diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1f181014..dd0b9f49 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 - fix: prevent TypeError when ws enabled but server is undefined (#1163)
 - fix: applyPathRewrite logs old req.url instead of rewritten path (#1157)
 - feat(hono): support for hono with createHonoProxyMiddleware
+- feat(ipv6): support literal IPv6 addresses in `target` and `forward` options (ie. "http://[::1]:8000")
 
 ## [v3.0.5](https://github.com/chimurai/http-proxy-middleware/releases/tag/v3.0.5)
 
diff --git a/src/http-proxy-middleware.ts b/src/http-proxy-middleware.ts
index 252bcd6a..48a01454 100644
--- a/src/http-proxy-middleware.ts
+++ b/src/http-proxy-middleware.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { createPathRewriter } from './path-rewriter.js';
 import { getTarget } from './router.js';
 import type { Filter, Logger, Options, RequestHandler } from './types.js';
 import { getFunctionName } from './utils/function.js';
+import { normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets } from './utils/ipv6.js';
 
 export class HttpProxyMiddleware<
   TReq extends http.IncomingMessage = http.IncomingMessage,
@@ -188,6 +189,7 @@ export class HttpProxyMiddleware<
     // 1. option.router
     // 2. option.pathRewrite
     await this.applyRouter(req, newProxyOptions);
+    normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets(newProxyOptions);
     await this.applyPathRewrite(req, this.pathRewriter);
 
     return newProxyOptions;
diff --git a/src/utils/ipv6.ts b/src/utils/ipv6.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d492834
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/ipv6.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import type * as http from 'node:http';
+
+import { Debug } from '../debug.js';
+import type { Options } from '../types.js';
+
+const debug = Debug.extend('ipv6');
+
+/**
+ * Normalize bracketed IPv6 URL targets into unbracketed host options.
+ *
+ * RFC 2732 defines the URL syntax for literal IPv6 addresses as bracketed
+ * host references (for example `http://[::1]:8080/path` where host is
+ * `[::1]`).
+ *
+ * `httpxy` resolves bracketed hostnames (for example `[::1]`) via DNS,
+ * which can fail for IPv6 literals. This converts string/URL `target` and
+ * `forward` values into object form with `hostname: ::1` (brackets removed)
+ * so the address can be connected directly.
+ *
+ * Reference: RFC 2732, Section 2 (Literal IPv6 Address Format in URL's)
+ * https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2732.txt
+ *
+ * The provided options object is mutated in place.
+ */
+export function normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets<
+  TReq extends http.IncomingMessage = http.IncomingMessage,
+  TRes extends http.ServerResponse = http.ServerResponse,
+>(options: Options<TReq, TRes>): void {
+  options.target = normalizeIPv6ProxyTarget(options.target, 'target');
+  options.forward = normalizeIPv6ProxyTarget(options.forward, 'forward');
+}
+
+function normalizeIPv6ProxyTarget(target: Options['target'], optionName: 'target' | 'forward') {
+  const targetUrl = toTargetUrl(target);
+
+  if (targetUrl && isBracketedIPv6Hostname(targetUrl.hostname)) {
+    debug('normalized IPv6 "%s" %s', optionName, target);
+
+    return {
+      hostname: stripBrackets(targetUrl.hostname),
+      pathname: targetUrl.pathname,
+      port: targetUrl.port,
+      protocol: targetUrl.protocol,
+      search: targetUrl.search,
+    };
+  }
+
+  return target;
+}
+
+function toTargetUrl(target: Options['target']): URL | undefined {
+  if (typeof target === 'string') {
+    return new URL(target);
+  }
+
+  if (target instanceof URL) {
+    return target;
+  }
+
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+function isBracketedIPv6Hostname(hostname: string): boolean {
+  return hostname.startsWith('[') && hostname.endsWith(']');
+}
+
+function stripBrackets(hostname: string): string {
+  return hostname.replace(/^\[|\]$/g, '');
+}
diff --git a/test/e2e/ipv6.spec.ts b/test/e2e/ipv6.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7754c621
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/ipv6.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+import type { Mockttp } from 'mockttp';
+import { getLocal } from 'mockttp';
