diff --git a/test/nginx/src/mocha/request.js b/test/nginx/src/mocha/request.js
index 4941c8e30..509a8eff3 100644
--- a/test/nginx/src/mocha/request.js
+++ b/test/nginx/src/mocha/request.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+const { isIPv6 } = require('node:net');
 const { Readable } = require('node:stream');
 
 module.exports = request;
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ function request(url, { body, ...options }={}) {
 
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     try {
-      const req = getProtocolImplFrom(url).request(url, options, res => {
+      const req = getProtocolImplFrom(url).request({ ...options, ...preserve(url) }, res => {
         res.on('error', reject);
 
         const body = new Readable({ read:() => {} });
@@ -56,3 +57,24 @@ function getProtocolImplFrom(url) {
     default: throw new Error(`Unsupported protocol: ${protocol}`);
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Prevent URL path normalisation.
+ * @see https://nodejs.org/api/http.html#httprequesturl-options-callback
+ * @see https://nodejs.org/api/url.html#new-urlinput-base
+ */
+function preserve(urlString) {
+  const url = new URL(urlString);
+  if(url.username || url.password) throw new Error('Basic auth creds not yet supported.');
+
+  const host = safeIpv6(url.hostname);
+  const port = url.port;
+  const path = urlString.replace(/^http(s?):\/\/[^/]*/, '') || '/';
+
+  return { host, port, path };
+}
+
+function safeIpv6(hostname) {
+  const maybeV6 = hostname.replace(/^\[(.*)\]$/, (_, $1) => $1);
+  return isIPv6(maybeV6) ? maybeV6 : hostname;
+}
diff --git a/test/nginx/src/mocha/request.spec.js b/test/nginx/src/mocha/request.spec.js
index cc4929af1..bcb0a075c 100644
--- a/test/nginx/src/mocha/request.spec.js
+++ b/test/nginx/src/mocha/request.spec.js
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ describe('request()', () => {
 
     const app = express();
     app.use((req, res, next) => {
-      const { method, path, headers } = req;
-      requestsReceived.push({ method, path, headers });
+      const { method, originalUrl:target, headers } = req;
+      requestsReceived.push({ method, target, headers });
       next();
     });
     app.get('/redirect-302', (req, res) => {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ describe('request()', () => {
     assert.equal(res.status, 302);
     assert.equal(res.headers.get('location'), 'http://example.test/redirected');
     assert.deepEqual(stripHeaders(requestsReceived), [
-      { method:'GET', path:'/redirect-302' },
+      { method:'GET', target:'/redirect-302' },
     ]);
   });
 
@@ -62,10 +62,21 @@ describe('request()', () => {
     // then
     assert.equal(res.status, 200);
     assert.deepEqual(stripHeaders(requestsReceived), [
-      { method:'GET', path:'/' },
+      { method:'GET', target:'/' },
     ]);
     assert.equal(requestsReceived[0].headers['host'], 'not-a-host');
   });
+
+  it('should not normalise URLs', async () => {
+    // when
+    const res = await request(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/a/../b.html?x=1`);
+
+    // then
+    assert.equal(res.status, 200);
+    assert.deepEqual(stripHeaders(requestsReceived), [
+      { method:'GET', target:'/a/../b.html?x=1' },
+    ]);
+  });
 });
 
 function stripHeaders(arr) {