diff --git a/backend/http/http.go b/backend/http/http.go
index 15ea2744c..e2a993a44 100644
--- a/backend/http/http.go
+++ b/backend/http/http.go
@@ -73,8 +73,9 @@ directories.`,
 			Advanced: true,
 		}, {
 			Name: "no_head",
-			Help: `Don't use HEAD requests to find file sizes in dir listing.
+			Help: `Don't use HEAD requests.
 
+HEAD requests are mainly used to find file sizes in dir listing.
 If your site is being very slow to load then you can try this option.
 Normally rclone does a HEAD request for each potential file in a
 directory listing to:
@@ -134,6 +135,82 @@ func statusError(res *http.Response, err error) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// getFsEndpoint decides if url is to be considered a file or directory,
+// and returns a proper endpoint url to use for the fs.
+func getFsEndpoint(ctx context.Context, client *http.Client, url string, opt *Options) (string, bool) {
+	// If url ends with '/' it is already a proper url always assumed to be a directory.
+	if url[len(url)-1] == '/' {
+		return url, false
+	}
+
+	// If url does not end with '/' we send a HEAD request to decide
+	// if it is directory or file, and if directory appends the missing
+	// '/', or if file returns the directory url to parent instead.
+	createFileResult := func() (string, bool) {
+		fs.Debugf(nil, "If path is a directory you must add a trailing '/'")
+		parent, _ := path.Split(url)
+		return parent, true
+	}
+	createDirResult := func() (string, bool) {
+		fs.Debugf(nil, "To avoid the initial HEAD request add a trailing '/' to the path")
+		return url + "/", false
+	}
+
+	// If HEAD requests are not allowed we just have to assume it is a file.
+	if opt.NoHead {
+		fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a file as --http-no-head is set")
+		return createFileResult()
+	}
+
+	// Use a client which doesn't follow redirects so the server
+	// doesn't redirect http://host/dir to http://host/dir/
+	noRedir := *client
+	noRedir.CheckRedirect = func(req *http.Request, via []*http.Request) error {
+		return http.ErrUseLastResponse
+	}
+	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, "HEAD", url, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a file as HEAD request could not be created: %v", err)
+		return createFileResult()
+	}
+	addHeaders(req, opt)
+	res, err := noRedir.Do(req)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a file as HEAD request could not be sent: %v", err)
+		return createFileResult()
+	}
+	if res.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
+		fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a directory as HEAD response is it does not exist as a file (%s)", res.Status)
+		return createDirResult()
+	}
+	if res.StatusCode == http.StatusMovedPermanently ||
+		res.StatusCode == http.StatusFound ||
+		res.StatusCode == http.StatusSeeOther ||
+		res.StatusCode == http.StatusTemporaryRedirect ||
+		res.StatusCode == http.StatusPermanentRedirect {
+		redir := res.Header.Get("Location")
+		if redir != "" {
+			if redir[len(redir)-1] == '/' {
+				fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a directory as HEAD response is redirect (%s) to a path that ends with '/': %s", res.Status, redir)
+				return createDirResult()
+			}
+			fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a file as HEAD response is redirect (%s) to a path that does not end with '/': %s", res.Status, redir)
+			return createFileResult()
+		}
+		fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a file as HEAD response is redirect (%s) but no location header", res.Status)
+		return createFileResult()
+	}
+	if res.StatusCode < 200 || res.StatusCode > 299 {
+		// Example is 403 (http.StatusForbidden) for servers not allowing HEAD requests.
+		fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a file as HEAD response is an error (%s)", res.Status)
+		return createFileResult()
+	}
+
+	fs.Debugf(nil, "Assuming path is a file as HEAD response is success (%s)", res.Status)
+	return createFileResult()
+}
+
 // NewFs creates a new Fs object from the name and root. It connects to
 // the host specified in the config file.
 func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, error) {
@@ -164,37 +241,9 @@ func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, e
 
 	client := fshttp.NewClient(ctx)
 
