diff --git a/lib/src/start.js b/lib/src/start.js
index b727e4c..5778e47 100644
--- a/lib/src/start.js
+++ b/lib/src/start.js
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ const { ifElse } = require('crocks/logic')
 const { pipe } = require('crocks/helpers')
 const { map } = require('crocks/pointfree')
 const finalhandler = require('finalhandler')
+const fs = require('fs')
 const http = require('http')
 const https = require('https')
 const mime = require('mime')
 const os = require('os')
 const path = require('path')
 const serveStatic = require('serve-static')
+const { URL } = require('url')
 const ws = require('ws')
 const { update, readFile, notExists, writeFile, isObj, hasProp } = require('./utils')
 const { fileNotFound, serverStarted } = require('./messages')
@@ -90,6 +92,7 @@ function getRequestType ({ pathname, fileType }, { proxyPrefix, pushstate }) {
     return PROXY_TYPE
   } else if (
     isRoot({ pathname, pushstate, fileType }) ||
+    fileType === null ||
     fileType === 'text/html'
   ) {
     return CONTENT_TYPE
@@ -106,7 +109,8 @@ function getRequestType ({ pathname, fileType }, { proxyPrefix, pushstate }) {
  * This function takes in the path from the request and the model and returns the needed values to finish running the request.
  **/
 function parseUrl (pathname, model) {
-  const fileType = pipe(path.extname, mime.getType)(pathname)
+  const fileExists = fs.existsSync(path.join(model.dir, pathname))
+  const fileType = fileExists ? pipe(path.extname, mime.getType)(pathname) : null
   const requestType = getRequestType({ pathname, fileType }, model)
   const rootPath = `${model.dir}/${model.startPage}`
   const fullPath = `${model.dir}${pathname}`
@@ -172,9 +176,10 @@ function handler (model) {
   const serve = serveStatic(model.dir, { index: ['index.html', 'index.htm'] })
 
   return function (req, res) {
-    const url = parseUrl(req.url, model)
+    const url = new URL(req.url, `http://${req.headers.host}`)
+    const urlInfo = parseUrl(url.pathname, model)
 
-    if (proxy && url.isType(PROXY_TYPE)) {
+    if (proxy && urlInfo.isType(PROXY_TYPE)) {
       req.url = req.url.replace(model.proxyPrefix, '')
       proxy.web(req, res, {
         target: model.proxyHost,
@@ -186,11 +191,11 @@ function handler (model) {
         res.writeHead(502)
         res.end('502 Bad Gateway')
       })
-    } else if (url.isType(CONTENT_TYPE)) {
-      readFile(url.getPath, 'utf8')
-        .alt(readFile(url.rootpath, 'utf8'))
+    } else if (urlInfo.isType(CONTENT_TYPE)) {
+      readFile(urlInfo.getPath, 'utf8')
+        .alt(readFile(urlInfo.rootPath, 'utf8'))
         .fork(resolveNotFound(res), resolveWith(model.reload, res))
-    } else if (url.isType(RELOAD_TYPE)) {
+    } else if (urlInfo.isType(RELOAD_TYPE)) {
       readFile(RELOAD_FILE, 'utf8')
         .map(file => file.replace(`'{{verbose}}'`, `${model.verbose}`))
         .map(file => file.replace(`'{{reload}}'`, `${model.reload}`))