diff --git a/vlib/vweb/tmpl/tmpl.v b/vlib/vweb/tmpl/tmpl.v
index 4f793dc617..3a8693e04e 100644
--- a/vlib/vweb/tmpl/tmpl.v
+++ b/vlib/vweb/tmpl/tmpl.v
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub fn compile_template(path string) string {
 		panic('html failed')
 	}
 	mut header := ''
-	if os.exists('header.html') {
+	if os.exists('header.html') && html.contains('@header') {
 		h := os.read_file('header.html')or{
 			panic('reading file header.html failed')
 		}