diff --git a/lib/handshake.c b/lib/handshake.c
index f1e7dadb..1935c25d 100644
--- a/lib/handshake.c
+++ b/lib/handshake.c
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ libwebsocket_read(struct libwebsocket_context *context,
 			memset(&wsi->u, 0, sizeof(wsi->u));
 			wsi->mode = LWS_CONNMODE_HTTP_SERVING_ACCEPTED;
 			wsi->state = WSI_STATE_HTTP;
+			wsi->u.http.fd = -1;
 
 			/* expose it at the same offset as u.hdr */
 			wsi->u.http.ah = ah;
diff --git a/lib/libwebsockets.c b/lib/libwebsockets.c
index 475162b7..2cb3ab0c 100644
--- a/lib/libwebsockets.c
+++ b/lib/libwebsockets.c
@@ -217,10 +217,10 @@ libwebsocket_close_and_free_session(struct libwebsocket_context *context,
 	}
 
 
-	if (wsi->mode == LWS_CONNMODE_HTTP_SERVING_ACCEPTED && wsi->u.http.fd) {
+	if (wsi->mode == LWS_CONNMODE_HTTP_SERVING_ACCEPTED && wsi->u.http.fd >= 0) {
 		lwsl_debug("closing http fd %d\n", wsi->u.http.fd);
 		close(wsi->u.http.fd);
-		wsi->u.http.fd = 0;
+		wsi->u.http.fd = -1;
 		context->protocols[0].callback(context, wsi,
 			LWS_CALLBACK_CLOSED_HTTP, wsi->user_space, NULL, 0);
 	}
diff --git a/lib/libwebsockets.h b/lib/libwebsockets.h
index 54d485ab..4c121af3 100644
--- a/lib/libwebsockets.h
+++ b/lib/libwebsockets.h
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ LWS_VISIBLE LWS_EXTERN void lwsl_hexdump(void *buf, size_t len);
 
 #endif
 
+#define ARRAY_SIZE(x) (sizeof(x) / sizeof(x[0]))
+
 enum libwebsocket_context_options {
 	LWS_SERVER_OPTION_REQUIRE_VALID_OPENSSL_CLIENT_CERT = 2,
 	LWS_SERVER_OPTION_SKIP_SERVER_CANONICAL_NAME = 4,
@@ -394,6 +396,34 @@ enum lws_close_status {
 	LWS_CLOSE_STATUS_TLS_FAILURE = 1015,
 };
 
+enum http_status {
+	HTTP_STATUS_BAD_REQUEST = 400,
+	HTTP_STATUS_UNAUTHORIZED,
+	HTTP_STATUS_PAYMENT_REQUIRED,
+	HTTP_STATUS_FORBIDDEN,
+	HTTP_STATUS_NOT_FOUND,
+	HTTP_STATUS_METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED,
+	HTTP_STATUS_NOT_ACCEPTABLE,
+	HTTP_STATUS_PROXY_AUTH_REQUIRED,
+	HTTP_STATUS_REQUEST_TIMEOUT,
+	HTTP_STATUS_CONFLICT,
+	HTTP_STATUS_GONE,
+	HTTP_STATUS_LENGTH_REQUIRED,
+	HTTP_STATUS_PRECONDITION_FAILED,
+	HTTP_STATUS_REQ_ENTITY_TOO_LARGE,
+	HTTP_STATUS_REQ_URI_TOO_LONG,
+	HTTP_STATUS_UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE,
+	HTTP_STATUS_REQ_RANGE_NOT_SATISFIABLE,
+	HTTP_STATUS_EXPECTATION_FAILED,
+
+	HTTP_STATUS_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR = 500,
+	HTTP_STATUS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED,
+	HTTP_STATUS_BAD_GATEWAY,
+	HTTP_STATUS_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,
+	HTTP_STATUS_GATEWAY_TIMEOUT,
+	HTTP_STATUS_HTTP_VERSION_NOT_SUPPORTED,
+};
+
 struct libwebsocket;
 struct libwebsocket_context;
 /* needed even with extensions disabled for create context */
@@ -940,6 +970,11 @@ LWS_VISIBLE LWS_EXTERN int
 libwebsockets_serve_http_file_fragment(struct libwebsocket_context *context,
 			struct libwebsocket *wsi);
 
