diff --git a/client_http.hpp b/client_http.hpp
index 1a87b03..23017ed 100644
--- a/client_http.hpp
+++ b/client_http.hpp
@@ -507,7 +507,12 @@ namespace SimpleWeb {
       }
       else {
         parsed_host_port.first = host_port.substr(0, host_end);
-        parsed_host_port.second = static_cast<unsigned short>(stoul(host_port.substr(host_end + 1)));
+        try {
+          parsed_host_port.second = static_cast<unsigned short>(stoul(host_port.substr(host_end + 1)));
+        }
+        catch(...) {
+          parsed_host_port.second = default_port;
+        }
       }
       return parsed_host_port;
     }