diff --git a/httprunner/client.py b/httprunner/client.py
index 279c775c..60018e86 100644
--- a/httprunner/client.py
+++ b/httprunner/client.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import time
 import requests
 import urllib3
 from httprunner import logger
-from httprunner.utils import build_url, lower_dict_keys, omit_long_data
+from httprunner.utils import lower_dict_keys, omit_long_data
 from requests import Request, Response
 from requests.exceptions import (InvalidSchema, InvalidURL, MissingSchema,
                                  RequestException)
@@ -28,15 +28,10 @@ class HttpSession(requests.Session):
     display statistics.
 
     This is a slightly extended version of `python-request <http://python-requests.org>`_'s
-    :py:class:`requests.Session` class and mostly this class works exactly the same. However
-    the methods for making requests (get, post, delete, put, head, options, patch, request)
-    can now take a *url* argument that's only the path part of the URL, in which case the host
-    part of the URL will be prepended with the HttpSession.base_url which is normally inherited
-    from a HttpRunner class' host property.
+    :py:class:`requests.Session` class and mostly this class works exactly the same.
     """
-    def __init__(self, base_url=None, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(HttpSession, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.base_url = base_url if base_url else ""
         self.init_meta_data()
 
     def init_meta_data(self):
@@ -180,9 +175,6 @@ class HttpSession(requests.Session):
         kwargs.setdefault("timeout", 120)
         self.meta_data["data"][0]["request"].update(kwargs)
 
-        # prepend url with hostname unless it's already an absolute URL
-        url = build_url(self.base_url, url)
-
         start_timestamp = time.time()
         response = self._send_request_safe_mode(method, url, **kwargs)
         response_time_ms = round((time.time() - start_timestamp) * 1000, 2)
diff --git a/httprunner/parser.py b/httprunner/parser.py
index cc1db6aa..b6530895 100644
--- a/httprunner/parser.py
+++ b/httprunner/parser.py
@@ -795,8 +795,7 @@ def _extend_with_testcase(test_dict, testcase_def_dict):
 
 
 def __prepare_config(config, project_mapping):
-    """ parse testcase/testsuite config,
-        including everything (name and base_url) except variables.
+    """ parse testcase/testsuite config.
     """
     # get config variables
     raw_config_variables = config.pop("variables", {})
diff --git a/httprunner/runner.py b/httprunner/runner.py
index 25dfd13a..f0e7ad5e 100644
--- a/httprunner/runner.py
+++ b/httprunner/runner.py
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ class Runner(object):
             http_client_session (instance): requests.Session(), or locust.client.Session() instance.
 
         """
-        base_url = config.get("base_url")
         self.verify = config.get("verify", True)
         self.output = config.get("output", [])
         self.validation_results = []
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         # testcase teardown hooks
         self.testcase_teardown_hooks = config.get("teardown_hooks", [])
 
-        self.http_client_session = http_client_session or HttpSession(base_url)
+        self.http_client_session = http_client_session or HttpSession()
         self.session_context = SessionContext()
 
         if testcase_setup_hooks:
@@ -212,21 +211,23 @@ class Runner(object):
 
         # teststep name
         test_name = self.session_context.eval_content(test_dict.get("name", ""))
-        # TODO: refactor
-        self.http_client_session.base_url = self.session_context.eval_content(test_dict.get("base_url", ""))
 
         # parse test request
         raw_request = test_dict.get('request', {})
         parsed_test_request = self.session_context.eval_content(raw_request)
         self.session_context.update_test_variables("request", parsed_test_request)
 
+        # prepend url with base_url unless it's already an absolute URL
+        url = parsed_test_request.pop('url')
+        base_url = self.session_context.eval_content(test_dict.get("base_url", ""))
+        parsed_url = utils.build_url(base_url, url)
+
         # setup hooks
         setup_hooks = test_dict.get("setup_hooks", [])
         if setup_hooks:
             self.do_hook_actions(setup_hooks, "setup")
 
         try:
-            url = parsed_test_request.pop('url')
             method = parsed_test_request.pop('method')
             parsed_test_request.setdefault("verify", self.verify)
             group_name = parsed_test_request.pop("group", None)
@@ -241,13 +242,13 @@ class Runner(object):
             logger.log_error(err_msg)
             raise exceptions.ParamsError(err_msg)
 
-        logger.log_info("{method} {url}".format(method=method, url=url))
+        logger.log_info("{method} {url}".format(method=method, url=parsed_url))
         logger.log_debug("request kwargs(raw): {kwargs}".format(kwargs=parsed_test_request))
 
         # request
         resp = self.http_client_session.request(
             method,
-            url,
+            parsed_url,
             name=(group_name or test_name),
             **parsed_test_request
         )
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ class Runner(object):
 
             # log request
             err_msg += "====== request details ======\n"
-            err_msg += "url: {}\n".format(url)
+            err_msg += "url: {}\n".format(parsed_url)
             err_msg += "method: {}\n".format(method)
             err_msg += "headers: {}\n".format(parsed_test_request.pop("headers", {}))
             for k, v in parsed_test_request.items():
diff --git a/httprunner/utils.py b/httprunner/utils.py
index 7747715c..73da341c 100644
--- a/httprunner/utils.py
+++ b/httprunner/utils.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def get_os_environ(variable_name):
 
 
 def build_url(base_url, path):
-    """ prepend url with hostname unless it's already an absolute URL """
+    """ prepend url with base_url unless it's already an absolute URL """
     if absolute_http_url_regexp.match(path):
         return path
     elif base_url:
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index ae593016..70d4d276 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from tests.base import ApiServerUnittest
 class TestHttpClient(ApiServerUnittest):
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestHttpClient, self).setUp()
-        self.api_client = HttpSession(self.host)
+        self.api_client = HttpSession()
         self.headers = self.get_authenticated_headers()
         self.reset_all()
 
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class TestHttpClient(ApiServerUnittest):
         self.assertEqual(True, resp.json()['success'])
 
     def test_request_without_base_url(self):
-        url = "/api/users/1000"
+        url = "{}/api/users/1000".format(self.host)
         data = {
             'name': 'user1',
             'password': '123456'
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class TestHttpClient(ApiServerUnittest):
         self.assertEqual(True, resp.json()['success'])
 
     def test_request_post_data(self):
-        url = "/api/users/1000"
+        url = "{}/api/users/1000".format(self.host)
         data = {
             'name': 'user1',
             'password': '123456'
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class TestHttpClient(ApiServerUnittest):
         self.assertIn("password=123456", resp.request.body)
 
     def test_request_with_cookies(self):
-        url = "/api/users/1000"
+        url = "{}/api/users/1000".format(self.host)
         data = {
             'name': 'user1',
             'password': '123456'