+import request from 'supertest';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { createApp, createProxyMiddleware } from './test-kit.js';
+
+describe('ipv6 integration', () => {
+  let targetServer: Mockttp;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    targetServer = getLocal();
+    await targetServer.start();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    await targetServer.stop();
+  });
+
+  it('should proxy to ipv6 target using bracket notation with port', async () => {
+    await targetServer.forGet('/api').thenCallback((req) => ({
+      statusCode: 200,
+      body: req.path,
+    }));
+
+    const proxy = createProxyMiddleware({
+      changeOrigin: true,
+      target: `http://[::1]:${targetServer.port}`,
+    });
+
+    const app = createApp(proxy);
+    const response = await request(app).get('/api').expect(200);
+
+    expect(response.text).toBe('/api');
+  });
+
+  it('should proxy to unspecified ipv6 target using bracket notation with port', async () => {
+    await targetServer.forGet('/api').thenCallback((req) => ({
+      statusCode: 200,
+      body: req.path,
+    }));
+
+    const proxy = createProxyMiddleware({
+      changeOrigin: true,
+      target: `http://[::]:${targetServer.port}`,
+    });
+
+    const app = createApp(proxy);
+    const response = await request(app).get('/api').expect(200);
+
+    expect(response.text).toBe('/api');
+  });
+
+  it('should proxy to ipv6 target and preserve query params', async () => {
+    let receivedPath: string | undefined;
+
+    await targetServer.forGet('/api').thenCallback((req) => {
+      receivedPath = req.path;
+      return {
+        statusCode: 200,
+        body: req.url.includes('?') ? req.url.split('?')[1] : '',
+      };
+    });
+
+    const proxy = createProxyMiddleware({
+      changeOrigin: true,
+      target: `http://[::1]:${targetServer.port}`,
+    });
+
+    const app = createApp(proxy);
+    const response = await request(app).get('/api?foo=bar&baz=qux').expect(200);
+
+    expect(receivedPath).toBe('/api?foo=bar&baz=qux');
+    expect(response.text).toBe('foo=bar&baz=qux');
+  });
+
+  it('should proxy to ipv6 target and preserve search params with special characters', async () => {
+    let receivedPath: string | undefined;
+
+    await targetServer.forGet('/api').thenCallback((req) => {
+      receivedPath = req.path;
+      return {
+        statusCode: 200,
+        body: req.url.includes('?') ? req.url.split('?')[1] : '',
+      };
+    });
+
+    const proxy = createProxyMiddleware({
+      changeOrigin: true,
+      target: `http://[::1]:${targetServer.port}`,
+    });
+
+    const app = createApp(proxy);
+    const response = await request(app).get('/api?q=hello%20world&page=1').expect(200);
+
+    expect(receivedPath).toBe('/api?q=hello%20world&page=1');
+    expect(response.text).toBe('q=hello%20world&page=1');
+  });
+
+  it('should forward requests to ipv6 target using forward option', async () => {
+    let forwardedPath: string | undefined;
+
+    await targetServer.forPost('/api').thenCallback((req) => {
+      forwardedPath = req.path;
+      return { statusCode: 200 };
+    });
+
+    const proxy = createProxyMiddleware({
+      changeOrigin: true,
+      target: `http://[::1]:${targetServer.port}`,
+      forward: `http://[::1]:${targetServer.port}`,
+    });
+
+    const app = createApp(proxy);
+    await request(app).post('/api').expect(200);
+
+    expect(forwardedPath).toBe('/api');
+  });
+
+  it('should proxy to ipv6 target resolved via router function (no static target)', async () => {
+    await targetServer.forGet('/api').thenCallback((req) => ({
+      statusCode: 200,
+      body: req.path,
+    }));
+
+    const proxy = createProxyMiddleware({
+      changeOrigin: true,
+      target: 'http://example.com', // dummy target, will be overridden by router
+      router: () => `http://[::1]:${targetServer.port}`,
+    });
+
+    const app = createApp(proxy);
+    const response = await request(app).get('/api').expect(200);
+
+    expect(response.text).toBe('/api');
+  });
+
+  it('should proxy to ipv6 target resolved via async router function', async () => {
+    await targetServer.forGet('/api').thenCallback((req) => ({
+      statusCode: 200,
+      body: req.path,
+    }));
+
+    const proxy = createProxyMiddleware({
+      changeOrigin: true,
