diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fd94da4..09ded67 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# cappy v1.1.0
+# cappy v1.1.1
 The Redcap API library that you build yourself.
 
 ## Ideology ##
diff --git a/cappy/cap.py b/cappy/cap.py
index 71cf15d..616a164 100644
--- a/cappy/cap.py
+++ b/cappy/cap.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def __init__(self, token, endpoint, version_file, requests_options={}):
         auto generated API functions
         """
         version_path = utils.path_for_version(version_file)
-        self.requests_options = requests_options
+        self.requests_options = requests_options or {}
         with open(version_path, 'r') as api_def:
             version_data = yaml.load(api_def.read())
             self.api_definition = version_data.get('api_def') or version_data
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d9079cb..fa6860e 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
 setup(name='cappy',
-      version='1.1.0',
+      version='1.1.1',
       description='The redcap api you build yourself',
       url='http://github.com/pfwhite/cappy',
       author='Patrick White',