--- a/req.py	Thu Dec 19 17:09:08 2013 +0100
+++ b/req.py	Fri Dec 13 10:24:10 2013 +0100
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@
         """return the root url of the instance
         """
         if secure:
-            return self.vreg.config.get('https-url', self.vreg.config['base-url'])
+            return self.vreg.config.get('https-url') or self.vreg.config['base-url']
         return self.vreg.config['base-url']
 
     # abstract methods to override according to the web front-end #############