diff --git a/image-recipe/configs/snippets/archipelago-https-app-proxies.conf b/image-recipe/configs/snippets/archipelago-https-app-proxies.conf
index 7ded1871..83f86cac 100644
--- a/image-recipe/configs/snippets/archipelago-https-app-proxies.conf
+++ b/image-recipe/configs/snippets/archipelago-https-app-proxies.conf
@@ -148,6 +148,12 @@ location /app/photoprism/ {
 location /app/mempool/ {
     proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:4080/;
     proxy_http_version 1.1;
+    # mempool's UI is websocket-driven (/api/v1/ws). Without forwarding the
+    # upgrade, the page loads but never connects — the backend can be fully
+    # healthy and every REST probe green while the user sees a dead UI
+    # (2026-08-09). 101 through this proxy is the only honest health signal.
+    proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
+    proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
     proxy_set_header Host $host;
     proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
diff --git a/scripts/nginx-https-app-proxies.conf b/scripts/nginx-https-app-proxies.conf
index 3a872304..75419786 100644
--- a/scripts/nginx-https-app-proxies.conf
+++ b/scripts/nginx-https-app-proxies.conf
@@ -112,6 +112,12 @@ location /app/photoprism/ {
 location /app/mempool/ {
     proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:4080/;
     proxy_http_version 1.1;
+    # mempool's UI is websocket-driven (/api/v1/ws). Without forwarding the
+    # upgrade, the page loads but never connects — the backend can be fully
+    # healthy and every REST probe green while the user sees a dead UI
+    # (2026-08-09). 101 through this proxy is the only honest health signal.
+    proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
+    proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
     proxy_set_header Host $host;
     proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;