-	var isFile = false
-	if !strings.HasSuffix(u.String(), "/") {
-		// Make a client which doesn't follow redirects so the server
-		// doesn't redirect http://host/dir to http://host/dir/
-		noRedir := *client
-		noRedir.CheckRedirect = func(req *http.Request, via []*http.Request) error {
-			return http.ErrUseLastResponse
-		}
-		// check to see if points to a file
-		req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, "HEAD", u.String(), nil)
-		if err == nil {
-			addHeaders(req, opt)
-			res, err := noRedir.Do(req)
-			err = statusError(res, err)
-			if err == nil {
-				isFile = true
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	newRoot := u.String()
-	if isFile {
-		// Point to the parent if this is a file
-		newRoot, _ = path.Split(u.String())
-	} else {
-		if !strings.HasSuffix(newRoot, "/") {
-			newRoot += "/"
-		}
-	}
-
-	u, err = url.Parse(newRoot)
+	endpoint, isFile := getFsEndpoint(ctx, client, u.String(), opt)
+	fs.Debugf(nil, "Root: %s", endpoint)
+	u, err = url.Parse(endpoint)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -212,12 +261,16 @@ func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, e
 	f.features = (&fs.Features{
 		CanHaveEmptyDirectories: true,
 	}).Fill(ctx, f)
+
 	if isFile {
+		// return an error with an fs which points to the parent
 		return f, fs.ErrorIsFile
 	}
+
 	if !strings.HasSuffix(f.endpointURL, "/") {
 		return nil, errors.New("internal error: url doesn't end with /")
 	}
+
 	return f, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/http/http_internal_test.go b/backend/http/http_internal_test.go
index bd49503c5..17c58737c 100644
--- a/backend/http/http_internal_test.go
+++ b/backend/http/http_internal_test.go
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@ import (
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -374,3 +376,106 @@ func TestParseCaddy(t *testing.T) {
 		"v1.36-22-g06ea13a-ssh-agentβ/",
 	})
 }
+
+func TestFsNoSlashRoots(t *testing.T) {
+	// Test Fs with roots that does not end with '/', the logic that
+	// decides if url is to be considered a file or directory, based
+	// on result from a HEAD request.
+
+	// Handler for faking HEAD responses with different status codes
+	headCount := 0
+	handler := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.Method == "HEAD" {
+			headCount++
+			responseCode, err := strconv.Atoi(path.Base(r.URL.String()))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			if strings.HasPrefix(r.URL.String(), "/redirect/") {
+				var redir string
+				if strings.HasPrefix(r.URL.String(), "/redirect/file/") {
+					redir = "/redirected"
+				} else if strings.HasPrefix(r.URL.String(), "/redirect/dir/") {
+					redir = "/redirected/"
+				} else {
+					require.Fail(t, "Redirect test requests must start with '/redirect/file/' or '/redirect/dir/'")
+				}
+				http.Redirect(w, r, redir, responseCode)
+			} else {
+				http.Error(w, http.StatusText(responseCode), responseCode)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+
+	// Make the test server
+	ts := httptest.NewServer(handler)
+	defer ts.Close()
+
+	// Configure the remote
+	configfile.Install()
+	m := configmap.Simple{
+		"type": "http",
+		"url":  ts.URL,
+	}
+
+	// Test
+	for i, test := range []struct {
+		root   string
+		isFile bool
+	}{
+		// 2xx success
+		{"parent/200", true},
+		{"parent/204", true},
+
+		// 3xx redirection Redirect status 301, 302, 303, 307, 308
+		{"redirect/file/301", true}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected"
+		{"redirect/dir/301", false}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected/"
+		{"redirect/file/302", true}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected"
+		{"redirect/dir/302", false}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected/"
+		{"redirect/file/303", true}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected"
+		{"redirect/dir/303", false}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected/"
+
+		{"redirect/file/304", true}, // Not really a redirect, handled like 4xx errors (below)
+		{"redirect/file/305", true}, // Not really a redirect, handled like 4xx errors (below)
+		{"redirect/file/306", true}, // Not really a redirect, handled like 4xx errors (below)
+
+		{"redirect/file/307", true}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected"
+		{"redirect/dir/307", false}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected/"
+		{"redirect/file/308", true}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected"
+		{"redirect/dir/308", false}, // Request is redirected to "/redirected/"
+
+		// 4xx client errors
+		{"parent/403", true},  // Forbidden status (head request blocked)
+		{"parent/404", false}, // Not found status
+	} {
+		for _, noHead := range []bool{false, true} {
+			var isFile bool
+			if noHead {
+				m.Set("no_head", "true")
+				isFile = true
+			} else {
+				m.Set("no_head", "false")
+				isFile = test.isFile
+			}
+			headCount = 0
+			f, err := NewFs(context.Background(), remoteName, test.root, m)
+			if noHead {
+				assert.Equal(t, 0, headCount)
+			} else {
+				assert.Equal(t, 1, headCount)
+			}
+			if isFile {
+				assert.ErrorIs(t, err, fs.ErrorIsFile)
+			} else {
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+			}
+			var endpoint string
+			if isFile {
+				parent, _ := path.Split(test.root)
+				endpoint = "/" + parent
+			} else {
+				endpoint = "/" + test.root + "/"
+			}
+			what := fmt.Sprintf("i=%d, root=%q, isFile=%v, noHead=%v", i, test.root, isFile, noHead)
+			assert.Equal(t, ts.URL+endpoint, f.String(), what)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/docs/content/http.md b/docs/content/http.md
index 9bf3e0bec..d4c3e55b8 100644
--- a/docs/content/http.md
+++ b/docs/content/http.md
@@ -12,7 +12,26 @@ webservers such as Apache/Nginx/Caddy and will likely work with file
 listings from most web servers.  (If it doesn't then please file an
 issue, or send a pull request!)
 
