diff --git a/lib/roles/http/client/client-http.c b/lib/roles/http/client/client-http.c
index ebdea820e..4014eed85 100644
--- a/lib/roles/http/client/client-http.c
+++ b/lib/roles/http/client/client-http.c
@@ -1626,12 +1626,16 @@ lws_client_reset(struct lws **pwsi, int ssl, const char *address, int port,
 	wsi->flags = (wsi->flags & (~LCCSCF_USE_SSL)) |
 					(ssl ? LCCSCF_USE_SSL : 0);
 
+	if (!cisin[CIS_ALPN] || !cisin[CIS_ALPN][0])
+#if defined(LWS_ROLE_H2)
+		cisin[CIS_ALPN] = "h2,http/1.1";
+#else
+		cisin[CIS_ALPN] = "http/1.1";
+#endif
+
 	lwsl_notice("%s: REDIRECT %s:%d, path='%s', ssl = %d, alpn='%s'\n",
 		    __func__, address, port, path, ssl, cisin[CIS_ALPN]);
 
-	if (!cisin[CIS_ALPN][0])
-		assert(0);
-
 	lws_pt_lock(pt, __func__);
 	__remove_wsi_socket_from_fds(wsi);
 	lws_pt_unlock(pt);