diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/amqp.py b/r2/r2/lib/amqp.py
index 472edf59d..d340863c9 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/amqp.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/amqp.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ DELIVERY_TRANSIENT = 1
 DELIVERY_DURABLE = 2
 
 def _add_item(routing_key, body, message_id = None,
-              delivery_mode = DELIVERY_DURABLE):
+              delivery_mode = DELIVERY_DURABLE, headers=None):
     """adds an item onto a queue. If the connection to amqp is lost it
     will try to reconnect and then call itself again."""
     if not amqp_host:
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ def _add_item(routing_key, body, message_id = None,
     if message_id:
         msg.properties['message_id'] = message_id
 
+    if headers:
+        msg.properties["application_headers"] = headers
+
     event_name = 'amqp.%s' % routing_key
     try:
         chan.basic_publish(msg,
@@ -182,12 +185,13 @@ def _add_item(routing_key, body, message_id = None,
     else:
         stats.event_count(event_name, 'enqueue')
 
-def add_item(routing_key, body, message_id = None, delivery_mode = DELIVERY_DURABLE):
+def add_item(routing_key, body, message_id=None,
+             delivery_mode=DELIVERY_DURABLE, headers=None):
     if amqp_host and amqp_logging:
         log.debug("amqp: adding item %r to %r" % (body, routing_key))
 
     worker.do(_add_item, routing_key, body, message_id = message_id,
-              delivery_mode = delivery_mode)
+              delivery_mode = delivery_mode, headers=headers)
 
 def add_kw(routing_key, **kw):
     add_item(routing_key, pickle.dumps(kw))