diff --git a/src/core/context.ts b/src/core/context.ts
index cb44ff9d9..2c29bad3c 100644
--- a/src/core/context.ts
+++ b/src/core/context.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { resolve } from 'node:path'
 import { defu } from 'defu'
+import { withTrailingSlash } from 'ufo'
 import type { TestContext, TestOptions } from './types'
 
 let currentContext: TestContext | undefined
@@ -20,6 +21,12 @@ export function createTestContext(options: Partial<TestOptions>): TestContext {
     },
   } satisfies Partial<TestOptions>)
 
+  // Disable build and server if endpoint is provided
+  if (_options.host) {
+    _options.build = false
+    _options.server = false
+  }
+
   if (process.env.VITEST === 'true') {
     _options.runner ||= 'vitest'
   }
@@ -29,6 +36,7 @@ export function createTestContext(options: Partial<TestOptions>): TestContext {
 
   return setTestContext({
     options: _options as TestOptions,
+    url: withTrailingSlash(_options.host),
   })
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/nuxt.ts b/src/core/nuxt.ts
index a7c0ea85b..7f8988687 100644
--- a/src/core/nuxt.ts
+++ b/src/core/nuxt.ts
@@ -53,19 +53,22 @@ export async function loadFixture() {
     })
   }
 
-  ctx.nuxt = await kit.loadNuxt({
-    cwd: ctx.options.rootDir,
-    dev: ctx.options.dev,
-    overrides: ctx.options.nuxtConfig,
-    configFile: ctx.options.configFile,
-  })
+  // TODO: share Nuxt instance with running Nuxt if possible
+  if (ctx.options.build) {
+    ctx.nuxt = await kit.loadNuxt({
+      cwd: ctx.options.rootDir,
+      dev: ctx.options.dev,
+      overrides: ctx.options.nuxtConfig,
+      configFile: ctx.options.configFile,
+    })
 
-  const buildDir = ctx.nuxt.options.buildDir
-  // avoid creating / deleting build dirs that already exist - avoids misconfiguration deletes
-  if (!existsSync(buildDir)) {
-    await fsp.mkdir(buildDir, { recursive: true })
-    ctx.teardown = ctx.teardown || []
-    ctx.teardown.push(() => fsp.rm(buildDir, { recursive: true, force: true }))
+    const buildDir = ctx.nuxt.options.buildDir
+    // avoid creating / deleting build dirs that already exist - avoids misconfiguration deletes
+    if (!existsSync(buildDir)) {
+      await fsp.mkdir(buildDir, { recursive: true })
+      ctx.teardown = ctx.teardown || []
+      ctx.teardown.push(() => fsp.rm(buildDir, { recursive: true, force: true }))
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/server.ts b/src/core/server.ts
index 9db68daf2..95ed22ce8 100644
--- a/src/core/server.ts
+++ b/src/core/server.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import type { FetchOptions } from 'ofetch'
 import { $fetch as _$fetch, fetch as _fetch } from 'ofetch'
 import * as _kit from '@nuxt/kit'
 import { resolve } from 'pathe'
-
+import { joinURL } from 'ufo'
 import { useTestContext } from './context'
 
 // @ts-expect-error type cast kit default export
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export async function startServer(options: StartServerOptions = {}) {
   await stopServer()
   const host = '127.0.0.1'
   const port = ctx.options.port || await getRandomPort(host)
-  ctx.url = `http://${host}:${port}`
+  ctx.url = `http://${host}:${port}/`
   if (ctx.options.dev) {
     const nuxiCLI = await kit.resolvePath('nuxi/cli')
     ctx.serverProcess = execa(nuxiCLI, ['_dev'], {
@@ -91,5 +91,5 @@ export function url(path: string) {
   if (path.startsWith(ctx.url)) {
     return path
   }
-  return ctx.url + path
+  return joinURL(ctx.url, path)
 }
diff --git a/src/core/types.ts b/src/core/types.ts
index 7dfaa2eb7..35ec10147 100644
--- a/src/core/types.ts
+++ b/src/core/types.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export interface TestOptions {
     launch?: LaunchOptions
   }
   server: boolean
+  host?: string
   port?: number
   env?: StartServerOptions['env']
 }