+LWS_VISIBLE int libwebsockets_return_http_status(
+		struct libwebsocket_context *context,
+			struct libwebsocket *wsi, unsigned int code,
+							const char *html_body);
+
 LWS_VISIBLE LWS_EXTERN const struct libwebsocket_protocols *
 libwebsockets_get_protocol(struct libwebsocket *wsi);
 
diff --git a/lib/output.c b/lib/output.c
index 9abe0873..5a661b05 100644
--- a/lib/output.c
+++ b/lib/output.c
@@ -641,78 +641,3 @@ LWS_VISIBLE int libwebsockets_serve_http_file_fragment(
 
 	return 0; /* indicates further processing must be done */
 }
-
-/**
- * libwebsockets_serve_http_file() - Send a file back to the client using http
- * @context:		libwebsockets context
- * @wsi:		Websocket instance (available from user callback)
- * @file:		The file to issue over http
- * @content_type:	The http content type, eg, text/html
- * @other_headers:	NULL or pointer to \0-terminated other header string
- *
- *	This function is intended to be called from the callback in response
- *	to http requests from the client.  It allows the callback to issue
- *	local files down the http link in a single step.
- *
- *	Returning <0 indicates error and the wsi should be closed.  Returning
- *	>0 indicates the file was completely sent and the wsi should be closed.
- *	==0 indicates the file transfer is started and needs more service later,
- *	the wsi should be left alone.
- */
-
-LWS_VISIBLE int libwebsockets_serve_http_file(
-		struct libwebsocket_context *context,
-			struct libwebsocket *wsi, const char *file,
-			   const char *content_type, const char *other_headers)
-{
-	struct stat stat_buf;
-	unsigned char *p = context->service_buffer;
-	int ret = 0;
-	int n;
-
-	wsi->u.http.fd = open(file, O_RDONLY
-#ifdef WIN32
-			 | _O_BINARY
-#endif
-	);
-
-	if (wsi->u.http.fd < 1) {
-		lwsl_err("Unable to open '%s'\n", file);
-		p += sprintf((char *)p,
-		 "HTTP/1.0 400 Bad\x0d\x0aServer: libwebsockets\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a"
-		);
-		wsi->u.http.fd = 0;
-		/* too small to care about partial, closing anyway */
-		libwebsocket_write(wsi, context->service_buffer,
-				p - context->service_buffer, LWS_WRITE_HTTP);
-
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	fstat(wsi->u.http.fd, &stat_buf);
-	wsi->u.http.filelen = stat_buf.st_size;
-	p += sprintf((char *)p,
-"HTTP/1.0 200 OK\x0d\x0aServer: libwebsockets\x0d\x0a""Content-Type: %s\x0d\x0a",
-								  content_type);
-	if (other_headers) {
-		n = strlen(other_headers);
-		memcpy(p, other_headers, n);
-		p += n;
-	}
-	p += sprintf((char *)p,
-		"Content-Length: %u\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a",
-					(unsigned int)stat_buf.st_size);
-
-	ret = libwebsocket_write(wsi, context->service_buffer,
-				   p - context->service_buffer, LWS_WRITE_HTTP);
-	if (ret != (p - context->service_buffer)) {
-		lwsl_err("_write returned %d from %d\n", ret, (p - context->service_buffer));
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	wsi->u.http.filepos = 0;
-	wsi->state = WSI_STATE_HTTP_ISSUING_FILE;
-
-	return libwebsockets_serve_http_file_fragment(context, wsi);
-}
-
diff --git a/lib/server.c b/lib/server.c
index bc8b497f..7c0421a9 100644
--- a/lib/server.c
+++ b/lib/server.c
@@ -389,3 +389,142 @@ int lws_server_socket_service(struct libwebsocket_context *context,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+
+static const char *err400[] = {
+	"Bad Request",
+	"Unauthorized",
+	"Payment Required",
+	"Forbidden",
+	"Not Found",
+	"Method Not Allowed",
+	"Not Acceptable",
+	"Proxy Auth Required",
+	"Request Timeout",
+	"Conflict",
+	"Gone",
+	"Length Required",
+	"Precondition Failed",
+	"Request Entity Too Large",
+	"Request URI too Long",
+	"Unsupported Media Type",
+	"Requested Range Not Satisfiable",
+	"Expectation Failed"
+};
+
+static const char *err500[] = {
+	"Internal Server Error",
+	"Not Implemented",
