Domain without https:// opens search instead of website (example.bd)

Brave Browser Brave Talk
1

Hello Brave team,

I’m experiencing an issue where Brave treats my domain as a search query instead of a URL unless I explicitly include the protocol.

Behavior:

  • Typing example.bd in the address bar opens a search results page

  • Typing https://example.bd opens the website correctly

Additional info:

  • Website and server are working fine

  • SSL (HTTPS) is properly configured

  • DNS records are correct

  • Same behavior occurs even after clearing cache

  • Also reproducible in Chrome (Chromium-based)

Notes:
This seems to be related to browser address bar heuristics and URL vs search detection, especially for less common TLDs like .bd or newer/low-traffic domains.

Questions:

  1. Is this expected behavior in Brave?

  2. Are there specific conditions Brave uses to classify input as a URL vs a search query?

  3. Is there any browser-side setting or flag to prioritize domain navigation over search when no protocol is provided?

Any clarification from the Brave team would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

2

Hey, I tried typing your site on the browser, it tries to load the webpage instead of the search result for your domain.

I am on version 1.86.139 (latest stable).

3

I tried as well and it attempts to go, but not to HTTPS, only to HTTP.

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image869×697 52.8 KB

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(Just to ensure Brave was supposed to at least try.)

4

it’s a example domain, not live.

5

Ok. Though at this point I cannot reproduce your issue, when I try it does attempt to connect, not run a search.