diff --git a/httpout/response.py b/httpout/response.py
index 6edcdb2..381b1e7 100644
--- a/httpout/response.py
+++ b/httpout/response.py
@@ -42,12 +42,13 @@ async def handle_exception(self, exc):
         if self.response.request.upgraded:
             await self.response.handle_exception(exc)
         else:
-            if not self.response.headers_sent():
-                self.response.set_status(500, b'Internal Server Error')
-                self.response.set_content_type(b'text/html; charset=utf-8')
-                self.response.request.http_keepalive = False
+            self.response.request.http_keepalive = False
 
             if isinstance(exc, Exception):
+                if not self.response.headers_sent():
+                    self.response.set_status(500, b'Internal Server Error')
+                    self.response.set_content_type(b'text/html; charset=utf-8')
+
                 if self.protocol.options['debug']:
                     te = TracebackException.from_exception(exc)
                     await self.response.write(