diff --git a/lib/Server.js b/lib/Server.js
index 87c4edb347..9ba378d933 100644
--- a/lib/Server.js
+++ b/lib/Server.js
@@ -1850,13 +1850,31 @@ class Server {
       /** @type {RequestHandler[]} */
       (this.webSocketProxies);
 
+    const hmrPath =
+      this.options.webSocketServer &&
+      /** @type {WebSocketServerConfiguration} */
+      (this.options.webSocketServer).options &&
+      /** @type {NonNullable<WebSocketServerConfiguration["options"]>} */
+      (
+        /** @type {WebSocketServerConfiguration} */
+        (this.options.webSocketServer).options
+      ).path;
+
     for (const webSocketProxy of webSocketProxies) {
-      /** @type {S} */
-      (this.server).on(
-        "upgrade",
+      const proxyUpgrade =
         /** @type {RequestHandler & { upgrade: NonNullable<RequestHandler["upgrade"]> }} */
-        (webSocketProxy).upgrade,
-      );
+        (webSocketProxy).upgrade;
+
+      /** @type {S} */
+      (this.server).on("upgrade", (req, socket, head) => {
+        if (hmrPath && req.url) {
+          const { pathname } = new URL(req.url, "http://0.0.0.0");
+          if (pathname === hmrPath) {
+            return;
+          }
+        }
+        proxyUpgrade(req, socket, head);
+      });
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/__snapshots__/api.test.js.snap.webpack5 b/test/e2e/__snapshots__/api.test.js.snap.webpack5
index 0d6367ba1f..65995bb1b8 100644
--- a/test/e2e/__snapshots__/api.test.js.snap.webpack5
+++ b/test/e2e/__snapshots__/api.test.js.snap.webpack5
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ exports[`API Server.checkHostHeader should allow URLs with scheme for checking o
   "[webpack-dev-server] Server started: Hot Module Replacement enabled, Live Reloading enabled, Progress disabled, Overlay enabled.",
   "[HMR] Waiting for update signal from WDS...",
   "Hey.",
-  "WebSocket connection to 'ws://test.host:8158/ws' failed: Error in connection establishment: net::ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED",
+  "WebSocket connection to 'ws://test.host:8159/ws' failed: Error in connection establishment: net::ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED",
   "[webpack-dev-server] JSHandle@object",
   "[webpack-dev-server] Disconnected!",
   "[webpack-dev-server] Trying to reconnect...",
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ exports[`API Server.checkHostHeader should allow URLs with scheme for checking o
 
 exports[`API Server.checkHostHeader should allow URLs with scheme for checking origin when the "option.client.webSocketURL" is object: response status 1`] = `200`;
 
-exports[`API Server.checkHostHeader should allow URLs with scheme for checking origin when the "option.client.webSocketURL" is object: web socket URL 1`] = `"ws://test.host:8158/ws"`;
+exports[`API Server.checkHostHeader should allow URLs with scheme for checking origin when the "option.client.webSocketURL" is object: web socket URL 1`] = `"ws://test.host:8159/ws"`;
 
 exports[`API Server.getFreePort should retry finding the port for up to defaultPortRetry times (number): console messages 1`] = `
 [
diff --git a/test/e2e/__snapshots__/client-reconnect.test.js.snap.webpack5 b/test/e2e/__snapshots__/client-reconnect.test.js.snap.webpack5
index 6beb3163b8..4f92588825 100644
--- a/test/e2e/__snapshots__/client-reconnect.test.js.snap.webpack5
+++ b/test/e2e/__snapshots__/client-reconnect.test.js.snap.webpack5
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ exports[`client.reconnect option specified as number should try to reconnect 2 t
   "Hey.",
   "[webpack-dev-server] Disconnected!",
   "[webpack-dev-server] Trying to reconnect...",
-  "WebSocket connection to 'ws://localhost:8163/ws' failed: Error in connection establishment: net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED",
+  "WebSocket connection to 'ws://localhost:8164/ws' failed: Error in connection establishment: net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED",
   "[webpack-dev-server] JSHandle@object",
   "[webpack-dev-server] Trying to reconnect...",
-  "WebSocket connection to 'ws://localhost:8163/ws' failed: Error in connection establishment: net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED",
+  "WebSocket connection to 'ws://localhost:8164/ws' failed: Error in connection establishment: net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED",
   "[webpack-dev-server] JSHandle@object",
 ]
 `;
diff --git a/test/e2e/__snapshots__/port.test.js.snap.webpack5 b/test/e2e/__snapshots__/port.test.js.snap.webpack5
index b88dae9b1a..68ad8c61b3 100644
--- a/test/e2e/__snapshots__/port.test.js.snap.webpack5
+++ b/test/e2e/__snapshots__/port.test.js.snap.webpack5
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ exports[`port should work using "0" port : console messages 1`] = `
 
