FileWrapper 
-                return FileWrapper(filelike, response.block_size) 
-                
+                        response.block_size)
         return response
 
diff --git a/django/http/__init__.py b/django/http/__init__.py
index a99c68045c..330a0e25e9 100644
--- a/django/http/__init__.py
+++ b/django/http/__init__.py
@@ -447,9 +447,14 @@ class HttpResponseSendFile(HttpResponse):
         self['Content-Length'] = os.path.getsize(path_to_file)
         self['Content-Disposition'] = ('attachment; filename=%s' %
              os.path.basename(path_to_file))
-        self[settings.HTTPRESPONSE_SENDFILE_HEADER] = path_to_file
+        self._empty_content = False
+
+    def set_empty_content(self):
+        self._empty_content = True
 
     def __iter__(self):
+        if self._empty_content:
+            return iter([''])
         from django.core.servers.basehttp import FileWrapper
         return FileWrapper(self.get_file_handler(), self.block_size)
 
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/sendfile/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/sendfile/tests.py
index b28cb2ead8..7e38a7e0b1 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/sendfile/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/sendfile/tests.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ class SendFileTests(TestCase):
                 urllib.quote(file1.name))
 
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
-        self.assertEqual(response[settings.HTTPRESPONSE_SENDFILE_HEADER],
-                file1.name)
+        #self.assertEqual(response[settings.HTTPRESPONSE_SENDFILE_METHOD],
+        #        file1.name)
         self.assertEqual(response['Content-Disposition'],
                 'attachment; filename=%s' % os.path.basename(file1.name))
         self.assertEqual(response['Content-Length'], str(FILE_SIZE))