diff --git a/lib/app/server.js b/lib/app/server.js
index 0a6704de44..4048e5652f 100644
--- a/lib/app/server.js
+++ b/lib/app/server.js
@@ -134,9 +134,12 @@ export default context => {
     return _app
   })
   .catch(function (error) {
-    if (error && error instanceof Error) {
+    if (error && (error instanceof Error || error.constructor.toString().indexOf('Error()') !== -1)) {
       error = { statusCode: 500, message: error.message }
     }
+    else if (typeof error === 'string') {
+      error = { statusCode: 500, message: error }
+    }
     context.nuxt.error = context.error(error)
     <%= (store ? 'context.nuxt.state = store.state' : '') %>
     return _app