How to Find and Fix Redirect Loops

What is a redirect loop?

A redirect loop occurs when URL A redirects to URL B, and URL B redirects back to URL A — or through a longer chain that eventually returns to the starting URL. The browser follows the redirects until it hits a limit (usually 20) and displays an error. If you're new to redirects, read our guide to HTTP redirects first.

Common error messages include:

• ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS (Chrome)
• The page isn't redirecting properly (Firefox)
• Too many redirects (Safari)

Why redirect loops happen

Redirect loops are almost always caused by conflicting redirect rules. The most common scenarios:

Conflicting .htaccess rules

If you have a rule that redirects /old-page to /new-page, and another rule that redirects /new-page back to /old-page, you have a loop. This happens when two people add rules without checking for conflicts.

HTTP/HTTPS conflicts

A common loop occurs when a server redirects HTTP to HTTPS, but a CDN or load balancer redirects HTTPS back to HTTP. The request bounces between protocols indefinitely.

CMS plugin conflicts

WordPress sites with multiple redirect plugins (or a redirect plugin conflicting with server-level redirects) can create loops. For example, a plugin might add a trailing slash redirect while the server already has one.

CDN and server conflicts

If Cloudflare (or another CDN) has a redirect rule, and your origin server has a conflicting rule, the request may loop between them.

How to find redirect loops

The simplest way to detect a redirect loop is to use the NodSEO Redirect Checker. Enter the URL and trace the full chain. If you see the same URLs appearing multiple times, or the tool reports a loop, you have a problem.

You can also use curl from the command line:

curl -IL https://example.com/page

If the output shows the same redirect repeated several times before curl gives up, you have a loop.

How to fix redirect loops

The fix depends on the cause. Here's a systematic approach:

Step 1: Check your .htaccess file

Look for conflicting rules. Common patterns to check:

• Multiple RewriteRule directives that affect the same URLs
• HTTP and HTTPS redirect rules that conflict
• Trailing slash rules that conflict with explicit redirects

Step 2: Check server configuration

If you're on Nginx, check your server blocks for conflicting return directives. If you're on Apache, check both .htaccess and the main server config.

Step 3: Check CDN rules

If you're using Cloudflare, check your Page Rules and Redirect Rules. Make sure they don't conflict with server-level redirects.

Step 4: Check CMS plugins

If you're on WordPress, disable redirect plugins one by one to identify the conflict. Use only one redirect management method — either server-level or plugin-level, not both.

Step 5: Verify the fix

After making changes, use the Redirect Checker again to confirm the loop is resolved. The redirect chain should be clean — ideally one hop from the original URL to the final destination.

Preventing redirect loops

Prevention is better than debugging:

• Document your redirects. Keep a spreadsheet of all redirect rules so you can check for conflicts before adding new ones.
• Use one redirect method. Either use server-level redirects (.htaccess, Nginx) or a CMS plugin — not both.
• Test before deploying. Always test redirect rules in a staging environment before pushing to production.
• Audit regularly. Use the Redirect Checker to scan for chains and loops periodically.