diff --git a/nodes/core/io/21-httprequest.js b/nodes/core/io/21-httprequest.js
index 24e7eea18..f7e873c99 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/21-httprequest.js
+++ b/nodes/core/io/21-httprequest.js
@@ -244,19 +244,25 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                         }
                     }
 
-                    // Convert the payload to the required return type
-                    msg.payload = Buffer.concat(msg.payload); // bin
-                    if (node.ret !== "bin") {
-                        msg.payload = msg.payload.toString('utf8'); // txt
+                    // Check that msg.payload is an array - if the req error
+                    // handler has been called, it will have been set to a string
+                    // and the error already handled - so no further action should
+                    // be taken. #1344
+                    if (Array.isArray(msg.payload)) {
+                        // Convert the payload to the required return type
+                        msg.payload = Buffer.concat(msg.payload); // bin
+                        if (node.ret !== "bin") {
+                            msg.payload = msg.payload.toString('utf8'); // txt
 
-                        if (node.ret === "obj") {
-                            try { msg.payload = JSON.parse(msg.payload); } // obj
-                            catch(e) { node.warn(RED._("httpin.errors.json-error")); }
+                            if (node.ret === "obj") {
+                                try { msg.payload = JSON.parse(msg.payload); } // obj
+                                catch(e) { node.warn(RED._("httpin.errors.json-error")); }
+                            }
                         }
-                    }
 
-                    node.send(msg);
-                    node.status({});
+                        node.send(msg);
+                        node.status({});
+                    }
                 });
             });
             req.setTimeout(node.reqTimeout, function() {