+	"Bad Gateway",
+	"Service Unavailable",
+	"Gateway Timeout",
+	"HTTP Version Not Supported"
+};
+
+/**
+ * libwebsockets_return_http_status() - Return simple http status
+ * @context:		libwebsockets context
+ * @wsi:		Websocket instance (available from user callback)
+ * @code:		Status index, eg, 404
+ * @html_body:		User-readable HTML description, or NULL
+ *
+ *	Helper to report HTTP errors back to the client cleanly and
+ *	consistently
+ */
+LWS_VISIBLE int libwebsockets_return_http_status(
+		struct libwebsocket_context *context, struct libwebsocket *wsi,
+				       unsigned int code, const char *html_body)
+{
+	int n, m;
+	const char *description = "";
+
+	if (!html_body)
+		html_body = "";
+
+	if (code >= 400 && code < (400 + ARRAY_SIZE(err400)))
+		description = err400[code - 400];
+	if (code >= 500 && code < (500 + ARRAY_SIZE(err500)))
+		description = err500[code - 500];
+
+	n = sprintf((char *)context->service_buffer,
+		"HTTP/1.0 %u %s\x0d\x0a"
+		"Server: libwebsockets\x0d\x0a"
+		"Mime-Type: text/html\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a"
+		"<h1>%u %s</h1>%s",
+		code, description, code, description, html_body);
+
+	lwsl_info((const char *)context->service_buffer);
+
+	m = libwebsocket_write(wsi, context->service_buffer, n, LWS_WRITE_HTTP);
+
+	return m;
+}
+
+/**
+ * libwebsockets_serve_http_file() - Send a file back to the client using http
+ * @context:		libwebsockets context
+ * @wsi:		Websocket instance (available from user callback)
+ * @file:		The file to issue over http
+ * @content_type:	The http content type, eg, text/html
+ * @other_headers:	NULL or pointer to \0-terminated other header string
+ *
+ *	This function is intended to be called from the callback in response
+ *	to http requests from the client.  It allows the callback to issue
+ *	local files down the http link in a single step.
+ *
+ *	Returning <0 indicates error and the wsi should be closed.  Returning
+ *	>0 indicates the file was completely sent and the wsi should be closed.
+ *	==0 indicates the file transfer is started and needs more service later,
+ *	the wsi should be left alone.
+ */
+
+LWS_VISIBLE int libwebsockets_serve_http_file(
+		struct libwebsocket_context *context,
+			struct libwebsocket *wsi, const char *file,
+			   const char *content_type, const char *other_headers)
+{
+	struct stat stat_buf;
+	unsigned char *p = context->service_buffer;
+	int ret = 0;
+	int n;
+
+	wsi->u.http.fd = open(file, O_RDONLY
+#ifdef WIN32
+			 | _O_BINARY
+#endif
+	);
+
+	if (wsi->u.http.fd < 1) {
+		lwsl_err("Unable to open '%s'\n", file);
+		libwebsockets_return_http_status(context, wsi,
+						HTTP_STATUS_NOT_FOUND, NULL);
+		wsi->u.http.fd = -1;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	fstat(wsi->u.http.fd, &stat_buf);
+	wsi->u.http.filelen = stat_buf.st_size;
+	p += sprintf((char *)p,
+"HTTP/1.0 200 OK\x0d\x0aServer: libwebsockets\x0d\x0a""Content-Type: %s\x0d\x0a",
+								  content_type);
+	if (other_headers) {
+		n = strlen(other_headers);
+		memcpy(p, other_headers, n);
+		p += n;
+	}
+	p += sprintf((char *)p,
+		"Content-Length: %u\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a",
+					(unsigned int)stat_buf.st_size);
+
+	ret = libwebsocket_write(wsi, context->service_buffer,
+				   p - context->service_buffer, LWS_WRITE_HTTP);
+	if (ret != (p - context->service_buffer)) {
+		lwsl_err("_write returned %d from %d\n", ret, (p - context->service_buffer));
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	wsi->u.http.filepos = 0;
+	wsi->state = WSI_STATE_HTTP_ISSUING_FILE;
+
+	return libwebsockets_serve_http_file_fragment(context, wsi);
+}
+
diff --git a/test-server/attack.sh b/test-server/attack.sh
index 84328ac8..c1279077 100755
--- a/test-server/attack.sh
+++ b/test-server/attack.sh
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ check
 
