diff --git a/sanic/server.py b/sanic/server.py
index 9340f374..11756005 100644
--- a/sanic/server.py
+++ b/sanic/server.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from signal import SIGINT, SIGTERM
 from time import time
 from httptools import HttpRequestParser
 from httptools.parser.errors import HttpParserError
+from .exceptions import ServerError
 
 try:
     import uvloop as async_loop
@@ -173,8 +174,9 @@ class HttpProtocol(asyncio.Protocol):
                 "Writing error failed, connection closed {}".format(e))
 
     def bail_out(self, message):
-        log.debug(message)
-        self.transport.close()
+        exception = ServerError(message)
+        self.write_error(exception)
+        log.error(message)
 
     def cleanup(self):
         self.parser = None
diff --git a/tests/test_requests.py b/tests/test_requests.py
index 81895c8c..5895e3d5 100644
--- a/tests/test_requests.py
+++ b/tests/test_requests.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from json import loads as json_loads, dumps as json_dumps
 from sanic import Sanic
 from sanic.response import json, text
 from sanic.utils import sanic_endpoint_test
+from sanic.exceptions import ServerError
 
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------ #
@@ -32,6 +33,22 @@ def test_text():
     assert response.text == 'Hello'
 
 
+def test_invalid_response():
+    app = Sanic('test_invalid_response')
+
+    @app.exception(ServerError)
+    def handler_exception(request, exception):
+        return text('Internal Server Error.', 500)
+
+    @app.route('/')
+    async def handler(request):
+        return 'This should fail'
+
+    request, response = sanic_endpoint_test(app)
+    assert response.status == 500
+    assert response.text == "Internal Server Error."
+
+
 def test_json():
     app = Sanic('test_json')