diff --git a/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/selectionpolicies.go b/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/selectionpolicies.go
index cc42b7a3b..86a3d0d7c 100644
--- a/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/selectionpolicies.go
+++ b/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/selectionpolicies.go
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ func (s CookieHashSelection) Select(pool UpstreamPool, req *http.Request, w http
 			continue
 		}
 		sha, err := hashCookie(s.Secret, upstream.Dial)
-		if err == nil && sha == cookieValue {
+		if err == nil && hmac.Equal([]byte(sha), []byte(cookieValue)) {
 			return upstream
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/selectionpolicies_test.go b/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/selectionpolicies_test.go
index ce1d502df..7c912ce01 100644
--- a/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/selectionpolicies_test.go
+++ b/modules/caddyhttp/reverseproxy/selectionpolicies_test.go
@@ -890,3 +890,46 @@ func TestCookieHashPolicyWithFirstFallback(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("Expected cookieHashPolicy to set a new cookie.")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestCookieHashPolicyWithSecret(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, cancel := caddy.NewContext(caddy.Context{Context: context.Background()})
+	defer cancel()
+	cookieHashPolicy := CookieHashSelection{Secret: "hunter2"}
+	if err := cookieHashPolicy.Provision(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Provision error: %v", err)
+		t.FailNow()
+	}
+
+	pool := testPool()
+	pool[0].Dial = "localhost:8080"
+	pool[1].Dial = "localhost:8081"
+	pool[2].Dial = "localhost:8082"
+	pool[0].setHealthy(true)
+	pool[1].setHealthy(true)
+	pool[2].setHealthy(true)
+
+	request := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/test", nil)
+	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	h := cookieHashPolicy.Select(pool, request, w)
+	cookie := w.Result().Cookies()[0]
+
+	// a matching cookie sticks to the same host
+	request = httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/test", nil)
+	w = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	request.AddCookie(cookie)
+	if got := cookieHashPolicy.Select(pool, request, w); got != h {
+		t.Errorf("Expected to stick to host %s, got %s", h, got)
+	}
+	if len(w.Result().Cookies()) != 0 {
+		t.Error("Expected no new cookie for a matching value")
+	}
+
+	// a tampered cookie value must not match any host and gets a fresh cookie
+	request = httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/test", nil)
+	w = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	request.AddCookie(&http.Cookie{Name: cookie.Name, Value: cookie.Value[:len(cookie.Value)-1] + "0"})
+	cookieHashPolicy.Select(pool, request, w)
+	if len(w.Result().Cookies()) == 0 {
+		t.Error("Expected a new cookie to be set for a non-matching value")
+	}
+}