+      target: 'http://example.com', // dummy target, will be overridden by router
+      router: async () => `http://[::1]:${targetServer.port}`,
+    });
+
+    const app = createApp(proxy);
+    const response = await request(app).get('/api').expect(200);
+
+    expect(response.text).toBe('/api');
+  });
+
+  it('should proxy to ipv6 target with base path and auth option', async () => {
+    let receivedPath: string | undefined;
+    let authorizationHeader: string | undefined;
+
+    await targetServer.forGet('/api').thenCallback((req) => {
+      receivedPath = req.path;
+      const authHeader = req.headers.authorization;
+      authorizationHeader = Array.isArray(authHeader) ? authHeader[0] : authHeader;
+
+      return {
+        statusCode: 200,
+      };
+    });
+
+    const proxy = createProxyMiddleware({
+      changeOrigin: true,
+      target: `http://[::1]:${targetServer.port}/api`,
+      auth: 'user:pass',
+    });
+
+    const app = createApp(proxy);
+    await request(app).get('/').expect(200);
+
+    expect(receivedPath).toBe('/api');
+    expect(authorizationHeader).toBe('Basic dXNlcjpwYXNz'); // cspell:disable-line
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/unit/utils/ipv6.spec.ts b/test/unit/utils/ipv6.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f256eca3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/utils/ipv6.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import type { Options } from '../../../src/types.js';
+import { normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets } from '../../../src/utils/ipv6.js';
+
+describe('normalizeIPv6Targets()', () => {
+  it('should mutate the same options object', () => {
+    const options: Options = {
+      target: 'http://[::1]:8888/api?foo=bar',
+    };
+
+    const originalOptions = options;
+    normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets(options);
+
+    expect(options).toBe(originalOptions);
+  });
+
+  it('should normalize bracketed IPv6 target string without port into a target object', () => {
+    const options: Options = {
+      target: 'http://[::1]/api',
+    };
+
+    normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets(options);
+
+    expect(options.target).toEqual({
+      hostname: '::1',
+      pathname: '/api',
+      port: '',
+      protocol: 'http:',
+      search: '',
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should normalize bracketed IPv6 target string into a target object', () => {
+    const options: Options = {
+      target: 'http://[::1]:8888/api?foo=bar',
+    };
+
+    normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets(options);
+
+    expect(options.target).toEqual({
+      hostname: '::1',
+      pathname: '/api',
+      port: '8888',
+      protocol: 'http:',
+      search: '?foo=bar',
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should normalize bracketed IPv6 target URL into a target object', () => {
+    const options: Options = {
+      target: new URL('http://[::1]:8888/api'),
+    };
+
+    normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets(options);
+
+    expect(options.target).toEqual({
+      hostname: '::1',
+      pathname: '/api',
+      port: '8888',
+      protocol: 'http:',
+      search: '',
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should normalize bracketed IPv6 forward string into a forward object', () => {
+    const options: Options = {
+      forward: 'http://[::1]:9999/',
+    };
+
+    normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets(options);
+
+    expect(options.forward).toEqual({
+      hostname: '::1',
+      pathname: '/',
+      port: '9999',
+      protocol: 'http:',
+      search: '',
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should leave non-IPv6 string targets unchanged', () => {
+    const options: Options = {
+      target: 'http://127.0.0.1:8888/api',
+    };
+
+    normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets(options);
+
+    expect(options.target).toBe('http://127.0.0.1:8888/api');
+  });
+
+  it('should leave object targets unchanged', () => {
+    const target: Options['target'] = {
+      hostname: '::1',
+      port: 8888,
+      protocol: 'http:',
+    };
+
+    const options: Options = {
+      target,
+    };
+
+    normalizeIPv6LiteralTargets(options);
+
+    expect(options.target).toBe(target);
+  });
+});