diff --git a/axum/src/extract/connect_info.rs b/axum/src/extract/connect_info.rs
index 14cae7b4..9a37513d 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/connect_info.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/connect_info.rs
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let (tx, rx) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel();
         tokio::spawn(async move {
-            let app = Router::new().route("/", get(handler)).state(());
+            let app = Router::without_state().route("/", get(handler));
             let server = Server::from_tcp(listener)
                 .unwrap()
                 .serve(app.into_make_service_with_connect_info::<SocketAddr>());
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let (tx, rx) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel();
         tokio::spawn(async move {
-            let app = Router::new().route("/", get(handler)).state(());
+            let app = Router::without_state().route("/", get(handler));
             let server = Server::from_tcp(listener)
                 .unwrap()
                 .serve(app.into_make_service_with_connect_info::<MyConnectInfo>());
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/content_length_limit.rs b/axum/src/extract/content_length_limit.rs
index 29fbd46c..fd9fb1b2 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/content_length_limit.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/content_length_limit.rs
@@ -116,12 +116,10 @@ mod tests {
 
         const LIMIT: u64 = 8;
 
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route(
-                "/",
-                post(|_body: ContentLengthLimit<Bytes, LIMIT>| async {}),
-            )
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route(
+            "/",
+            post(|_body: ContentLengthLimit<Bytes, LIMIT>| async {}),
+        );
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
         let res = client
@@ -157,9 +155,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn get_request_without_content_length_is_accepted() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/", get(|_body: ContentLengthLimit<Bytes, 1337>| async {}))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state()
+            .route("/", get(|_body: ContentLengthLimit<Bytes, 1337>| async {}));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -169,9 +166,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn get_request_with_content_length_is_rejected() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/", get(|_body: ContentLengthLimit<Bytes, 1337>| async {}))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state()
+            .route("/", get(|_body: ContentLengthLimit<Bytes, 1337>| async {}));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -186,9 +182,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn get_request_with_chunked_encoding_is_rejected() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/", get(|_body: ContentLengthLimit<Bytes, 1337>| async {}))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state()
+            .route("/", get(|_body: ContentLengthLimit<Bytes, 1337>| async {}));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/host.rs b/axum/src/extract/host.rs
index d7e49a5a..8336755f 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/host.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/host.rs
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ mod tests {
             host
         }
 
-        TestClient::new(Router::new().route("/", get(host_as_body)).state(()))
+        TestClient::new(Router::without_state().route("/", get(host_as_body)))
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/matched_path.rs b/axum/src/extract/matched_path.rs
index f8e67525..e7b5cd25 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/matched_path.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/matched_path.rs
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ mod tests {
             )
         }
 
-        let app = Router::new()
+        let app = Router::without_state()
             .route(
                 "/:key",
                 get(|path: MatchedPath| async move { path.as_str().to_owned() }),
@@ -151,8 +151,7 @@ mod tests {
                 Router::new().route("/assets/*path", get(handler)),
             )
             .nest_service("/foo", handler.into_service(()))
-            .layer(tower::layer::layer_fn(SetMatchedPathExtension))
-            .state(());
+            .layer(tower::layer::layer_fn(SetMatchedPathExtension));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -183,17 +182,13 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn nested_opaque_routers_append_to_matched_path() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .nest_service(
-                "/:a",
-                Router::new()
-                    .route(
-                        "/:b",
-                        get(|path: MatchedPath| async move { path.as_str().to_owned() }),
-                    )
-                    .state(()),
-            )
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().nest_service(
+            "/:a",
+            Router::without_state().route(
+                "/:b",
+                get(|path: MatchedPath| async move { path.as_str().to_owned() }),
+            ),
+        );
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/mod.rs b/axum/src/extract/mod.rs
index dcc9e70d..6b72942f 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/mod.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/mod.rs
@@ -105,9 +105,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn consume_body() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/", get(|body: String| async { body }))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route("/", get(|body: String| async { body }));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
         let res = client.get("/").body("foo").send().await;
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/multipart.rs b/axum/src/extract/multipart.rs
index 168f3ef2..d5ca9601 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/multipart.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/multipart.rs
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ mod tests {
             assert!(multipart.next_field().await.unwrap().is_none());
         }
 
