diff --git a/examples/app-dir-i18n-routing/middleware.ts b/examples/app-dir-i18n-routing/middleware.ts
index b6c1e383215f8..ad11bf2ec059e 100644
--- a/examples/app-dir-i18n-routing/middleware.ts
+++ b/examples/app-dir-i18n-routing/middleware.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ function getLocale(request: NextRequest): string | undefined {
   let languages = new Negotiator({ headers: negotiatorHeaders }).languages()
   // @ts-ignore locales are readonly
   const locales: string[] = i18n.locales
-  return matchLocale(languages, locales, i18n.defaultLocale)
+  try {
+    return matchLocale(languages, locales, i18n.defaultLocale)
+  } catch (_e) {
+    return i18n.defaultLocale
+  }
 }
 
 export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
@@ -43,7 +47,12 @@ export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
 
     // e.g. incoming request is /products
     // The new URL is now /en-US/products
-    return NextResponse.redirect(new URL(`/${locale}/${pathname}`, request.url))
+    return NextResponse.redirect(
+      new URL(
+        `/${locale}${pathname.startsWith('/') ? '' : '/'}${pathname}`,
+        request.url
+      )
+    )
   }
 }