diff --git a/backend/sftp/sftp.go b/backend/sftp/sftp.go
index 3becf7b5c..eed3f378a 100644
--- a/backend/sftp/sftp.go
+++ b/backend/sftp/sftp.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	iofs "io/fs"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"regexp"
@@ -482,6 +483,14 @@ Example:
 	myUser:myPass@localhost:9005
 	`,
 			Advanced: true,
+		}, {
+			Name:    "http_proxy",
+			Default: "",
+			Help: `URL for HTTP CONNECT proxy
+
+Set this to a URL for an HTTP proxy which supports the HTTP CONNECT verb.
+`,
+			Advanced: true,
 		}, {
 			Name:    "copy_is_hardlink",
 			Default: false,
@@ -545,6 +554,7 @@ type Options struct {
 	HostKeyAlgorithms       fs.SpaceSepList `config:"host_key_algorithms"`
 	SSH                     fs.SpaceSepList `config:"ssh"`
 	SocksProxy              string          `config:"socks_proxy"`
+	HTTPProxy               string          `config:"http_proxy"`
 	CopyIsHardlink          bool            `config:"copy_is_hardlink"`
 }
 
@@ -570,6 +580,7 @@ type Fs struct {
 	savedpswd    string
 	sessions     atomic.Int32 // count in use sessions
 	tokens       *pacer.TokenDispenser
+	proxyURL     *url.URL // address of HTTP proxy read from environment
 }
 
 // Object is a remote SFTP file that has been stat'd (so it exists, but is not necessarily open for reading)
@@ -867,6 +878,15 @@ func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, e
 		opt.Port = "22"
 	}
 
+	// get proxy URL if set
+	if opt.HTTPProxy != "" {
+		proxyURL, err := url.Parse(opt.HTTPProxy)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse HTTP Proxy URL: %w", err)
+		}
+		f.proxyURL = proxyURL
+	}
+
 	sshConfig := &ssh.ClientConfig{
 		User:            opt.User,
 		Auth:            []ssh.AuthMethod{},
diff --git a/backend/sftp/ssh_internal.go b/backend/sftp/ssh_internal.go
index 8911cc13c..2508bbf31 100644
--- a/backend/sftp/ssh_internal.go
+++ b/backend/sftp/ssh_internal.go
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ func (f *Fs) newSSHClientInternal(ctx context.Context, network, addr string, ssh
 	)
 	if f.opt.SocksProxy != "" {
 		conn, err = proxy.SOCKS5Dial(network, addr, f.opt.SocksProxy, baseDialer)
+	} else if f.proxyURL != nil {
+		conn, err = proxy.HTTPConnectDial(network, addr, f.proxyURL, baseDialer)
 	} else {
 		conn, err = baseDialer.Dial(network, addr)
 	}
diff --git a/lib/proxy/http.go b/lib/proxy/http.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..616d2c4c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/proxy/http.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package proxy
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
+	"strings"
+
+	"golang.org/x/net/proxy"
+)
+
+// HTTPConnectDial connects using HTTP CONNECT via proxyDialer
+//
+// It will read the HTTP proxy address from the environment in the
+// standard way.
+//
+// It optionally takes a proxyDialer to dial the HTTP proxy server.
+// If nil is passed, it will use the default net.Dialer.
+func HTTPConnectDial(network, addr string, proxyURL *url.URL, proxyDialer proxy.Dialer) (net.Conn, error) {
+	if proxyDialer == nil {
+		proxyDialer = &net.Dialer{}
+	}
+	if proxyURL == nil {
+		return proxyDialer.Dial(network, addr)
+	}
+
+	// prepare proxy host with default ports
+	host := proxyURL.Host
+	if !strings.Contains(host, ":") {
+		if strings.EqualFold(proxyURL.Scheme, "https") {
+			host += ":443"
+		} else {
+			host += ":80"
+		}
+	}
+
+	// connect to proxy
+	conn, err := proxyDialer.Dial(network, host)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("HTTP CONNECT proxy failed to Dial: %q", err)
+	}
+
+	// wrap TLS if HTTPS proxy
+	if strings.EqualFold(proxyURL.Scheme, "https") {
+		tlsConfig := &tls.Config{ServerName: proxyURL.Hostname()}
+		tlsConn := tls.Client(conn, tlsConfig)
+		if err := tlsConn.Handshake(); err != nil {
+			_ = conn.Close()
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("HTTP CONNECT proxy failed to make TLS connection: %q", err)
+		}
+		conn = tlsConn
+	}
+
+	// send CONNECT
+	_, err = fmt.Fprintf(conn, "CONNECT %s HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: %s\r\n\r\n", addr, addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = conn.Close()
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("HTTP CONNECT proxy failed to send CONNECT: %q", err)
+	}
+	br := bufio.NewReader(conn)
+	req := &http.Request{URL: &url.URL{Scheme: "http", Host: addr}}
+	resp, err := http.ReadResponse(br, req)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = conn.Close()
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("HTTP CONNECT proxy failed to read response: %q", err)
+	}
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		_ = conn.Close()
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("HTTP CONNECT proxy failed: %s", resp.Status)
+	}
+	return conn, nil
+}