diff --git a/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/reverseproxy.go b/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/reverseproxy.go
index e894c5013..3a073a3d4 100644
--- a/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/reverseproxy.go
+++ b/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/reverseproxy.go
@@ -1194,7 +1194,7 @@ func (lb LoadBalancing) tryAgain(ctx caddy.Context, start time.Time, retries int
 
 // directRequest modifies only req.URL so that it points to the upstream
 // in the given DialInfo. It must modify ONLY the request URL.
-func (Handler) directRequest(req *http.Request, di DialInfo) {
+func (h *Handler) directRequest(req *http.Request, di DialInfo) {
 	// we need a host, so set the upstream's host address
 	reqHost := di.Address
 
@@ -1206,8 +1206,10 @@ func (Handler) directRequest(req *http.Request, di DialInfo) {
 	}
 
 	// add client address to the host to let transport differentiate requests from different clients
-	if proxyProtocolInfo, ok := caddyhttp.GetVar(req.Context(), proxyProtocolInfoVarKey).(ProxyProtocolInfo); ok {
-		reqHost = proxyProtocolInfo.AddrPort.String() + "->" + reqHost
+	if ht, ok := h.Transport.(*HTTPTransport); ok && ht.ProxyProtocol != "" {
+		if proxyProtocolInfo, ok := caddyhttp.GetVar(req.Context(), proxyProtocolInfoVarKey).(ProxyProtocolInfo); ok {
+			reqHost = proxyProtocolInfo.AddrPort.String() + "->" + reqHost
+		}
 	}
 
 	req.URL.Host = reqHost