 exports[`port should work using "0" port : page errors 1`] = `[]`;
 
-exports[`port should work using "8161" port : console messages 1`] = `
+exports[`port should work using "8162" port : console messages 1`] = `
 [
   "[webpack-dev-server] Server started: Hot Module Replacement enabled, Live Reloading enabled, Progress disabled, Overlay enabled.",
   "[HMR] Waiting for update signal from WDS...",
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ exports[`port should work using "8161" port : console messages 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`port should work using "8161" port : console messages 2`] = `
+exports[`port should work using "8162" port : console messages 2`] = `
 [
   "[webpack-dev-server] Server started: Hot Module Replacement enabled, Live Reloading enabled, Progress disabled, Overlay enabled.",
   "[HMR] Waiting for update signal from WDS...",
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ exports[`port should work using "8161" port : console messages 2`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`port should work using "8161" port : page errors 1`] = `[]`;
+exports[`port should work using "8162" port : page errors 1`] = `[]`;
 
-exports[`port should work using "8161" port : page errors 2`] = `[]`;
+exports[`port should work using "8162" port : page errors 2`] = `[]`;
 
 exports[`port should work using "auto" port : console messages 1`] = `
 [
diff --git a/test/ports-map.js b/test/ports-map.js
index d95dc62af9..347f3aeead 100644
--- a/test/ports-map.js
+++ b/test/ports-map.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const listOfTests = {
   "on-listening-option": 1,
   "open-option": 1,
   "port-option": 1,
-  "proxy-option": 4,
+  "proxy-option": 5,
   server: 1,
   "setup-exit-signals-option": 1,
   "static-directory-option": 1,
diff --git a/test/server/proxy-option.test.js b/test/server/proxy-option.test.js
index d6c209e055..c82e56d13e 100644
--- a/test/server/proxy-option.test.js
+++ b/test/server/proxy-option.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 "use strict";
 
+const http = require("node:http");
 const path = require("node:path");
 const util = require("node:util");
 const express = require("express");
@@ -8,7 +9,8 @@ const webpack = require("webpack");
 const WebSocket = require("ws");
 const Server = require("../../lib/Server");
 const config = require("../fixtures/proxy-config/webpack.config");
-const [port1, port2, port3, port4] = require("../ports-map")["proxy-option"];
+const [port1, port2, port3, port4, port5] =
+  require("../ports-map")["proxy-option"];
 
