diff --git a/src/routes/apps.js b/src/routes/apps.js
index 06ddb231c..c4669e2b9 100644
--- a/src/routes/apps.js
+++ b/src/routes/apps.js
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ function exec(req, res, next) {
 function execWebSocket(ws, req, next) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof req.params.id, 'string');
 
-    debug('Execing into app id:%s and cmd:%s', req.params.id, req.query.cmd);
+    debug('Execing websocket into app id:%s and cmd:%s', req.params.id, req.query.cmd);
 
     var cmd = null;
     if (req.query.cmd) {
@@ -480,8 +480,6 @@ function execWebSocket(ws, req, next) {
 
     var tty = req.query.tty === 'true' ? true : false;
 
-    // req.clearTimeout();
-
     apps.exec(req.params.id, { cmd: cmd, rows: rows, columns: columns, tty: tty }, function (error, duplexStream) {
         if (error && error.reason === AppsError.NOT_FOUND) return next(new HttpError(404, 'No such app'));
         if (error && error.reason === AppsError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
diff --git a/src/server.js b/src/server.js
index 3b5c20f15..aa47c4dec 100644
--- a/src/server.js
+++ b/src/server.js
@@ -238,22 +238,25 @@ function initializeExpressSync() {
 
     // upgrade handler
     httpServer.on('upgrade', function (req, socket, head) {
-        // upgraded connections should never time out
-        req.clearTimeout();
+        if (req.headers.upgrade === 'websocket') {
+            // websocket connections should never time out
+            req.clearTimeout();
+        } else {
+            // create a node response object for express
+            var res = new http.ServerResponse({});
+            res.assignSocket(socket);
+            res.sendUpgradeHandshake = function () { // could extend express.response as well
+                console.log('----- now send the upgrade handshake')
+                socket.write('HTTP/1.1 101 TCP Handshake\r\n' +
+                             'Upgrade: tcp\r\n' +
+                             'Connection: Upgrade\r\n' +
+                             '\r\n');
+            };
 
-        // create a node response object for express
-        // var res = new http.ServerResponse({});
-        // res.assignSocket(socket);
-        // res.sendUpgradeHandshake = function () { // could extend express.response as well
-        //     socket.write('HTTP/1.1 101 TCP Handshake\r\n' +
-        //                  'Upgrade: tcp\r\n' +
-        //                  'Connection: Upgrade\r\n' +
-        //                  '\r\n');
-        // };
-
-        // // route through express middleware. if we provide no callback, express will provide a 'finalhandler'
-        // // TODO: it's not clear if socket needs to be destroyed
-        // app(req, res);
+            // route through express middleware. if we provide no callback, express will provide a 'finalhandler'
+            // TODO: it's not clear if socket needs to be destroyed
+            app(req, res);
+        }
     });
 
     return httpServer;