CorrectFeed

RSS feed redirect loop: how to fix too many redirects

If your RSS feed has too many redirects, the feed URL is bouncing instead of resolving cleanly.

That usually means one of these is happening:

  • http and https rules conflict
  • www and non-www rules conflict
  • a CDN and the origin both apply redirects
  • one feed path redirects to another and then back again

Quick answer

A feed should have one canonical URL that returns:

  • HTTP 200
  • XML
  • no loop
  • no long redirect chain

If you still need to support an old feed URL, use one stable 301 redirect to the canonical destination.

Fast diagnosis

The first thing to do is inspect the full redirect chain.

Useful commands:

curl -I https://example.com/feed.xml
curl -L -I https://example.com/feed.xml

If you see the same locations repeating, or a bounce between variants like http and https, you found the loop.

Common redirect loop patterns

1. HTTP and HTTPS are fighting

Example:

  • http://example.com/feed.xml → https://example.com/feed.xml
  • https://example.com/feed.xml → http://example.com/feed.xml

This often happens when a proxy terminates TLS but the origin still thinks requests are plain HTTP.

2. WWW and non-WWW are fighting

Example:

  • https://example.com/feed.xml → https://www.example.com/feed.xml
  • https://www.example.com/feed.xml → https://example.com/feed.xml

This usually means two different canonical host rules are active.

3. Feed path rewrites are fighting

Example:

  • /feed.xml → /feed/
  • /feed/ → /feed.xml

This often comes from CMS rewrites, platform migrations, or catch-all redirect logic.

4. CDN and origin are both trying to help

This is a very common real-world cause.

One layer enforces canonical URLs, then the next layer applies a second competing redirect.

Practical fix

Step 1: pick one canonical feed URL

Choose one final URL and stick with it.

Example:

  • https://example.com/feed.xml

That URL should be the final destination the whole system agrees on.

Step 2: make the canonical feed URL return HTTP 200

The final feed URL should not redirect again. It should return the live XML feed directly.

Step 3: simplify old URLs to one 301 hop

If older feed URLs still exist, redirect them once to the canonical destination.

Avoid:

  • chains
  • loops
  • multiple canonicalization layers fighting each other

Step 4: make sure feed metadata agrees

If your feed publishes self-links or canonical links, they should match the final public feed URL.

Where redirect loops usually live

CDN or proxy layer

Check for:

  • force-HTTPS rules
  • host canonicalization rules
  • path redirects that catch feed URLs

Origin server layer

Check for:

  • Nginx or Apache redirect rules
  • catch-all rewrites
  • logic that treats feed paths like ordinary HTML pages

App or CMS layer

Check for:

  • site URL / home URL mismatches
  • generated feed paths pointing at the wrong host
  • proxy-header misconfiguration

Why feed redirect loops matter

Browsers sometimes recover better than feed readers do.

Feed readers may:

  • stop after a few hops
  • cache the wrong URL
  • give up polling the feed
  • treat the feed as broken entirely

That is why a redirect loop is not just a cosmetic issue. It can kill feed delivery.

When this page should hand off to other pages

Use this page for the exact problem: feed has too many redirects.

If the problem is actually:

Best practice summary

  • keep one canonical feed URL
  • make the final URL return HTTP 200 and XML
  • use at most one 301 from old feed URLs
  • keep CDN, origin, and app redirect logic consistent

FAQ

Why does my RSS feed have too many redirects?

Usually because HTTP and HTTPS rules conflict, www and non-www rules fight each other, or both a CDN and the origin are trying to canonicalize the same feed URL.

Do RSS readers follow redirects?

Most do, but they usually stop after a few hops. Redirect loops and long chains frequently cause the feed to fail.

What is the safest redirect setup for a feed?

One canonical feed URL that returns HTTP 200, plus at most one 301 redirect from any old feed URL.

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