diff --git a/doc/configuration.txt b/doc/configuration.txt
index 832b618b0..57c04f5d5 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.txt
+++ b/doc/configuration.txt
@@ -18215,9 +18215,8 @@ check-reuse-pool
   any specific check connect option is defined, either on the server line or
   via a custom tcp-check connect rule.
 
-  If checks are activated for a reverse HTTP server, this option is mandatory
-  for checks to succeed, as by definition these servers do not have the ability
-  to initiate connection.
+  This option is automatically enabled for servers acting as passive reverse
+  HTTP gateway, as for those servers connect is only supported through reuse.
 
 check-send-proxy
   May be used in the following contexts: tcp, http
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index a6892bcea..4af5ce2d2 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -2852,7 +2852,8 @@ void srv_settings_cpy(struct server *srv, const struct server *src, int srv_tmpl
 	srv->check.sni                = src->check.sni;
 	srv->check.alpn_str           = src->check.alpn_str;
 	srv->check.alpn_len           = src->check.alpn_len;
-	srv->check.reuse_pool         = src->check.reuse_pool;
+	if (!(srv->flags & SRV_F_RHTTP))
+		srv->check.reuse_pool = src->check.reuse_pool;
 	/* Note: 'flags' field has potentially been already initialized. */
 	srv->flags                   |= src->flags;
 	srv->do_check                 = src->do_check;
@@ -3505,6 +3506,8 @@ static int _srv_parse_init(struct server **srv, char **args, int *cur_arg,
 			}
 			else {
 				newsrv->flags |= SRV_F_RHTTP;
+				/* Automatically activate check-reuse-pool for rhttp@ servers. */
+				newsrv->check.reuse_pool = 1;
 			}
 		}