 echo
 echo "---- good request but http payload coming too (should be ignored and test.html served)"
-echo -e "GET blah HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0aILLEGAL-PAYLOAD........................................" \
+echo -e "GET /test.html HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0aILLEGAL-PAYLOAD........................................" \
 	"......................................................................................................................." \
  	"......................................................................................................................." \
  	"......................................................................................................................." \
@@ -125,10 +125,9 @@ echo -e "GET blah HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0aILLEGAL-PAYLOAD.......................
  	"......................................................................................................................." \
 	 | nc $SERVER $PORT | sed '1,/^\r$/d'> /tmp/lwscap
 check
-size=`stat /tmp/lwscap | grep Size: | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f3`
-if [ $size -ne 0 ] ; then
-	echo "FAIL: got something back when should have hung up"
-	cat /tmp/lwscap
+diff /tmp/lwscap /usr/share/libwebsockets-test-server/test.html > /dev/null
+if [ $? -ne 0 ] ; then
+	echo "FAIL: got something other than test.html back"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -137,9 +136,8 @@ echo "---- directory attack 1 (/../../../../etc/passwd should be /etc/passswd)"
 rm -f /tmp/lwscap
 echo -e "GET /../../../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a" | nc $SERVER $PORT | sed '1,/^\r$/d'> /tmp/lwscap
 check
-size=`stat /tmp/lwscap | grep Size: | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f3`
-if [ $size -ne 0 ] ; then
-	echo "FAIL: got something back when should have hung up"
+if [ -z "`grep '<h1>403 Forbidden</h1>' /tmp/lwscap`" ] ; then
+	echo "FAIL: should have told forbidden (test server has no dirs)"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -170,9 +168,8 @@ echo "---- directory attack 4 (/blah/.. should be /blah/)"
 rm -f /tmp/lwscap
 echo -e "GET /blah/.. HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a" | nc $SERVER $PORT | sed '1,/^\r$/d'> /tmp/lwscap
 check
-size=`stat /tmp/lwscap | grep Size: | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f3`
-if [ $size -ne 0 ] ; then
-	echo "FAIL: got something back when should have hung up"
+if [ -z "`grep '<h1>403 Forbidden</h1>' /tmp/lwscap`" ] ; then
+	echo "FAIL: should have told forbidden (test server has no dirs)"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -181,9 +178,8 @@ echo "---- directory attack 5 (/blah/../ should be /blah/)"
 rm -f /tmp/lwscap
 echo -e "GET /blah/../ HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a" | nc $SERVER $PORT | sed '1,/^\r$/d'> /tmp/lwscap
 check
-size=`stat /tmp/lwscap | grep Size: | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f3`
-if [ $size -ne 0 ] ; then
-	echo "FAIL: got something back when should have hung up"
+if [ -z "`grep '<h1>403 Forbidden</h1>' /tmp/lwscap`" ] ; then
