Redirect Chains and Loops: Find Them in a CSV Map
By MoveLedger · Reviewed September 23, 2026
A chain takes several redirects to reach a destination. A loop returns to a URL already visited and cannot reach a terminal page through those rules. Both can appear in a spreadsheet before they appear on your live site.
A chain: an unnecessary stop
/old-guide → /guide → /learn/guide
Here, a request for /old-guide takes two hops. The map contains two rules:
source,target,status /old-guide,/guide,301 /guide,/learn/guide,301
Review the final destination before changing it
If /learn/guide is the correct replacement, a reviewed map can point both old paths there directly:
source,target,status /old-guide,/learn/guide,301 /guide,/learn/guide,301
Keep the /guide rule if visitors or links still use that path. Shortening a chain is not a reason to drop an old entry point. Also check whether any intermediate step has an intentional application function before removing it.
A loop: no terminal destination
/a → /b → /a
Do not fix this by guessing which URL should survive. Decide where the content belongs, make that page available, then redirect each genuinely moved URL to the chosen location. A self-redirect, such as /contact → /contact, needs its own correction.
Conflicting rules make a chain ambiguous
If /guide has one rule pointing to /learn/guide and another to /help/guide, the spreadsheet does not describe a single route. MoveLedger reports the conflict and stops following that path. Server precedence may choose one rule in production; the CSV checker does not simulate that precedence.
What the checker tells you
Paste a CSV with source and target columns. Each chain finding shows its path and hop count. Use the finding search to focus on a URL, export the full findings, and keep the report with the reviewed map. Paths, URL origins, case, query strings, and trailing slashes are distinct, so use a consistent URL format.
What still needs a live check
A clean CSV cannot reveal redirects added by your CDN, CMS, HTTPS settings, or application. Test deployed URLs and inspect every HTTP hop. Confirm the final response, page content, and canonical URL.
Google advises redirecting to the final destination directly where possible. Read its site move guidance and use the migration review checklist for the wider launch review.