diff --git a/lib/render.js b/lib/render.js
index 105b3dc352..59f9199dc7 100644
--- a/lib/render.js
+++ b/lib/render.js
@@ -54,11 +54,12 @@ export function render (req, res) {
     /* istanbul ignore if */
     if (this.dev && req.url.indexOf(self.options.build.publicPath) === 0 && req.url.includes('.hot-update.json')) {
       res.statusCode = 404
-      return res.end()
+      return { html: '' }
     }
     return this.renderRoute(req.url, context)
   })
-  .then(({ html, error }) => {
+  .then(({ html, error, redirected }) => {
+    if (redirected) return html
     if (error) {
       res.statusCode = context.nuxt.error.statusCode || 500
     }