diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a5e23d8..73de54b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ Arguments
 * `sort`: field to sort by (optional)
 * `sort_dir`: direction to sort, either `asc` or `desc` (default `asc`)
 * any field(s): may pass any fields as a key/value pair to filter by
+* `header_row`: whether the source CSV has a header row; if missing, it will automatically assign field names (`field_1`, `field_2`, etc.); either `n` or `y` (default `y`)
 
 Example Usage
 -------------
diff --git a/class.csv-to-api.php b/class.csv-to-api.php
index 601038d..a312562 100644
--- a/class.csv-to-api.php
+++ b/class.csv-to-api.php
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ function parse_query( $query = null ) {
     $this->callback = isset( $query['callback'] ) ? $this->jsonp_callback_filter( $query['callback'] ) : false;
     $this->sort = isset( $query['sort'] ) ? $query['sort'] : null;
     $this->sort_dir = isset( $query['sort_dir'] ) ? $query['sort_dir'] : "desc";
-
+    $this->header_row = isset( $query['header_row'] ) ? $query['header_row'] : "y";
+	
     return get_object_vars( $this );
 
   }
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ function parse() {
     // Attempt to retrieve the data from cache
     $key = 'csv_to_api_' . md5( $this->source );
     $this->data = $this->get_cache( $key );
+
     if ( !$this->data ) {
 
       // Retrieve the requested source material via HTTP GET.
@@ -66,7 +68,6 @@ function parse() {
         $this->data = $this->curl_get( $this->source );
       }
 
-
       if ( !$this->data ) {
         header( '502 Bad Gateway' );
         die( 'Bad data source' );
@@ -175,8 +176,22 @@ function parse_csv( $csv ) {
 
     $lines = explode( "\n", $csv );
     $lines = $this->parse_lines( $lines );
-
-    $headers = array_shift( $lines );
+    
+	// If no header row exists, automatically create field names.
+	if ($this->header_row == 'n') {
+	
+		for ($i=0; $i<count($lines[0]); $i++)
+		{
+			$headers[$i] = 'field-' . ($i+1);
+		}
+		
+	}
+	
+	// If a header row exists, use that as the headers.
+	else {
+	    $headers = array_shift( $lines );
+	}
+    
     $data = array();
     foreach ( $lines as $line ) {