diff --git a/packages/express-wrapper/src/middleware.ts b/packages/express-wrapper/src/middleware.ts
index 947760f7..3d9e7a8b 100644
--- a/packages/express-wrapper/src/middleware.ts
+++ b/packages/express-wrapper/src/middleware.ts
@@ -189,20 +189,25 @@ export async function runMiddlewareChain<
 }
 
 /**
- * Runs a middleware chain, but does not modify the decoded request (input) with properties from any middleware.
+ * Runs a middleware chain and merges standard Express properties (body, query, params, headers) with the decoded request.
+ * Does not incorporate other modifications middleware may make to the request object.
  * This primarily exists to preserve backwards-compatible behavior for RouteHandlers defined without the `routeHandler` function.
  *
- * @param input - the decoded request properties (just passed through)
+ * Note: The name "IgnoringResults" refers to ignoring typed middleware return values (via middlewareFn),
+ * NOT ignoring standard Express request modifications. Middleware can still modify req.body/query/params/headers
+ * and those changes WILL be included in the returned object.
+ *
+ * @param _input - the decoded request properties (unused, decoded data is read from req)
  * @param chain - the middleware chain
  * @param req - express request object
  * @param res - express response object
- * @returns `input` unmodified
+ * @returns decoded request merged with req.body, req.query, req.params, and req.headers
  */
 export async function runMiddlewareChainIgnoringResults<
   Input,
   Chain extends MiddlewareChain,
 >(
-  input: Input,
+  _input: Input,
   chain: Chain,
   req: express.Request,
   res: express.Response,
@@ -216,5 +221,11 @@ export async function runMiddlewareChainIgnoringResults<
       }
     });
   }
-  return input;
+  return {
+    ...(req as any).decoded,
+    ...(req.body || {}),
+    ...(req.query || {}),
+    ...(req.params || {}),
+    ...(req.headers || {}),
+  };
 }
diff --git a/packages/express-wrapper/test/server.test.ts b/packages/express-wrapper/test/server.test.ts
index 03461f2e..8e573f5c 100644
--- a/packages/express-wrapper/test/server.test.ts
+++ b/packages/express-wrapper/test/server.test.ts
@@ -276,3 +276,66 @@ test('should return a 400 when request fails to decode', async () => {
 
   assert(response.body.error.startsWith('Invalid value undefined supplied to'));
 });
+
+test('middleware that modifies req.body should reach handler even without routeHandler()', async () => {
+  const PostWithData = httpRoute({
+    path: '/data',
+    method: 'POST',
+    request: httpRequest({
+      body: {
+        originalField: t.string,
+        addedByMiddleware: optional(t.string),
+      },
+    }),
+    response: {
+      200: t.type({
+        originalField: t.string,
+        addedByMiddleware: optional(t.string),
+      }),
+    },
+  });
+
+  const testApiSpec = apiSpec({
+    'test.route': {
+      post: PostWithData,
+    },
+  });
+
+  const modifyBodyMiddleware: express.RequestHandler = (req, _res, next) => {
+    req.body.addedByMiddleware = 'ADDED';
+    next();
+  };
+
+  const handler = async (params: {
+    originalField: string;
+    addedByMiddleware?: string;
+  }) => {
+    return {
+      type: 200,
+      payload: {
+        originalField: params.originalField,
+        addedByMiddleware: params.addedByMiddleware,
+      },
+    } as const;
+  };
+
+  const app = createServer(testApiSpec, (app: express.Application) => {
+    app.use(express.json());
+    return {
+      'test.route': {
+        post: { middleware: [modifyBodyMiddleware], handler },
+      },
+    };
+  });
+
+  const response = await supertest(app)
+    .post('/data')
+    .send({ originalField: 'test' })
+    .expect(200);
+
+  assert.equal(
+    response.body.addedByMiddleware,
+    'ADDED',
+    'addedByMiddleware should be present because req.body is part of req.decoded',
+  );
+});