diff --git a/apisix/init.lua b/apisix/init.lua
index 12fa94037316..4306809d05dc 100644
--- a/apisix/init.lua
+++ b/apisix/init.lua
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ local error           = error
 local ipairs          = ipairs
 local ngx_now         = ngx.now
 local ngx_var         = ngx.var
+local re_split        = require("ngx.re").split
 local str_byte        = string.byte
 local str_sub         = string.sub
 local tonumber        = tonumber
@@ -262,6 +263,44 @@ local function verify_tls_client(ctx)
 end
 
 
+local function normalize_uri_like_servlet(uri)
+    local found = core.string.find(uri, ';')
+    if not found then
+        return uri
+    end
+
+    local segs, err = re_split(uri, "/", "jo")
+    if not segs then
+        return nil, err
+    end
+
+    local len = #segs
+    for i = 1, len do
+        local seg = segs[i]
+        local pos = core.string.find(seg, ';')
+        if pos then
+            seg = seg:sub(1, pos - 1)
+            -- reject bad uri which bypasses with ';'
+            if seg == "." or seg == ".." then
+                return nil, "dot segment with parameter"
+            end
+            if seg == "" and i < len then
+                return nil, "empty segment with parameters"
+            end
+
+            segs[i] = seg
+
+            seg = seg:lower()
+            if seg == "%2e" or seg == "%2e%2e" then
+                return nil, "encoded dot segment"
+            end
+        end
+    end
+
+    return core.table.concat(segs, '/')
+end
+
+
 local function common_phase(phase_name)
     local api_ctx = ngx.ctx.api_ctx
     if not api_ctx then
@@ -295,11 +334,25 @@ function _M.http_access_phase()
     debug.dynamic_debug(api_ctx)
 
     local uri = api_ctx.var.uri
-    if local_conf.apisix and local_conf.apisix.delete_uri_tail_slash then
-        if str_byte(uri, #uri) == str_byte("/") then
-            api_ctx.var.uri = str_sub(api_ctx.var.uri, 1, #uri - 1)
-            core.log.info("remove the end of uri '/', current uri: ",
-                          api_ctx.var.uri)
+    if local_conf.apisix then
+        if local_conf.apisix.delete_uri_tail_slash then
+            if str_byte(uri, #uri) == str_byte("/") then
+                api_ctx.var.uri = str_sub(api_ctx.var.uri, 1, #uri - 1)
+                core.log.info("remove the end of uri '/', current uri: ", api_ctx.var.uri)
+            end
+        end
+
+        if local_conf.apisix.normalize_uri_like_servlet then
+            local new_uri, err = normalize_uri_like_servlet(uri)
+            if not new_uri then
+                core.log.error("failed to normalize: ", err)
+                return core.response.exit(400)
+            end
+
+            api_ctx.var.uri = new_uri
+            -- forward the original uri so the servlet upstream
+            -- can consume the param after ';'
+            api_ctx.var.upstream_uri = uri
         end
     end
 
diff --git a/conf/config-default.yaml b/conf/config-default.yaml
index 0bda63548555..2d266b5b7e73 100644
--- a/conf/config-default.yaml
+++ b/conf/config-default.yaml
@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ apisix:
       role: viewer
 
   delete_uri_tail_slash: false    # delete the '/' at the end of the URI
+  # The URI normalization in servlet is a little different from the RFC's.
+  # See https://github.com/jakartaee/servlet/blob/master/spec/src/main/asciidoc/servlet-spec-body.adoc#352-uri-path-canonicalization,
+  # which is used under Tomcat.
+  # Turn this option on if you want to be compatible with servlet when matching URI path.
+  normalize_uri_like_servlet: false
   router:
     http: radixtree_uri         # radixtree_uri: match route by uri(base on radixtree)
                                   # radixtree_host_uri: match route by host + uri(base on radixtree)
diff --git a/t/router/radixtree-uri-sanity.t b/t/router/radixtree-uri-sanity.t
index e91834dec57f..d49285ff1c93 100644
--- a/t/router/radixtree-uri-sanity.t
+++ b/t/router/radixtree-uri-sanity.t
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ worker_connections(256);
 no_root_location();
 no_shuffle();
 
+our $servlet_yaml_config = <<_EOC_;
+apisix:
+    node_listen: 1984
+    admin_key: null
+    normalize_uri_like_servlet: true
+_EOC_
+
 run_tests();
 
 __DATA__
@@ -295,3 +302,98 @@ GET /hello/
 --- error_code: 404
 --- no_error_log
 [error]
+--- response_body
+{"error_msg":"404 Route Not Found"}
+
+
+
+=== TEST 16: match route like servlet
+--- yaml_config eval: $::servlet_yaml_config
+--- request
+GET /hello;world
+--- response_body eval
+qr/404 Not Found/
+--- error_code: 404
+--- no_error_log
+[error]
+
+
+
+=== TEST 17: plugin should work on the normalized url
+--- config
+    location /t {
+        content_by_lua_block {
+            local t = require("lib.test_admin").test
+            local code, body = t('/apisix/admin/routes/1',
+                 ngx.HTTP_PUT,
+                 [[{
+                        "upstream": {
+                            "nodes": {
+                                "127.0.0.1:1980": 1
+                            },
+                            "type": "roundrobin"
+                        },
+                        "uri": "/*",
+                        "plugins": {
+                            "uri-blocker": {
+                                "block_rules": ["/hello/world"]
+                            }
+                        }
+                }]]
+                )
+
+            if code >= 300 then
+                ngx.status = code
+            end
+            ngx.say(body)
+        }
+    }
+--- request
+GET /t
+--- response_body
+passed
+--- no_error_log
+[error]
+
+
+
+=== TEST 18: hit
+--- yaml_config eval: $::servlet_yaml_config
+--- request
+GET /hello;a=b/world;a/;
+--- error_code: 403
+--- no_error_log
+[error]
+
+
+
+=== TEST 19: reject bad uri
+--- yaml_config eval: $::servlet_yaml_config
+--- config
+    location /t {
+        content_by_lua_block {
+            local http = require "resty.http"
+            local uri = "http://127.0.0.1:" .. ngx.var.server_port
+            for _, path in ipairs({
+                "/;/a", "/%2e;", "/%2E%2E;", "/.;", "/..;",
+                "/%2E%2e;", "/b/;/c"
+            }) do
+                local httpc = http.new()
+                local res, err = httpc:request_uri(uri .. path)
+                if not res then
+                    ngx.say(err)
+                    return
+                end
+
+                if res.status ~= 400 then
+                    ngx.say(path, " ", res.status)
+                end
+            end
+
+            ngx.say("ok")
+        }
+    }
+--- request
+GET /t
+--- response_body
+ok