+	echo "FAIL: should have told forbidden (test server has no dirs)"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -192,9 +188,8 @@ echo "---- directory attack 6 (/blah/../. should be /blah/)"
 rm -f /tmp/lwscap
 echo -e "GET /blah/../. HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a" | nc $SERVER $PORT | sed '1,/^\r$/d'> /tmp/lwscap
 check
-size=`stat /tmp/lwscap | grep Size: | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f3`
-if [ $size -ne 0 ] ; then
-	echo "FAIL: got something back when should have hung up"
+if [ -z "`grep '<h1>403 Forbidden</h1>' /tmp/lwscap`" ] ; then
+	echo "FAIL: should have told forbidden (test server has no dirs)"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -203,9 +198,8 @@ echo "---- directory attack 7 (/%2e%2e%2f../../../etc/passwd should be /etc/pass
 rm -f /tmp/lwscap
 echo -e "GET /%2e%2e%2f../../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a" | nc $SERVER $PORT | sed '1,/^\r$/d'> /tmp/lwscap
 check
-size=`stat /tmp/lwscap | grep Size: | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f3`
-if [ $size -ne 0 ] ; then
-	echo "FAIL: got something back when should have hung up"
+if [ -z "`grep '<h1>403 Forbidden</h1>' /tmp/lwscap`" ] ; then
+	echo "FAIL: should have told forbidden (test server has no dirs)"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -214,13 +208,11 @@ echo "---- directory attack 7 (%2f%2e%2e%2f%2e./.%2e/.%2e%2fetc/passwd should be
 rm -f /tmp/lwscap
 echo -e "GET %2f%2e%2e%2f%2e./.%2e/.%2e%2fetc/passwd HTTP/1.1\x0d\x0a\x0d\x0a" | nc $SERVER $PORT | sed '1,/^\r$/d'> /tmp/lwscap
 check
-size=`stat /tmp/lwscap | grep Size: | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f3`
-if [ $size -ne 0 ] ; then
-	echo "FAIL: got something back when should have hung up"
+if [ -z "`grep '<h1>403 Forbidden</h1>' /tmp/lwscap`" ] ; then
+	echo "FAIL: should have told forbidden (test server has no dirs)"
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-
 echo
 echo "--- survived"
 kill -2 $CPID
diff --git a/test-server/test-server.c b/test-server/test-server.c
index 35150def..899314c8 100644
--- a/test-server/test-server.c
+++ b/test-server/test-server.c
@@ -152,6 +152,19 @@ static int callback_http(struct libwebsocket_context *context,
 	switch (reason) {
 	case LWS_CALLBACK_HTTP:
 
+		if (len < 1) {
+			libwebsockets_return_http_status(context, wsi,
+						HTTP_STATUS_BAD_REQUEST, NULL);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		/* this server has no concept of directories */
+		if (strchr((const char *)in + 1, '/')) {
+			libwebsockets_return_http_status(context, wsi,
+						HTTP_STATUS_FORBIDDEN, NULL);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
 		/* check for the "send a big file by hand" example case */
 
 		if (!strcmp((const char *)in, "/leaf.jpg")) {
@@ -217,9 +230,13 @@ static int callback_http(struct libwebsocket_context *context,
 		} else /* default file to serve */
 			strcat(buf, "/test.html");
 		buf[sizeof(buf) - 1] = '\0';
+
+		/* refuse to serve files we don't understand */
 		mimetype = get_mimetype(buf);
 		if (!mimetype) {
 			lwsl_err("Unknown mimetype for %s\n", buf);
+			libwebsockets_return_http_status(context, wsi,
+				      HTTP_STATUS_UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE, NULL);
 			return -1;
 		}