diff --git a/.changeset/five-grapes-love.md b/.changeset/five-grapes-love.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e065c26670
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/five-grapes-love.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-proxy-backend': patch
+---
+
+Allow unauthenticated requests.
diff --git a/plugins/proxy-backend/src/alpha.ts b/plugins/proxy-backend/src/alpha.ts
index 9f6bad4832..c1d55b84b3 100644
--- a/plugins/proxy-backend/src/alpha.ts
+++ b/plugins/proxy-backend/src/alpha.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ export default createBackendPlugin({
             logger: loggerToWinstonLogger(logger),
           }),
         );
+        httpRouter.addAuthPolicy({
+          allow: 'unauthenticated',
+          path: '/',
+        });
       },
     });
   },