diff --git a/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template.go b/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template.go
index 5fe7357233..4e25d044cd 100644
--- a/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template.go
+++ b/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template.go
@@ -312,13 +312,13 @@ func buildProxyPass(host string, b interface{}, loc interface{}) string {
 	rewrite %s(.*) /$1 break;
 	rewrite %s / break;
 	proxy_pass %s://%s;
-	%v`, path, location.Path, proto, location.Backend, abu)
+	%v`, path, location.Path, proto, upstreamName, abu)
 		}
 
 		return fmt.Sprintf(`
 	rewrite %s(.*) %s/$1 break;
 	proxy_pass %s://%s;
-	%v`, path, location.Redirect.Target, proto, location.Backend, abu)
+	%v`, path, location.Redirect.Target, proto, upstreamName, abu)
 	}
 
 	// default proxy_pass