Chase a redirect loop back to its cause

A link redirects, then redirects again, and never lands anywhere.

Beginner to intermediateRead 5 minDoing: 20 to 30 minutes with a terminal open5 steps

What you'll have at the end

The exact redirect chain for one broken link, written out hop by hop, with the loop point marked and whether it's one rule looping on itself or two rules fighting

Before you start

You need

A service that's stuck answering the exact same redirect over and over when you request it, a command-line HTTP client, and a way to reach the app directly in addition to however a normal client would reach it.

Not covered

Actually changing your proxy's configuration or your app's redirect logic to close the loop; this covers building undeniable proof of what's causing it, not applying the fix.

Leans on

HTTP Cheat SheetConfirms exactly what a 301 and a Location header promise before you start reading a real chain of them.
curl and HTTP Command-Line Tools Cheat SheetHas the exact redirect-following and header-dumping options that turn 'it just loops' into a literal chain you can read.
Proxy Servers Cheat SheetCovers the forwarded-protocol and forwarded-for headers a layer in front of your app relies on, and why a client can forge either one.

5 steps

Checked 18 Aug 2026

Part of the HTTP cookbook