diff --git a/src/cluster/websocket/WebSocket.cc b/src/cluster/websocket/WebSocket.cc
index 0369e09446..0d8e5421ca 100644
--- a/src/cluster/websocket/WebSocket.cc
+++ b/src/cluster/websocket/WebSocket.cc
@@ -297,12 +297,32 @@ void WebSocketEventDispatcher::Process(const WebSocketOpen& open) {
     // Generate an ID for this client.
     auto ws_id = cluster::backend->NodeId() + "-websocket-" + id;
 
-    const auto& event_serializer_val = id::find_val<zeek::EnumVal>("Cluster::event_serializer");
+    // If the globally configured backend is CLUSTER_BACKEND_BROKER, then switch
+    // the WebSocket client's backend to CLUSTER_BACKEND_BROKER_WEBSOCKET_SHIM
+    // so that pub/sub is using the local broker endpoint via its hub functionality
+    // instead of instantiating a new Broker manager.
+    static const auto& event_serializer_val = id::find_val<zeek::EnumVal>("Cluster::event_serializer");
     auto event_serializer = cluster::manager->InstantiateEventSerializer(event_serializer_val);
-    const auto& cluster_backend_val = id::find_val<zeek::EnumVal>("Cluster::backend");
+    static const auto& cluster_backend_val = id::find_val<zeek::EnumVal>("Cluster::backend");
+    auto effective_backend_val = cluster_backend_val;
+
+    static const auto& broker_enum_val = zeek::id::find_val<EnumVal>("Cluster::CLUSTER_BACKEND_BROKER");
+    static const auto& broker_ws_shim_enum_val =
+        zeek::id::find_val<EnumVal>("Cluster::CLUSTER_BACKEND_BROKER_WEBSOCKET_SHIM");
+    if ( effective_backend_val == broker_enum_val ) {
+        WS_DEBUG("Using broker websocket shim");
+        effective_backend_val = broker_ws_shim_enum_val;
+    }
+
     auto event_handling_strategy = std::make_unique<WebSocketEventHandlingStrategy>(wsc, this);
-    auto backend = zeek::cluster::manager->InstantiateBackend(cluster_backend_val, std::move(event_serializer), nullptr,
-                                                              std::move(event_handling_strategy));
+    auto backend = zeek::cluster::manager->InstantiateBackend(effective_backend_val, std::move(event_serializer),
+                                                              nullptr, std::move(event_handling_strategy));
+
+    if ( ! backend ) {
+        reporter->Error("Failed to instantiate backend for client with id %s!", id.c_str());
+        QueueReply(WebSocketCloseReply{wsc, 1001, "Internal error"});
+        return;
+    }
 
     WS_DEBUG("New WebSocket client %s (%s:%d) - using id %s backend=%p", id.c_str(), wsc->getRemoteIp().c_str(),
              wsc->getRemotePort(), ws_id.c_str(), backend.get());