Apache should "know better" than to deliver the script. It's got to be some kind of configuration error. I hope

No way. Apache won't ever send the "Perl script" merely because of a broken browser request. The alleged "Perl script downloaded" will be an empty file or just the normal content saved under the name of the last part of the link.

I think this post does say all. (Thanks for this one, anonymous).

Regards

mwa