diff --git a/django/http/__init__.py b/django/http/__init__.py
index 7cd47481dc..0e1c2a0fbb 100644
--- a/django/http/__init__.py
+++ b/django/http/__init__.py
@@ -38,9 +38,12 @@ class HttpRequest(object):
                 return d[key]
         raise KeyError, "%s not found in either POST or GET" % key
 
-    def has_key(self, key):
+    def __contains__(self, key):
         return key in self.GET or key in self.POST
 
+    def has_key(self, key):
+        return key in self
+        
     def get_full_path(self):
         return ''