diff --git a/bin/varnishd/cache/cache_req_fsm.c b/bin/varnishd/cache/cache_req_fsm.c
index bbcb3824f7..48dc3489e1 100644
--- a/bin/varnishd/cache/cache_req_fsm.c
+++ b/bin/varnishd/cache/cache_req_fsm.c
@@ -484,15 +484,12 @@ cnt_transmit(struct worker *wrk, struct req *req)
 			http_Unset(req->resp, H_Content_Length);
 		} else if (clval >= 0 && clval == req->resp_len) {
 			/* Reuse C-L header */
-		} else if (head && req->objcore->flags & OC_F_HFM) {
-			/*
-			 * Don't touch C-L header (debatable)
-			 *
-			 * The only way to do it correctly would be to GET
-			 * to the backend, and discard the body once the
-			 * filters have had a chance to chew on it, but that
-			 * would negate the "pass for huge objects" use case.
+		} else if (head) {
+			/* rfc9110,l,3226,3227
+			 * "MAY send Content-Length ... [for] HEAD"
+			 * do not touch to support cached HEAD #4245
 			 */
+			req->resp_len = 0;
 		} else {
 			http_Unset(req->resp, H_Content_Length);
 			if (req->resp_len >= 0)
diff --git a/bin/varnishtest/tests/r04245.vtc b/bin/varnishtest/tests/r04245.vtc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..27244e053a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/varnishtest/tests/r04245.vtc
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+varnishtest "cache a HEAD as a fallback for a GET"
+
+server s1 {
+	rxreq
+	expect req.method == "HEAD"
+	expect req.http.t == "headmiss"
+	txresp -nolen -hdr "Content-Length: 42"
+
+	rxreq
+	expect req.method == "GET"
+	expect req.http.t == "getmiss"
+	txresp -bodylen 42
+} -start
+
+varnish v1 -vcl+backend {
+    sub vcl_recv {
+	if (req.method == "HEAD") {
+	    set req.http.X-Fetch-Method = "HEAD";
+	} else {
+	    unset req.http.X-Fetch-Method;
+	}
+    }
+
+    sub vcl_backend_fetch {
+	if (bereq.http.X-Fetch-Method) {
+	    set bereq.method = bereq.http.X-Fetch-Method;
+	}
+    }
+
+    sub vcl_backend_response {
+	# NOTE: this use of Vary is specific to this case, it is
+	# usually WRONG to only set Vary for a specific condition
+	if (bereq.http.X-Fetch-Method) {
+	    if (beresp.http.Vary) {
+		set beresp.http.Vary += ", X-Fetch-Method";
+	    } else {
+		set beresp.http.Vary = "X-Fetch-Method";
+	    }
+	}
+	set beresp.http.t = bereq.http.t;
+    }
+
+    sub vcl_deliver {
+	# Vary cleanup
+	if (resp.http.Vary == "X-Fetch-Method") {
+	    unset resp.http.Vary;
+	} else if (resp.http.Vary ~ ", X-Fetch-Method$") {
+	    set resp.http.Vary =
+		regsub(resp.http.Vary, ", X-Fetch-Method$", "");
+	}
+    }
+} -start
+
+client c1 {
+	# miss
+	txreq -method "HEAD" -hdr "t: headmiss"
+	rxresphdrs
+	expect resp.http.t == "headmiss"
+	# hit
+	txreq -method "HEAD" -hdr "t: headhit"
+	rxresphdrs
+	expect resp.http.t == "headmiss"
+
+	# miss
+	txreq -hdr "t: getmiss"
+	rxresp
+	expect resp.http.t == "getmiss"
+	# hits on full object
+	txreq -hdr "t: gethit"
+	rxresp
+	expect resp.http.t == "getmiss"
+	txreq -method "HEAD" -hdr "t: getheadhit"
+	rxresphdrs
+	expect resp.http.t == "getmiss"
+} -run
+
+server s1 -wait