diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 16130d49b25..5f684fd79ea 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -382,6 +382,10 @@ class Parser extends HTTPParser {
   }
 
   [HTTPParser.kOnTimeout] () {
+    if (this.statusCode) {
+      // https://github.com/mcollina/undici/issues/268
+      return
+    }
     util.destroy(this.socket, new HeadersTimeoutError())
   }
 
@@ -457,13 +461,13 @@ class Parser extends HTTPParser {
 
     assert(statusCode >= 100)
 
+    this.statusCode = null
+    this.headers = null
+
     if (statusCode < 200) {
       return
     }
 
-    this.statusCode = null
-    this.headers = null
-
     request.onComplete(headers)
 
     this.read = 0