diff --git a/kong/templates/nginx_kong.lua b/kong/templates/nginx_kong.lua
index a8ec37ef153f..fbdbc7a1cb69 100644
--- a/kong/templates/nginx_kong.lua
+++ b/kong/templates/nginx_kong.lua
@@ -63,6 +63,16 @@ upstream kong_upstream {
     keepalive ${{UPSTREAM_KEEPALIVE}};
 }
 
+map $http_upgrade $upstream_connection {
+    default keep-alive;
+    websocket upgrade;
+}
+
+map $http_upgrade $upstream_upgrade {
+    default '';
+    websocket websocket;
+}
+
 server {
     server_name kong;
     listen ${{PROXY_LISTEN}};
@@ -89,10 +99,13 @@ server {
             kong.access()
         }
 
+        proxy_http_version 1.1;
         proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
         proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
         proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
         proxy_set_header Host $upstream_host;
+        proxy_set_header Upgrade $upstream_upgrade;
+        proxy_set_header Connection $upstream_connection;
         proxy_pass_header Server;
         proxy_pass $upstream_url;
 
diff --git a/spec/02-integration/05-proxy/04-websockets_spec.lua b/spec/02-integration/05-proxy/04-websockets_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d9dfaf371f4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/02-integration/05-proxy/04-websockets_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+local client = require "resty.websocket.client"
+local helpers = require "spec.helpers"
+local cjson = require "cjson"
+
+describe("Websockets", function()
+  setup(function()
+    assert(helpers.start_kong())
+
+    assert(helpers.dao.apis:insert {
+      request_path = "/ws",
+      strip_request_path = true,
+      upstream_url = "http://sockb.in"
+    })
+  end)
+
+  teardown(function()
+    helpers.stop_kong()
+  end)
+
+  local function make_request(uri)
+    local wb = assert(client:new())
+    assert(wb:connect(uri))
+    assert(wb:send_text("testing Kong"))
+
+    local data = assert(wb:recv_frame())
+    assert.equal("testing Kong", cjson.decode(data).reqData)
+
+    assert(wb:send_close())
+
+    return true
+  end
+
+  it("works without Kong", function()
+    assert(make_request("ws://sockb.in"))
+  end)
+
+  it("works with Kong", function()
+    assert(make_request("ws://"..helpers.test_conf.proxy_ip..":"..helpers.test_conf.proxy_port.."/ws"))
+  end)
+
+  it("works with Kong under HTTPS", function()
+    assert(make_request("wss://"..helpers.test_conf.proxy_ssl_ip..":"..helpers.test_conf.proxy_ssl_port.."/ws"))
+  end)
+end)