diff --git a/responder/api.py b/responder/api.py
index ac34de2..59bce2d 100644
--- a/responder/api.py
+++ b/responder/api.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class API:
         self.version = version
         self.openapi_version = openapi
         self.static_dir = Path(os.path.abspath(static_dir))
-        self.static_route = static_route
+        self.static_route = f"/{static_route.strip('/')}"
         self.templates_dir = Path(os.path.abspath(templates_dir))
         self.built_in_templates_dir = Path(
             os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__) + "/templates")
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class API:
         for _dir in (self.static_dir, self.templates_dir):
             os.makedirs(_dir, exist_ok=True)
 
-        self.whitenoise = WhiteNoise(application=self._default_wsgi_app)
+        self.whitenoise = WhiteNoise(application=self._notfound_wsgi_app)
         self.whitenoise.add_files(str(self.static_dir))
 
         self.whitenoise.add_files(
@@ -156,9 +156,14 @@ class API:
         )  #: A Requests session that is connected to the ASGI app.
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _default_wsgi_app(*args, **kwargs):
+    def _default_wsgi_app(environ, start_response):
         pass
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _notfound_wsgi_app(environ, start_response):
+        start_response("404 NOT FOUND", [("Content-Type", "text/plain")])
+        return [b"Not Found."]
+
     @property
     def before_requests(self):
         def gen():
@@ -239,7 +244,7 @@ class API:
     async def _dispatch_ws(self, ws):
         route = self.path_matches_route(ws.url.path)
         route = self.routes.get(route)
-        # await self._dispatch(route, ws=ws)
+
         try:
             try:
                 # Run the view.
@@ -250,7 +255,7 @@ class API:
             except TypeError as e:
                 cont = True
         except Exception:
-            self.background(
+            await self.background(
                 self.default_response, websocket=route.uses_websocket, error=True
             )
             raise
@@ -386,7 +391,7 @@ class API:
                 # If it's async, await it.
                 if hasattr(r, "send"):
                     await r
-            except Exception as e:
+            except Exception:
                 await self.background(self.default_response, req, resp, error=True)
                 raise
 
@@ -463,10 +468,12 @@ class API:
 
     def static_response(self, req, resp):
         index = (self.static_dir / "index.html").resolve()
-        resp.content = None
         if os.path.exists(index):
             with open(index, "r") as f:
                 resp.text = f.read()
+        else:
+            resp.status_code = status_codes.HTTP_404
+            resp.text = "Not found."
 
     def schema_response(self, req, resp):
         resp.status_code = status_codes.HTTP_200
diff --git a/tests/test_responder.py b/tests/test_responder.py
index 2c479f7..7048d1b 100644
--- a/tests/test_responder.py
+++ b/tests/test_responder.py
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ import concurrent
 
 import pytest
 import yaml
+import random
 import responder
 import requests
+import string
 import io
 
 from starlette.responses import PlainTextResponse
@@ -603,3 +605,78 @@ def test_allowed_hosts():
     api._session = None
     r = api.session(base_url="http://tenant2.;").get(api.url_for(get))
     assert r.status_code == 200
+
+
+def create_asset(static_dir, name=None, parent_dir=None):
+    if name is None:
+        name = random.choices(string.ascii_letters, k=6)
+        # :3
+        ext = random.choices(string.ascii_letters, k=2)
+        name = f"{name}.{ext}"
+
+    if parent_dir is None:
+        parent_dir = static_dir
+    else:
+        parent_dir = static_dir.mkdir(parent_dir)
+
+    asset = parent_dir.join(name)
+    asset.write("body { color: blue; }")
+    return asset
+
+
+def test_staticfiles(tmpdir):
+    static_dir = tmpdir.mkdir("static")
+
+    asset1 = create_asset(static_dir)
+    parent_dir = "css"
+    asset2 = create_asset(static_dir, name="asset2", parent_dir=parent_dir)
+
+    api = responder.API(static_dir=str(static_dir))
+    session = api.session()
+
+    static_route = api.static_route
+
+    # ok
+    r = session.get(f"{static_route}/{asset1.basename}")
+    assert r.status_code == api.status_codes.HTTP_200
+
+    r = session.get(f"{static_route}/{parent_dir}/{asset2.basename}")
+    assert r.status_code == api.status_codes.HTTP_200
+
+    # Asset not found
+    r = session.get(f"{static_route}/not_found.css")
+    assert r.status_code == api.status_codes.HTTP_404
+
+    # Not found on dir listing
+    r = session.get(f"{static_route}")
+    assert r.status_code == api.status_codes.HTTP_404
+
+    r = session.get(f"{static_route}/{parent_dir}")
+    assert r.status_code == api.status_codes.HTTP_404
+
+
+def test_staticfiles_custom_route(tmpdir):
+    static_dir = tmpdir.mkdir("static")
+    static_route = "custom/static/route/"
+
+    asset = create_asset(static_dir)
+
+    api = responder.API(static_dir=str(static_dir), static_route=static_route)
+    session = api.session()
+
+    # Check
+    assert api.static_route == "/custom/static/route"
+
+    static_route = api.static_route
+
+    # ok
+    r = session.get(f"{static_route}/{asset.basename}")
+    assert r.status_code == api.status_codes.HTTP_200
+
+    # Asset not found
+    r = session.get(f"{static_route}/not_found.css")
+    assert r.status_code == api.status_codes.HTTP_404
+
+    # Not found on dir listing
+    r = session.get(f"{static_route}")
+    assert r.status_code == api.status_codes.HTTP_404