diff --git a/plugins/in_http/http_prot.c b/plugins/in_http/http_prot.c
index 188591e4d0d..cbf31f6efe7 100644
--- a/plugins/in_http/http_prot.c
+++ b/plugins/in_http/http_prot.c
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ static int process_payload(struct flb_http *ctx, struct http_conn *conn,
         return -1;
     }
 
-    if (header->val.len == 16 &&
+    if (header->val.len >= 16 &&
         strncasecmp(header->val.data, "application/json", 16) == 0) {
         type = HTTP_CONTENT_JSON;
     }