diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index f2c13854bc..6ed86fa3fa 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -190,4 +190,12 @@ def matches?(request)
   match "*path", to: "application#handle_unwanted_requests", via: :all, constraints: lambda { |req|
     req.path =~ %r{^/(wordpress|wp)}i
   }
+
+  # 404 - misc head requests
+  match "*path", to: "application#handle_unwanted_requests", via: :head, constraints: lambda { |req|
+    req.path =~ %r{^/(backup|bc|bk|home|main|new|old)}i
+  }
+
+  # 404 - root requests
+  options "/", to: "application#handle_unwanted_requests"
 end
diff --git a/spec/routes/routes_spec.rb b/spec/routes/routes_spec.rb
index ee44e37a7f..29e88ab5fb 100644
--- a/spec/routes/routes_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/routes/routes_spec.rb
@@ -97,5 +97,27 @@
         end
       end
     end
+
+    context "misc head requests" do
+      it "returns a 404" do
+        %w[
+          backup
+          bc
+          bk
+          home
+          main
+          new
+          old
+        ].each do |path|
+          expect(head: path).to route_to(controller: "application", action: "handle_unwanted_requests", path: path)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "root requests" do
+      it "returns a 404" do
+        expect(options: "/").to route_to(controller: "application", action: "handle_unwanted_requests")
+      end
+    end
   end
 end