diff --git a/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.html b/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.html
index a8c653c28..d8dff0ead 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.html
+++ b/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.html
@@ -121,8 +121,9 @@
     <p>The URL and HTTP method can be configured in the node, but also
        overridden by the incoming message:
     <ul>
-        <li><code>url</code>, if set, is used as the url of the request</li>
-        <li><code>method</code>, if set, is used as the HTTP method of the request. Must be one of <code>GET</code>, <code>PUT</code>, <code>POST</code> or <code>DELETE</code> (default: GET)</li>
+        <li><code>url</code>, if set, is used as the url of the request. Must start with http: or https:</li>
+        <li><code>method</code>, if set, is used as the HTTP method of the request.
+        Must be one of <code>GET</code>, <code>PUT</code>, <code>POST</code> or <code>DELETE</code> (default: GET)</li>
         <li><code>headers</code>, if set, should be an object containing field/value
         pairs to be added as request headers</li>
         <li><code>payload</code> is sent as the body of the request</li>
diff --git a/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.js b/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.js
index bbc8b411c..fbe7f7aae 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.js
+++ b/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.js
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 module.exports = function(RED) {
     "use strict";
-    var util = require("util");
     var http = require("follow-redirects").http;
     var https = require("follow-redirects").https;
     var urllib = require("url");
@@ -159,6 +158,11 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             } else {
                 url = nodeUrl;
             }
+            // url must start http:// or https:// so assume http:// if not set
+            if (!((url.indexOf("http://")===0) || (url.indexOf("https://")===0))) {
+                url = "http://"+url;
+            }
+
             var method = (msg.method||nodeMethod).toUpperCase();
             //node.log(method+" : "+url);
             var opts = urllib.parse(url);
@@ -208,7 +212,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 });
             });
             req.on('error',function(err) {
-                msg.payload = err.toString();
+                msg.payload = err.toString() + " : " + url;
                 msg.statusCode = err.code;
                 node.send(msg);
                 node.status({fill:"red",shape:"ring",text:err.code});
@@ -219,7 +223,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             req.end();
         });
     }
-    
+
     RED.nodes.registerType("http request",HTTPRequest,{
         credentials: {
             user: {type:"text"},