diff --git a/web/api/v1/api.go b/web/api/v1/api.go
index 0809a8a9e..e548a13da 100644
--- a/web/api/v1/api.go
+++ b/web/api/v1/api.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/promql"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage/local"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage/metric"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/util/httputil"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/util/route"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/util/strutil"
 )
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ func (api *API) Register(r *route.Router) {
 	}
 
 	instr := func(name string, f apiFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
-		return prometheus.InstrumentHandlerFunc(name, func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		hf := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			setCORS(w)
 			if data, err := f(r); err != nil {
 				respondError(w, err, data)
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ func (api *API) Register(r *route.Router) {
 				respond(w, data)
 			}
 		})
+		return prometheus.InstrumentHandler(name, httputil.CompressionHandler{hf})
 	}
 
 	r.Get("/query", instr("query", api.query))
diff --git a/web/web.go b/web/web.go
index d95e8da90..0c9d6fa58 100644
--- a/web/web.go
+++ b/web/web.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/rules"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage/local"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/template"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/util/httputil"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/util/route"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/version"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/web/api/legacy"
@@ -155,8 +156,12 @@ func New(st local.Storage, qe *promql.Engine, rm *rules.Manager, status *Prometh
 		router = router.WithPrefix(o.ExternalURL.Path)
 	}
 
-	instrf := prometheus.InstrumentHandlerFunc
-	instrh := prometheus.InstrumentHandler
+	instrh := func(name string, h http.Handler) http.HandlerFunc {
+		return prometheus.InstrumentHandler(name, httputil.CompressionHandler{h})
+	}
+	instrf := func(name string, f http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
+		return instrh(name, f)
+	}
 
 	router.Get("/", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		http.Redirect(w, r, "/graph", http.StatusFound)