diff -r e0c0545e2e55 -r fda5a4b853ab mercurial/hgweb/hgweb_mod.py
--- a/mercurial/hgweb/hgweb_mod.py	Wed Jan 04 16:02:22 2023 +0100
+++ b/mercurial/hgweb/hgweb_mod.py	Fri Dec 16 17:46:20 2022 +0100
@@ -230,8 +230,9 @@
 
     def sendtemplate(self, name, **kwargs):
         """Helper function to send a response generated from a template."""
-        kwargs = pycompat.byteskwargs(kwargs)
-        self.res.setbodygen(self.tmpl.generate(name, kwargs))
+        if self.req.method != b'HEAD':
+            kwargs = pycompat.byteskwargs(kwargs)
+            self.res.setbodygen(self.tmpl.generate(name, kwargs))
         return self.res.sendresponse()