diff --git a/xpra/net/websockets/common.py b/xpra/net/websockets/common.py
index 976f8fe514..2ff589868e 100644
--- a/xpra/net/websockets/common.py
+++ b/xpra/net/websockets/common.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from time import monotonic
 from hashlib import sha1
 from base64 import b64encode
+from urllib.parse import quote
 
 from xpra.os_util import strtobytes, bytestostr
 from xpra.log import Logger
@@ -54,7 +55,8 @@ def client_upgrade(read, write, host, port, path=""):
     log("client_upgrade: done")
 
 def get_client_upgrade_request(host, port, path, key):
-    request = f"GET /{path} HTTP/1.1"
+    url_path = quote(path)
+    request = f"GET /{url_path} HTTP/1.1"
     log(f"client websocket upgrade request: {request!r}")
     lines = [request.encode("latin1")]
     headers = get_headers(host, port)
diff --git a/xpra/scripts/main.py b/xpra/scripts/main.py
index f52ddc4881..f3317593ab 100755
--- a/xpra/scripts/main.py
+++ b/xpra/scripts/main.py
@@ -742,7 +742,11 @@ def display_desc_to_uri(display_desc):
         uri += f"{cid}:{iport}"
     else:
         raise NotImplementedError("%s is not implemented yet" % dtype)
-    uri += "/"
+    uri += "/" + display_desc_to_display_path(display_desc)
+    return uri
+
+def display_desc_to_display_path(display_desc):
+    uri = ""
     display = display_desc.get("display")
     if display:
         uri += display.lstrip(":")
@@ -1068,8 +1072,8 @@ def sockpathfail_cb(msg):
             except ImportError as e:    # pragma: no cover
                 raise InitExit(EXIT_UNSUPPORTED, f"cannot handle websocket connection: {e}") from None
             else:
-                display = display_desc.get("display", "")
-                client_upgrade(conn.read, conn.write, host, port, display)
+                display_path = display_desc_to_display_path(display_desc)
+                client_upgrade(conn.read, conn.write, host, port, display_path)
         conn.target = get_host_target_string(display_desc)
         return conn
     raise InitException(f"unsupported display type: {dtype}")