 const WebSocketServer = WebSocket.Server;
 const staticDirectory = path.resolve(__dirname, "../fixtures/proxy-config");
@@ -659,6 +661,204 @@ describe("proxy option", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  describe("should not silently proxy dev-server HMR websocket to a permissive backend", () => {
+    let server;
+    let backend;
+    let backendWss;
+    let backendUpgradeCount;
+
+    const BACKEND_MESSAGE_TYPE = "backend-message";
+
+    beforeAll(async () => {
+      backendUpgradeCount = 0;
+
+      backend = http.createServer();
+      backendWss = new WebSocketServer({ server: backend });
+      backendWss.on("connection", (connection) => {
+        backendUpgradeCount += 1;
+        connection.send(JSON.stringify({ type: BACKEND_MESSAGE_TYPE }));
+      });
+
+      await new Promise((resolve) => {
+        backend.listen(port5, resolve);
+      });
+
+      const compiler = webpack(config);
+
+      server = new Server(
+        {
+          hot: true,
+          allowedHosts: "all",
+          webSocketServer: "ws",
+          proxy: [
+            {
+              context: "/",
+              target: `http://localhost:${port5}`,
+              ws: true,
+            },
+          ],
+          port: port3,
+        },
+        compiler,
+      );
+
+      await server.start();
+    });
+
+    afterAll(async () => {
+      for (const client of backendWss.clients) {
+        client.terminate();
+      }
+      backendWss.close();
+      // Force-drop any lingering proxy-opened sockets so backend.close() does
+      // not hang when the fix is missing and the proxy is mid-upgrade.
+      backend.closeAllConnections();
+      await server.stop();
+      await new Promise((resolve) => {
+        backend.close(resolve);
+      });
+    });
+
+    it("delivers the HMR control messages and never reaches the proxy target", async () => {
+      const messages = [];
+
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${port3}/ws`);
+
+      await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+          reject(
+            new Error(
+              `Timed out waiting for HMR message. Got: ${JSON.stringify(messages)}`,
+            ),
+          );
+        }, 3000);
+
+        ws.on("message", (raw) => {
+          const parsed = JSON.parse(raw.toString());
+          messages.push(parsed);
+          if (parsed.type === "hot") {
+            clearTimeout(timer);
+            resolve();
+          }
+        });
+
+        ws.on("error", (err) => {
+          clearTimeout(timer);
+          reject(err);
+        });
+      });
+
+      ws.close();
+
+      // Let the proxy finish its async forwarding so the assertion below sees
+      // the upgrade attempt deterministically.
+      await new Promise((resolve) => {
+        setTimeout(resolve, 300);
+      });
+
+      expect(messages.some((m) => m.type === "hot")).toBe(true);
+      expect(messages.some((m) => m.type === BACKEND_MESSAGE_TYPE)).toBe(false);
+      expect(backendUpgradeCount).toBe(0);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("should not log proxy errors for the dev-server HMR upgrade", () => {
+    let server;
+    let backend;
+    let stderrSpy;
+
+    beforeAll(async () => {
+      stderrSpy = jest
+        .spyOn(process.stderr, "write")
+        .mockImplementation(() => true);
+
+      backend = http.createServer();
+      backend.on("upgrade", (req, socket) => {
+        socket.destroy();
+      });
+      await new Promise((resolve) => {
+        backend.listen(port5, resolve);
+      });
+
+      const compiler = webpack(config);
+
+      server = new Server(
+        {
+          hot: true,
+          allowedHosts: "all",
+          webSocketServer: "ws",
+          proxy: [
+            {
+              context: "/",
+              target: `http://localhost:${port5}`,
+              ws: true,
+            },
+          ],
+          port: port3,
+        },
+        compiler,
+      );
+
+      await server.start();
+    });
+
+    afterAll(async () => {
+      stderrSpy.mockRestore();
+      backend.closeAllConnections();
+      await server.stop();
+      await new Promise((resolve) => {
+        backend.close(resolve);
+      });
+    });
+
+    it("does not surface any [HPM] error when the HMR client connects", async () => {
+      const messages = [];
+
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://localhost:${port3}/ws`);
+
+      await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+          reject(
+            new Error(
+              `Timed out waiting for HMR message. Got: ${JSON.stringify(messages)}`,
+            ),
+          );
+        }, 3000);
+
+        ws.on("message", (raw) => {
+          const parsed = JSON.parse(raw.toString());
+          messages.push(parsed);
+          if (parsed.type === "hot") {
+            clearTimeout(timer);
+            resolve();
+          }
+        });
+
+        ws.on("error", (err) => {
+          clearTimeout(timer);
+          reject(err);
+        });
+      });
+
+      ws.close();
+
+      await new Promise((resolve) => {
+        setTimeout(resolve, 200);
+      });
+
+      const hpmLines = stderrSpy.mock.calls
+        .map((c) => c[0])
+        .join("")
+        .split("\n")
+        .filter((line) => line.includes("[HPM]"))
+        .map((line) => line.replaceAll(/localhost:\d+/g, "localhost:<port>"))
+        .join("\n");
+
+      expect(hpmLines).toBe("");
+      expect(messages.some((m) => m.type === "hot")).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("should supports http methods", () => {
     let server;
     let req;