diff --git a/lib/application.js b/lib/application.js
index ef19e7b..9cf68d8 100644
--- a/lib/application.js
+++ b/lib/application.js
@@ -204,8 +204,7 @@ function *respond(next) {
   if (null == body) {
     this.type = 'text';
     body = this.message || String(code);
-    /* istanbul ignore else */
-    if (body) this.length = Buffer.byteLength(body);
+    this.length = Buffer.byteLength(body);
     return res.end(body);
   }