diff --git a/lib/_http_server.js b/lib/_http_server.js
index 94f2d899e13a27..b46e7b0906dfea 100644
--- a/lib/_http_server.js
+++ b/lib/_http_server.js
@@ -378,6 +378,9 @@ function writeHead(statusCode, reason, obj) {
         if (k) this.setHeader(k, obj[k]);
       }
     }
+    if (k === undefined && this._header) {
+      throw new ERR_HTTP_HEADERS_SENT('render');
+    }
     // Only progressive api is used
     headers = this[kOutHeaders];
   } else {