diff --git a/src/http/server.rs b/src/http/server.rs
index 812cf14c..8bf7acd1 100644
--- a/src/http/server.rs
+++ b/src/http/server.rs
@@ -436,6 +436,31 @@ async fn maintain_websocket(
     let (ws_sender, mut ws_receiver) = tokio::sync::mpsc::channel(100);
     ws_senders.insert(ws_channel_id, (owner_process.clone(), ws_sender));
 
+    // send a message to the process associated with this channel
+    // notifying them that the channel is now open
+    let _ = send_to_loop
+        .send(KernelMessage {
+            id: rand::random(),
+            source: Address {
+                node: our.to_string(),
+                process: HTTP_SERVER_PROCESS_ID.clone(),
+            },
+            target: Address {
+                node: our.to_string(),
+                process: owner_process.clone(),
+            },
+            rsvp: None,
+            message: Message::Request(Request {
+                inherit: false,
+                expects_response: None,
+                ipc: serde_json::to_vec(&HttpServerAction::WebSocketOpen(ws_channel_id)).unwrap(),
+                metadata: None,
+            }),
+            payload: None,
+            signed_capabilities: None,
+        })
+        .await;
+
     // respond to the client notifying them that the channel is now open
     let Ok(()) = write_stream
         .send(warp::ws::Message::text(
diff --git a/src/http/types.rs b/src/http/types.rs
index 31ce989a..ecba6711 100644
--- a/src/http/types.rs
+++ b/src/http/types.rs
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ pub enum HttpServerAction {
         cache: bool,
     },
     /// Processes will RECEIVE this kind of request when a client connects to them.
-    /// If a process does not want this websocket open, they can respond with an
-    /// [`enum@HttpServerAction::WebSocketClose`] message.
+    /// If a process does not want this websocket open, they should issue a *request*
+    /// containing a [`enum@HttpServerAction::WebSocketClose`] message and this channel ID.
     WebSocketOpen(u32),
     /// Processes can both SEND and RECEIVE this kind of request.
     /// When sent, expects a payload containing the WebSocket message bytes to send.