diff --git a/hero/func_result.go b/hero/func_result.go
index 30cc005a..97afe290 100644
--- a/hero/func_result.go
+++ b/hero/func_result.go
@@ -334,15 +334,18 @@ func DispatchFuncResult(ctx context.Context, errorHandler ErrorHandler, values [
 			if custom == nil {
 				// if it's a pointer to struct/map.
 
-				if di.IsNil(v) && contentType == "" {
+				if di.IsNil(v) {
 					// if just a ptr to struct with no content type given
 					// then try to get the previous response writer's content type,
 					// and if that is empty too then force-it to application/json
 					// as the default content type we use for structs/maps.
-					contentType = ctx.GetContentType()
 					if contentType == "" {
-						contentType = context.ContentJSONHeaderValue
+						contentType = ctx.GetContentType()
+						if contentType == "" {
+							contentType = context.ContentJSONHeaderValue
+						}
 					}
+
 					continue
 				}