diff --git a/frontend/public/actions/features.ts b/frontend/public/actions/features.ts
index 542e2f13b28..2c5d018873d 100644
--- a/frontend/public/actions/features.ts
+++ b/frontend/public/actions/features.ts
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ const ssarCheckActions = ssarChecks.map(({ flag, resourceAttributes, after }) =>
             after(dispatch, allowed);
           }
         },
-        (err) => handleError({ response: err.graphQLErrors[0]?.extensions }, flag, dispatch, fn),
+        (err) => {
+          handleError({ response: err.graphQLErrors[0]?.extensions }, flag, dispatch, fn);
+        },
       );
   return fn;
 });
diff --git a/frontend/public/actions/ui.ts b/frontend/public/actions/ui.ts
index e64ea477fc7..d0a289a7f95 100644
--- a/frontend/public/actions/ui.ts
+++ b/frontend/public/actions/ui.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { detectFeatures } from './features';
 import { clearSSARFlags } from './flags';
 import { OverviewSpecialGroup } from '../components/overview/constants';
 import { setClusterID, setCreateProjectMessage, ActionType } from './common';
-import { subsClient } from '../graphql/client';
+import { subsClient, setForceHTTP } from '../graphql/client';
 import {
   beginImpersonate,
   endImpersonate,
@@ -241,15 +241,14 @@ export const startImpersonate = (kind: string, name: string, groups?: string[])
   // This ensures flags refresh happens in sync with React's render cycle
 };
 
-// Action to refresh features after impersonation change
-// Don't clear flags - just re-detect them. Old values remain until new ones are fetched.
-// This prevents components from seeing PENDING state and showing loading spinners.
 export const refreshFeaturesAfterImpersonation = () => (dispatch) => {
+  setForceHTTP(true);
   dispatch(detectFeatures());
 };
 export const stopImpersonate = () => (dispatch) => {
   dispatch(endImpersonate());
   subsClient.close(false, true);
+  setForceHTTP(false);
   dispatch(clearSSARFlags());
   dispatch(detectFeatures());
 };
diff --git a/frontend/public/graphql/client.ts b/frontend/public/graphql/client.ts
index 6203d46d7f9..d331337af0a 100644
--- a/frontend/public/graphql/client.ts
+++ b/frontend/public/graphql/client.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ import { URLQueryType, URLQueryVariables } from '../../@types/console/generated/
 import { getConsoleRequestHeaders, coFetch } from '../co-fetch';
 
 let wssErrors = 0;
+// @ts-ignore TS6133 - forceHTTP is read inside the split() closure below
+let forceHTTP = false;
+
+export const setForceHTTP = (force: boolean) => {
+  forceHTTP = force;
+};
 
 class GraphQLReady {
   private callback: VoidFunction;
@@ -68,7 +74,7 @@ const wsLink = new WebSocketLink(subsClient);
 
 // fallback to http connection if websocket connection was not successful
 // iOS does not allow wss with self signed certificate
-const link = split(() => wssErrors > 4, httpLink, wsLink);
+const link = split(() => wssErrors > 4 || forceHTTP, httpLink, wsLink);
 
 const client = new ApolloClient({
   link,
diff --git a/pkg/server/server.go b/pkg/server/server.go
index 728f0b4d6d0..0f69b38e725 100644
--- a/pkg/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/server/server.go
@@ -381,9 +381,21 @@ func (s *Server) HTTPHandler() (http.Handler, error) {
 	handler.InitPayload = resolver.InitPayload
 	graphQLHandler := handler.NewHandlerFunc(schema, gql.NewHttpHandler(schema))
 	handle("/api/graphql", authHandlerWithUser(func(user *auth.User, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		ctx := context.WithValue(context.Background(), resolver.HeadersKey, map[string]interface{}{
+		headers := map[string]interface{}{
 			"Authorization": fmt.Sprintf("Bearer %s", user.Token),
-		})
+		}
+		if impUser := r.Header.Get("Impersonate-User"); impUser != "" {
+			headers["Impersonate-User"] = impUser
+		}
+		if consoleGroups := r.Header.Get("X-Console-Impersonate-Groups"); consoleGroups != "" {
+			groups := strings.Split(consoleGroups, ",")
+			groups = append(groups, "system:authenticated")
+			headers["Impersonate-Group"] = groups
+		} else if impGroups := r.Header.Values("Impersonate-Group"); len(impGroups) > 0 {
+			impGroups = append(impGroups, "system:authenticated")
+			headers["Impersonate-Group"] = impGroups
+		}
+		ctx := context.WithValue(r.Context(), resolver.HeadersKey, headers)
 		graphQLHandler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 	}))