diff --git a/guides/routing.md b/guides/routing.md
index 50a6b83..0c74a13 100644
--- a/guides/routing.md
+++ b/guides/routing.md
@@ -86,6 +86,27 @@ As you saw in the initial example in the [Basic components](#basic-components) s
 >
 > One needs to define `protocol => ws` in the options-map in order to enable websocket communications.
 
+### Native cowboy handlers ###
+
+```
+{Route :: list(), Handler :: atom(), Options :: map()}
+```
+
+By defining `protocol => cowboy` in the options-map, the handler module is invoked
+directly with `Handler:init/2` the same way cowboy itself would do it. This means that
+plain cowboy handlers, as well as handlers using cowboy's sub-protocols such as
+`cowboy_rest` and `cowboy_loop`, can be routed through nova without any wrapping -
+while still passing through nova's plugin- and security-handling.
+
+The arguments given to `Handler:init/2` can be set with the `arguments`-option
+(defaults to `#{}`), and the route can be restricted with the `methods`-option
+just like regular routes.
+
+Example:
+```erlang
+{"/my-rest-api", my_rest_handler, #{protocol => cowboy}},
+{"/long-poll", my_loop_handler, #{protocol => cowboy, arguments => #{timeout => 30000}}}
+```
 
 ### Static files
 
diff --git a/src/nova_router.erl b/src/nova_router.erl
index e95d07a..9889149 100644
--- a/src/nova_router.erl
+++ b/src/nova_router.erl
@@ -369,6 +369,26 @@ parse_url(Host, [{Path, Callback, Options}|Tl], T = #{prefix := Prefix}, Value =
                         router_file => maps:get(router_file, Options, undefined)}),
             parse_url(Host, Tl, T, Value, Tree)
     end;
+parse_url(Host, [{Path, Handler, Options = #{protocol := cowboy}}|Tl], T = #{prefix := Prefix},
+          Value = #nova_handler_value{app = App, secure = Secure}, Tree) when is_atom(Handler) ->
+    %% Plain cowboy handler (eg cowboy_rest, cowboy_loop or a basic
+    %% cowboy_handler). The handler module is invoked with Handler:init/2
+    %% and any sub-protocol upgrade it returns is honored by nova_handler.
+    Value0 = #cowboy_handler_value{
+                app = App,
+                handler = Handler,
+                arguments = maps:get(arguments, Options, #{}),
+                plugins = Value#nova_handler_value.plugins,
+                secure = Secure},
+    ?LOG_DEBUG(#{action => <<"Adding route">>, protocol => <<"cowboy">>, route => Path, app => App,
+                 router_file => maps:get(router_file, T, undefined)}),
+    RealPath = concat_strings(Prefix, Path),
+    CompiledPaths =
+        lists:foldl(
+          fun(Method, Tree0) ->
+                  insert(Host, RealPath, method_to_binary(Method), Value0, Tree0)
+          end, Tree, maps:get(methods, Options, ['_'])),
+    parse_url(Host, Tl, T, Value, CompiledPaths);
 parse_url(Host,
           [{Path, Mod, #{protocol := ws}} | Tl],
           T = #{prefix := Prefix}, #nova_handler_value{app = App, secure = Secure} = Value,
diff --git a/test/base_app_router.erl b/test/base_app_router.erl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f64b8a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/base_app_router.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+%%% Router fixture for nova_cowboy_handler_SUITE.
+-module(base_app_router).
+
+-export([routes/1, hello/1]).
+
+routes(_Env) ->
+    [#{prefix => "",
+       security => false,
+       routes => [
+                  {"/base", fun base_app_router:hello/1, #{methods => [get]}},
+                  {"/plain", test_plain_handler, #{protocol => cowboy, methods => [get]}},
+                  {"/loop", test_loop_handler, #{protocol => cowboy}},
+                  {"/loop-args", test_loop_handler, #{protocol => cowboy,
+                                                      arguments => #{body => <<"loop-args-ok">>}}},
+                  {"/stream", test_stream_handler, #{protocol => cowboy}}
+                 ]}].
+
+hello(_Req) ->
+    {json, #{app => <<"base">>}}.
diff --git a/test/nova_cowboy_handler_SUITE.erl b/test/nova_cowboy_handler_SUITE.erl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81ba4e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/nova_cowboy_handler_SUITE.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+%%% Tests that plain cowboy handlers, as well as handlers using cowboy's
+%%% sub-protocols (eg cowboy_loop), can be routed through nova with
+%%% protocol => cowboy.
+-module(nova_cowboy_handler_SUITE).
+
+-include_lib("common_test/include/ct.hrl").