-        let app = Router::new().route("/", post(handle)).state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route("/", post(handle));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/path/mod.rs b/axum/src/extract/path/mod.rs
index 590f80ee..5bda833e 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/path/mod.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/path/mod.rs
@@ -419,17 +419,15 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn extracting_url_params() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route(
-                "/users/:id",
-                get(|Path(id): Path<i32>| async move {
-                    assert_eq!(id, 42);
-                })
-                .post(|Path(params_map): Path<HashMap<String, i32>>| async move {
-                    assert_eq!(params_map.get("id").unwrap(), &1337);
-                }),
-            )
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route(
+            "/users/:id",
+            get(|Path(id): Path<i32>| async move {
+                assert_eq!(id, 42);
+            })
+            .post(|Path(params_map): Path<HashMap<String, i32>>| async move {
+                assert_eq!(params_map.get("id").unwrap(), &1337);
+            }),
+        );
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -442,9 +440,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn extracting_url_params_multiple_times() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/users/:id", get(|_: Path<i32>, _: Path<String>| async {}))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state()
+            .route("/users/:id", get(|_: Path<i32>, _: Path<String>| async {}));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -454,12 +451,10 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn percent_decoding() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route(
-                "/:key",
-                get(|Path(param): Path<String>| async move { param }),
-            )
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route(
+            "/:key",
+            get(|Path(param): Path<String>| async move { param }),
+        );
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -470,7 +465,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn supports_128_bit_numbers() {
-        let app = Router::new()
+        let app = Router::without_state()
             .route(
                 "/i/:key",
                 get(|Path(param): Path<i128>| async move { param.to_string() }),
@@ -478,8 +473,7 @@ mod tests {
             .route(
                 "/u/:key",
                 get(|Path(param): Path<u128>| async move { param.to_string() }),
-            )
-            .state(());
+            );
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -492,7 +486,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn wildcard() {
-        let app = Router::new()
+        let app = Router::without_state()
             .route(
                 "/foo/*rest",
                 get(|Path(param): Path<String>| async move { param }),
@@ -502,8 +496,7 @@ mod tests {
                 get(|Path(params): Path<HashMap<String, String>>| async move {
                     params.get("rest").unwrap().clone()
                 }),
-            )
-            .state(());
+            );
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -516,7 +509,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn captures_dont_match_empty_segments() {
-        let app = Router::new().route("/:key", get(|| async {})).state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route("/:key", get(|| async {}));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -529,9 +522,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn when_extensions_are_missing() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/:key", get(|_: Request<Body>, _: Path<String>| async {}))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state()
+            .route("/:key", get(|_: Request<Body>, _: Path<String>| async {}));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -556,9 +548,8 @@ mod tests {
             }
         }
 
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/:key", get(|param: Path<Param>| async move { param.0 .0 }))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state()
+            .route("/:key", get(|param: Path<Param>| async move { param.0 .0 }));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -572,9 +563,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn two_path_extractors() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/:a/:b", get(|_: Path<String>, _: Path<String>| async {}))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state()
+            .route("/:a/:b", get(|_: Path<String>, _: Path<String>| async {}));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -589,20 +579,18 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn deserialize_into_vec_of_tuples() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route(
-                "/:a/:b",
-                get(|Path(params): Path<Vec<(String, String)>>| async move {
-                    assert_eq!(
-                        params,
-                        vec![
-                            ("a".to_owned(), "foo".to_owned()),
-                            ("b".to_owned(), "bar".to_owned())
-                        ]
-                    );
-                }),
-            )
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route(
+            "/:a/:b",
+            get(|Path(params): Path<Vec<(String, String)>>| async move {
+                assert_eq!(
+                    params,
+                    vec![
+                        ("a".to_owned(), "foo".to_owned()),
+                        ("b".to_owned(), "bar".to_owned())
+                    ]
+                );
+            }),
+        );
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
diff --git a/axum/src/extract/request_parts.rs b/axum/src/extract/request_parts.rs
index 81976783..52fca38a 100644
--- a/axum/src/extract/request_parts.rs
+++ b/axum/src/extract/request_parts.rs
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ mod tests {
     async fn multiple_request_extractors() {
         async fn handler(_: Request<Body>, _: Request<Body>) {}
 
