diff --git a/net/net/src/TWebFile.cxx b/net/net/src/TWebFile.cxx
index 9e459d318d66b..065642a32bea4 100644
--- a/net/net/src/TWebFile.cxx
+++ b/net/net/src/TWebFile.cxx
@@ -660,12 +660,19 @@ Int_t TWebFile::GetFromWeb10(char *buf, Int_t len, const TString &msg)
    Int_t n, ret = 0, nranges = 0, ltot = 0, redirect = 0;
    TString boundary, boundaryEnd;
    Long64_t first = -1, last = -1, tot;
+   TString redir;
 
    while ((n = GetLine(fSocket, line, sizeof(line))) >= 0) {
       if (n == 0) {
          if (ret < 0)
             return ret;
          if (redirect) {
+	    if (redir.IsNull()) {
+	      // Some sites (s3.amazonaws.com) do not return a Location field on 301
+	      Error("GetFromWeb10", "error - permanent redirect (301) without location from host %s", fUrl.GetHost());
+	      return -1;
+	    }
+
             ws.ReOpen();
             // set message to reflect the redirectLocation and add bytes field
             TString msg_1 = fMsgReadBuffer10; 
@@ -775,7 +782,7 @@ Int_t TWebFile::GetFromWeb10(char *buf, Int_t len, const TString &msg)
 #endif
          if (fSize == -1) fSize = tot;
       } else if (res.BeginsWith("Location:") && redirect) {
-         TString redir = res(10, 1000);
+         redir = res(10, 1000);
          if (redirect == 2)   // temp redirect
             SetMsgReadBuffer10(redir, kTRUE);
          else               // permanent redirect
@@ -783,6 +790,11 @@ Int_t TWebFile::GetFromWeb10(char *buf, Int_t len, const TString &msg)
       }
    }
 
+   if (redirect && redir.IsNull()) {
+       ret = -1;
+       Error("GetFromWeb10", "error - permanent redirect (301) without location from host %s", fUrl.GetHost());
+   }
+
    if (n == -1 && fHTTP11) {
       if (gDebug > 0)
          Info("GetFromWeb10", "HTTP/1.1 socket closed, reopen");
@@ -945,6 +957,7 @@ Int_t TWebFile::GetHead()
 
    char line[8192];
    Int_t n, ret = 0, redirect = 0;
+   TString redir;
 
    while ((n = GetLine(s, line, sizeof(line))) >= 0) {
       if (n == 0) {
@@ -958,8 +971,14 @@ Int_t TWebFile::GetHead()
          }
          if (ret < 0)
             return ret;
-         if (redirect)
-            return GetHead();
+         if (redirect) {
+	   if (redir.IsNull()) {
+	     // Some sites (s3.amazonaws.com) do not return a Location field on 301
+	     Error("GetHead", "error - permanent redirect (301) without location from host %s", fUrl.GetHost());
+	     return -1;
+	   }
+	   return GetHead();
+	 }
          return 0;
       }
 
@@ -1015,7 +1034,7 @@ Int_t TWebFile::GetHead()
          TString slen = res(16, 1000);
          fSize = slen.Atoll();
       } else if (res.BeginsWith("Location:") && redirect) {
-         TString redir = res(10, 1000);
+         redir = res(10, 1000);
          if (redirect == 2)   // temp redirect
             SetMsgReadBuffer10(redir, kTRUE);
          else               // permanent redirect