diff --git a/src/shrpx_health_monitor_downstream_connection.cc b/src/shrpx_health_monitor_downstream_connection.cc
index ab590de2..066a2af9 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_health_monitor_downstream_connection.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_health_monitor_downstream_connection.cc
@@ -54,7 +54,14 @@ void HealthMonitorDownstreamConnection::detach_downstream(
   downstream_ = nullptr;
 }
 
-int HealthMonitorDownstreamConnection::push_request_headers() { return 0; }
+int HealthMonitorDownstreamConnection::push_request_headers() {
+  downstream_->set_request_header_sent(true);
+  auto src = downstream_->get_blocked_request_buf();
+  auto dest = downstream_->get_request_buf();
+  src->remove(*dest);
+
+  return 0;
+}
 
 int HealthMonitorDownstreamConnection::push_upload_data_chunk(
     const uint8_t *data, size_t datalen) {