-        let app = Router::new().route("/", post(handler)).state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route("/", post(handler));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
 
@@ -252,10 +252,9 @@ mod tests {
         }
 
         let client = TestClient::new(
-            Router::new()
+            Router::without_state()
                 .route("/", get(handler))
-                .layer(Extension(Ext))
-                .state(()),
+                .layer(Extension(Ext)),
         );
 
         let res = client.get("/").header("x-foo", "123").send().await;
@@ -271,7 +270,7 @@ mod tests {
             assert_eq!(body, "foo");
         }
 
-        let client = TestClient::new(Router::new().route("/", get(handler)).state(()));
+        let client = TestClient::new(Router::without_state().route("/", get(handler)));
 
         let res = client.get("/").body("foo").send().await;
         assert_eq!(res.status(), StatusCode::OK);
diff --git a/axum/src/json.rs b/axum/src/json.rs
index 6fd2fd5a..8fdaab03 100644
--- a/axum/src/json.rs
+++ b/axum/src/json.rs
@@ -222,9 +222,8 @@ mod tests {
             foo: String,
         }
 
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/", post(|input: Json<Input>| async { input.0.foo }))
-            .state(());
+        let app =
+            Router::without_state().route("/", post(|input: Json<Input>| async { input.0.foo }));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
         let res = client.post("/").json(&json!({ "foo": "bar" })).send().await;
@@ -240,9 +239,8 @@ mod tests {
             foo: String,
         }
 
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/", post(|input: Json<Input>| async { input.0.foo }))
-            .state(());
+        let app =
+            Router::without_state().route("/", post(|input: Json<Input>| async { input.0.foo }));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
         let res = client.post("/").body(r#"{ "foo": "bar" }"#).send().await;
@@ -258,9 +256,7 @@ mod tests {
         async fn valid_json_content_type(content_type: &str) -> bool {
             println!("testing {:?}", content_type);
 
-            let app = Router::new()
-                .route("/", post(|Json(_): Json<Value>| async {}))
-                .state(());
+            let app = Router::without_state().route("/", post(|Json(_): Json<Value>| async {}));
 
             let res = TestClient::new(app)
                 .post("/")
@@ -281,9 +277,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn invalid_json_syntax() {
-        let app = Router::new()
-            .route("/", post(|_: Json<serde_json::Value>| async {}))
-            .state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route("/", post(|_: Json<serde_json::Value>| async {}));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);
         let res = client
diff --git a/axum/src/routing/mod.rs b/axum/src/routing/mod.rs
index 8bb15948..db378aa6 100644
--- a/axum/src/routing/mod.rs
+++ b/axum/src/routing/mod.rs
@@ -141,8 +141,7 @@ where
         }
     }
 
-    /// TODO(david): docs
-    pub fn state(self, state: S) -> Router<S, B, WithState>
+    fn state(self, state: S) -> Router<S, B, WithState>
     where
         S: Clone,
     {
@@ -151,8 +150,10 @@ where
             .into_iter()
             .map(|(id, endpoint)| {
                 let endpoint = match endpoint {
-                    Endpoint::MethodRouter(router) => {
-                        Endpoint::MethodRouter(router.state(state.clone()))
+                    Endpoint::MethodRouter(method_router) => {
+                        // the state will be provided later in `<Router as Service>::call`, so its safe to
+                        // ignore that it hasn't been provided yet
+                        Endpoint::MethodRouter(method_router.change_state_marker())
                     }
                     Endpoint::Route(route) => Endpoint::Route(route),
                 };
diff --git a/axum/src/typed_header.rs b/axum/src/typed_header.rs
index de61056a..25708cd5 100644
--- a/axum/src/typed_header.rs
+++ b/axum/src/typed_header.rs
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ mod tests {
             user_agent.to_string()
         }
 
-        let app = Router::new().route("/", get(handle)).state(());
+        let app = Router::without_state().route("/", get(handle));
 
         let client = TestClient::new(app);