diff --git a/components/http_server/src/httpd_parse.c b/components/http_server/src/httpd_parse.c
index c8dfe69f6..64629f518 100644
--- a/components/http_server/src/httpd_parse.c
+++ b/components/http_server/src/httpd_parse.c
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ esp_err_t httpd_req_new(struct httpd_data *hd, struct sock_db *sd)
     ra->sd = sd;
     /* Set defaults */
     ra->status = (char *)HTTPD_200;
-    ra->content_type = (char *)HTTPD_TYPE_JSON;
+    ra->content_type = (char *)HTTPD_TYPE_TEXT;
     ra->first_chunk_sent = false;
     /* Copy session info to the request */
     r->sess_ctx = sd->ctx;
diff --git a/examples/protocols/http_server/advanced_tests/scripts/test.py b/examples/protocols/http_server/advanced_tests/scripts/test.py
index 683b62b17..f1fcedaec 100644
--- a/examples/protocols/http_server/advanced_tests/scripts/test.py
+++ b/examples/protocols/http_server/advanced_tests/scripts/test.py
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ def get_hello(dut, port):
     if not test_val("data", "Hello World!", resp.read().decode()):
         conn.close()
         return False
-    if not test_val("data", "application/json", resp.getheader('Content-Type')):
+    if not test_val("data", "text/html", resp.getheader('Content-Type')):
         conn.close()
         return False
     Utility.console_log("Success")