-Paths are specified as `remote:` or `remote:path/to/dir`.
+Paths are specified as `remote:` or `remote:path`.
+
+The `remote:` represents the configured [url](#http-url), and any path following
+it will be resolved relative to this url, according to the URL standard. This
+means with remote url `https://beta.rclone.org/branch` and path `fix`, the
+resolved URL will be `https://beta.rclone.org/branch/fix`, while with path
+`/fix` the resolved URL will be `https://beta.rclone.org/fix` as the absolute
+path is resolved from the root of the domain.
+
+If the path following the `remote:` ends with `/` it will be assumed to point
+to a directory. If the path does not end with `/`, then a HEAD request is sent
+and the response used to decide if it it is treated as a file or a directory
+(run with `-vv` to see details). When [--http-no-head](#http-no-head) is
+specified, a path without ending `/` is always assumed to be a file. If rclone
+incorrectly assumes the path is a file, the solution is to specify the path with
+ending `/`. When you know the path is a directory, ending it with `/` is always
+better as it avoids the initial HEAD request.
+
+To just download a single file it is easier to use
+[copyurl](/commands/rclone_copyurl/).
 
 ## Configuration
 
@@ -81,25 +100,29 @@ Sync the remote `directory` to `/home/local/directory`, deleting any excess file
 
     rclone sync -i remote:directory /home/local/directory
 
-### Read only ###
+### Read only
 
 This remote is read only - you can't upload files to an HTTP server.
 
-### Modified time ###
+### Modified time
 
 Most HTTP servers store time accurate to 1 second.
 
-### Checksum ###
+### Checksum
 
 No checksums are stored.
 
-### Usage without a config file ###
+### Usage without a config file
 
 Since the http remote only has one config parameter it is easy to use
 without a config file:
 
     rclone lsd --http-url https://beta.rclone.org :http:
 
+or:
+
+    rclone lsd :http,url='https://beta.rclone.org':
+
 {{< rem autogenerated options start" - DO NOT EDIT - instead edit fs.RegInfo in backend/http/http.go then run make backenddocs" >}}
 ### Standard options