diff --git a/lib/Server.js b/lib/Server.js
index 5cdeccffaf..536a2b8673 100644
--- a/lib/Server.js
+++ b/lib/Server.js
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ const createDomain = require('./utils/createDomain');
 const runBonjour = require('./utils/runBonjour');
 const routes = require('./utils/routes');
 const getSocketServerImplementation = require('./utils/getSocketServerImplementation');
+const setPublicPath = require('./utils/setPublicPath');
 const schema = require('./options.json');
 
 // Workaround for node ^8.6.0, ^9.0.0
@@ -58,6 +59,8 @@ class Server {
     this.compiler = compiler;
     this.options = options;
 
+    setPublicPath(compiler, options);
+
     // Setup default value
     this.options.contentBase =
       this.options.contentBase !== undefined
diff --git a/lib/utils/createConfig.js b/lib/utils/createConfig.js
index 0211561235..84cf7e43a7 100644
--- a/lib/utils/createConfig.js
+++ b/lib/utils/createConfig.js
@@ -59,19 +59,6 @@ function createConfig(config, argv, { port }) {
     options.overlay = argv.overlay;
   }
 
-  if (!options.publicPath) {
-    // eslint-disable-next-line
-    options.publicPath =
-      (firstWpOpt.output && firstWpOpt.output.publicPath) || '';
-
-    if (
-      !isAbsoluteUrl(String(options.publicPath)) &&
-      options.publicPath[0] !== '/'
-    ) {
-      options.publicPath = `/${options.publicPath}`;
-    }
-  }
-
   if (!options.filename && firstWpOpt.output && firstWpOpt.output.filename) {
     options.filename = firstWpOpt.output && firstWpOpt.output.filename;
   }
diff --git a/lib/utils/setPublicPath.js b/lib/utils/setPublicPath.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..597626b597
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/utils/setPublicPath.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const isAbsoluteUrl = require('is-absolute-url');
+
+function setPublicPath(compiler, options) {
+  const firstWpOpt = compiler.compilers
+    ? compiler.compilers[0].options
+    : compiler.options;
+
+  if (!options.publicPath) {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line
+    options.publicPath =
+      (firstWpOpt.output && firstWpOpt.output.publicPath) || '';
+
+    if (
+      !isAbsoluteUrl(String(options.publicPath)) &&
+      options.publicPath[0] !== '/'
+    ) {
+      options.publicPath = `/${options.publicPath}`;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = setPublicPath;