diff --git a/lib/core/renderer.js b/lib/core/renderer.js
index 31cd8f3087..fff8b2ec70 100644
--- a/lib/core/renderer.js
+++ b/lib/core/renderer.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import _ from 'lodash'
 import { join, resolve } from 'path'
 import fs from 'fs-extra'
 import { createBundleRenderer } from 'vue-server-renderer'
-import { encodeHtml, getContext, setAnsiColors, isUrl } from 'utils'
+import { encodeHtml, getContext, setAnsiColors } from 'utils'
 import Debug from 'debug'
 import connect from 'connect'
 
@@ -205,8 +205,8 @@ export default class Renderer extends Tapable {
       next()
     })
 
-    // Remove publicPath from requests when it is pointing to CDN
-    if (isUrl(this.options.build.publicPath)) {
+    // Remove publicPath from requests in production mode
+    if (!this.options.dev) {
       this.useMiddleware((req, res, next) => {
         if (req.url.indexOf(this.options.build.publicPath) === 0) {
           req.url = req.url.replace(this.options.build.publicPath, '/')
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ export default class Renderer extends Tapable {
     // For dev they will be served with devMiddleware
     if (!this.options.dev) {
       this.useMiddleware(serveStatic(resolve(this.options.buildDir, 'dist'), {
+        index: false, // Don't serve index.html template
         maxAge: (this.options.dev ? 0 : '1y') // 1 year in production
       }))
     }
diff --git a/lib/core/server.js b/lib/core/server.js
index f0d71fa051..cec7a7f3b6 100644
--- a/lib/core/server.js
+++ b/lib/core/server.js
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ class Server {
       return this._ready
     }
 
-    this.render = this.nuxt.renderer.app
-    this.server = http.createServer(this.render)
+    this.server = http.createServer(this.nuxt.render)
 
     return this
   }