+
+-compile(export_all).
+-compile(nowarn_export_all).
+
+-define(PORT, 10080).
+
+all() ->
+    [regular_route_still_works,
+     plain_cowboy_handler,
+     loop_cowboy_handler,
+     handler_arguments,
+     streaming_handler,
+     method_restriction].
+
+init_per_suite(Config) ->
+    application:load(nova),
+    application:set_env(nova, bootstrap_application, base_app),
+    application:set_env(nova, cowboy_configuration, #{port => ?PORT}),
+    {ok, _} = application:ensure_all_started(nova),
+    {ok, _} = application:ensure_all_started(inets),
+    Config.
+
+end_per_suite(_Config) ->
+    application:stop(nova),
+    ok.
+
+%% Sanity check - ordinary nova routes are unaffected.
+regular_route_still_works(_Config) ->
+    {200, Body} = request(get, "/base"),
+    {ok, #{<<"app">> := <<"base">>}} = thoas:decode(list_to_binary(Body)),
+    ok.
+
+%% A basic cowboy handler replying directly from init/2.
+plain_cowboy_handler(_Config) ->
+    {200, "plain-ok"} = request(get, "/plain"),
+    ok.
+
+%% A cowboy_loop handler - the sub-protocol upgrade returned from
+%% init/2 is honored.
+loop_cowboy_handler(_Config) ->
+    {200, "loop-ok"} = request(get, "/loop"),
+    ok.
+
+%% The arguments-option is passed as state to Handler:init/2.
+handler_arguments(_Config) ->
+    {200, "loop-args-ok"} = request(get, "/loop-args"),
+    ok.
+
+%% A handler streaming its response in several chunks with
+%% cowboy_req:stream_reply/3 and cowboy_req:stream_body/3.
+streaming_handler(_Config) ->
+    {200, "chunk1chunk2chunk3done"} = request(get, "/stream"),
+    ok.
+
+%% The methods-option restricts cowboy-routes just like regular routes.
+method_restriction(_Config) ->
+    {405, _} = request(post, "/plain"),
+    ok.
+
+%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
+%% Helpers            %%
+%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
+
+request(get, Path) ->
+    do_request(get, {url(Path), []});
+request(post, Path) ->
+    do_request(post, {url(Path), [], "text/plain", ""}).
+
+do_request(Method, Request) ->
+    {ok, {{_, Status, _}, _Headers, Body}} = httpc:request(Method, Request, [], []),
+    {Status, Body}.
+
+url(Path) ->
+    "http://127.0.0.1:" ++ integer_to_list(?PORT) ++ Path.
diff --git a/test/test_loop_handler.erl b/test/test_loop_handler.erl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44b8c5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_loop_handler.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+%%% A plain cowboy_loop handler, routed through nova with protocol => cowboy.
+-module(test_loop_handler).
+-behaviour(cowboy_loop).
+
+-export([init/2, info/3]).
+
+init(Req, State) ->
+    erlang:send_after(50, self(), reply),
+    {cowboy_loop, Req, State}.
+
+info(reply, Req, State) ->
+    Body = maps:get(body, State, <<"loop-ok">>),
+    Req1 = cowboy_req:reply(200, #{<<"content-type">> => <<"text/plain">>}, Body, Req),
+    {stop, Req1, State}.
diff --git a/test/test_plain_handler.erl b/test/test_plain_handler.erl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..302dcae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_plain_handler.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+%%% A plain cowboy handler (no sub-protocol), routed through nova with
+%%% protocol => cowboy.
+-module(test_plain_handler).
+-behaviour(cowboy_handler).
+
+-export([init/2]).
+
+init(Req0, State) ->
+    Req = cowboy_req:reply(200, #{<<"content-type">> => <<"text/plain">>}, <<"plain-ok">>, Req0),
+    {ok, Req, State}.
diff --git a/test/test_stream_handler.erl b/test/test_stream_handler.erl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c17fb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_stream_handler.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+%%% A cowboy_loop handler streaming its response with
+%%% cowboy_req:stream_reply/3 and cowboy_req:stream_body/3.
+-module(test_stream_handler).
+-behaviour(cowboy_loop).
+
+-export([init/2, info/3]).
+
+init(Req0, State) ->
+    Req = cowboy_req:stream_reply(200, #{<<"content-type">> => <<"text/plain">>}, Req0),
+    self() ! {chunk, 1},
+    {cowboy_loop, Req, State}.
+
+info({chunk, N}, Req, State) when N =< 3 ->
+    ok = cowboy_req:stream_body(io_lib:format("chunk~B", [N]), nofin, Req),
+    erlang:send_after(20, self(), {chunk, N + 1}),
+    {ok, Req, State};
+info({chunk, _}, Req, State) ->
+    ok = cowboy_req:stream_body(<<"done">>, fin, Req),
+    {stop, Req, State}.