diff --git a/mote/middleware.lua b/mote/middleware.lua
index 9aabe23..f19e568 100644
--- a/mote/middleware.lua
+++ b/mote/middleware.lua
@@ -18,11 +18,12 @@ local cors_base = {
     ["Access-Control-Allow-Headers"] = "Content-Type, Authorization",
 }
 
-function middleware.cors_headers()
+function middleware.cors_headers(methods)
     local headers = {}
     for k, v in pairs(cors_base) do
         headers[k] = v
     end
+    if methods then headers["Access-Control-Allow-Methods"] = methods end
     return headers
 end
 
diff --git a/mote/router.lua b/mote/router.lua
index 19faeeb..dd0e503 100644
--- a/mote/router.lua
+++ b/mote/router.lua
@@ -94,6 +94,23 @@ function router.match(method, path)
     return nil
 end
 
+function router.methods_for_path(path)
+    local methods = {}
+    local found = false
+    for _, route in ipairs(routes) do
+        local captures = route.pattern:match(path)
+        if captures then
+            found = true
+            if route.method == "*" then
+                return nil -- wildcard matches all methods, no restriction
+            end
+            methods[route.method] = true
+        end
+    end
+    if not found then return nil end
+    return methods
+end
+
 function router.clear()
     routes = {}
     middleware_stack = {}
diff --git a/mote/server.lua b/mote/server.lua
index d7fbd31..fe28e8e 100644
--- a/mote/server.lua
+++ b/mote/server.lua
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ local url_mod = require("mote.url")
 
 local concat = table.concat
 local insert = table.insert
+local sort = table.sort
 
 local server = {}
 
@@ -444,6 +445,17 @@ local function should_keep_alive(http_version, headers, wrapper, config)
     return tonumber(http_version) >= 1.1
 end
 
+local function build_allow_header(path_methods)
+    if not path_methods then return nil end
+    local list = {}
+    for m in pairs(path_methods) do
+        list[#list + 1] = m
+    end
+    list[#list + 1] = "OPTIONS"
+    sort(list)
+    return concat(list, ", ")
+end
+
 local function handle_request(wrapper, config)
     wrapper.request_count = wrapper.request_count + 1
     local start_time = socket.gettime()
@@ -476,7 +488,8 @@ local function handle_request(wrapper, config)
     local query = req.location.query
 
     if middleware.is_preflight(req.method) then
-        local cors = middleware.cors_headers()
+        local allow = build_allow_header(router.methods_for_path(path))
+        local cors = middleware.cors_headers(allow)
         cors["Content-Length"] = "0"
         send_response(wrapper, 204, cors, nil, keep_alive)
         log.info("http", req.method .. " " .. path .. " 204")
@@ -519,10 +532,19 @@ local function handle_request(wrapper, config)
         handler, params = router.match("GET", path)
     end
     if not handler then
-        local cors = middleware.cors_headers()
-        cors["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
-        send_response(wrapper, 404, cors, middleware.encode_json({ error = "not found" }), keep_alive)
-        log.info("http", req.method .. " " .. path .. " 404")
+        local allow = build_allow_header(router.methods_for_path(path))
+        if allow then
+            local cors = middleware.cors_headers(allow)
+            cors["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
+            cors["Allow"] = allow
+            send_response(wrapper, 405, cors, middleware.encode_json({ error = "method not allowed" }), keep_alive)
+            log.info("http", req.method .. " " .. path .. " 405")
+        else
+            local cors = middleware.cors_headers()
+            cors["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
+            send_response(wrapper, 404, cors, middleware.encode_json({ error = "not found" }), keep_alive)
+            log.info("http", req.method .. " " .. path .. " 404")
+        end
         return true, keep_alive, nil
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/router_spec.lua b/spec/router_spec.lua
index 2a21bfc..9e2169a 100644
--- a/spec/router_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/router_spec.lua
@@ -49,6 +49,29 @@ describe("router", function()
         assert.is_nil(router.match("GET", "/not-exists"))
     end)
 
+    describe("methods_for_path", function()
+        it("returns methods registered for a path", function()
+            router.get("/resource", function() end)
+            router.post("/resource", function() end)
+
+            local methods = router.methods_for_path("/resource")
+            assert.is_truthy(methods)
+            assert.is_true(methods["GET"])
+            assert.is_true(methods["POST"])
+            assert.is_nil(methods["DELETE"])
+        end)
+
+        it("returns nil for unknown paths", function()
+            router.get("/exists", function() end)
+            assert.is_nil(router.methods_for_path("/not-exists"))
+        end)
+
+        it("returns nil for wildcard routes", function()
+            router.all("/anything", function() end)
+            assert.is_nil(router.methods_for_path("/anything"))
+        end)
+    end)
+
     describe("middleware", function()
         it("runs middleware before handler", function()
             local order = {}