diff --git a/Lib/http/server.py b/Lib/http/server.py
index 22d865f2fdf..29c720ea7ea 100644
--- a/Lib/http/server.py
+++ b/Lib/http/server.py
@@ -692,6 +692,14 @@ class SimpleHTTPRequestHandler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             else:
                 return self.list_directory(path)
         ctype = self.guess_type(path)
+        # check for trailing "/" which should return 404. See Issue17324
+        # The test for this was added in test_httpserver.py
+        # However, some OS platforms accept a trailingSlash as a filename
+        # See discussion on python-dev and Issue34711 regarding
+        # parseing and rejection of filenames with a trailing slash
+        if path.endswith("/"):
+            self.send_error(HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND, "File not found")
+            return None
         try:
             f = open(path, 'rb')
         except OSError:
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2018-10-03-09-25-02.bpo-34711.HeOmKR.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2018-10-03-09-25-02.bpo-34711.HeOmKR.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f3522f31978
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2018-10-03-09-25-02.bpo-34711.HeOmKR.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+http.server ensures it reports HTTPStatus.NOT_FOUND when the local path ends with "/"
+and is not a directory, even if the underlying OS (e.g. AIX) accepts such paths as a
+valid file reference. Patch by Michael Felt.