diff -uNr apt-1.4.9/methods/basehttp.cc apt-1.4.9.mod/methods/basehttp.cc
--- apt-1.4.9/methods/basehttp.cc	2019-01-18 12:42:07.000000000 +0200
+++ apt-1.4.9.mod/methods/basehttp.cc	2019-11-12 22:43:18.109996205 +0200
@@ -90,7 +90,12 @@
       // Evil servers return no version
       if (Line[4] == '/')
       {
-	 int const elements = sscanf(Line.c_str(),"HTTP/%3u.%3u %3u%359[^\n]",&Major,&Minor,&Result,Code);
+	 int elements = sscanf(Line.c_str(),"HTTP/%3u %3u[^\n]",&Major,&Result);
+	 if (elements == 2 && Major == 2) {
+	     Minor = 0;
+	     Code[0] = '\0';
+	 } else {
+	 elements = sscanf(Line.c_str(),"HTTP/%3u.%3u %3u%359[^\n]",&Major,&Minor,&Result,Code);
 	 if (elements == 3)
 	 {
 	    Code[0] = '\0';
@@ -99,6 +104,7 @@
 	 }
 	 else if (elements != 4)
 	    return _error->Error(_("The HTTP server sent an invalid reply header"));
+	 }
       }
       else
       {