fix(handler): support implicit updates from request body

* Add ShouldSkipRowSecurity function to determine when to bypass row security
* Update ApplyRowSecurity to utilize operation context for enforcement

pkg/resolvespec/handler.go

@@ -306,15 +306,16 @@ func (h *Handler) handleRead(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, id st
 
 	txErr := h.db.RunInTransaction(ctx, func(tx common.Database) error {
 		hookCtx := &HookContext{
-			Context: ctx,
+			Context:   ctx,
-			Handler: h,
+			Handler:   h,
-			Schema:  schema,
+			Schema:    schema,
-			Entity:  entity,
+			Entity:    entity,
-			Model:   model,
+			Model:     model,
-			Options: options,
+			Operation: "read",
-			ID:      id,
+			Options:   options,
-			Writer:  w,
+			ID:        id,
-			Tx:      tx,
+			Writer:    w,
+			Tx:        tx,
 		}
 		if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeRead, hookCtx); err != nil {
 			statusCode, errCode, errMsg = http.StatusInternalServerError, "hook_error", "BeforeRead hook failed"
@@ -722,15 +723,16 @@ func (h *Handler) handleCreate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, dat
 			var nestedResult *common.ProcessResult
 			err := h.db.RunInTransaction(ctx, func(tx common.Database) error {
 				hookCtx := &HookContext{
-					Context: ctx,
+					Context:   ctx,
-					Handler: h,
+					Handler:   h,
-					Schema:  schema,
+					Schema:    schema,
-					Entity:  entity,
+					Entity:    entity,
-					Model:   model,
+					Model:     model,
-					Options: options,
+					Operation: "create",
-					Data:    v,
+					Options:   options,
-					Writer:  w,
+					Data:      v,
-					Tx:      tx,
+					Writer:    w,
+					Tx:        tx,
 				}
 				if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeCreate, hookCtx); err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("BeforeCreate hook failed: %w", err)
@@ -769,15 +771,16 @@ func (h *Handler) handleCreate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, dat
 		var responseData interface{} = v
 		err := h.db.RunInTransaction(ctx, func(tx common.Database) error {
 			hookCtx := &HookContext{
-				Context: ctx,
+				Context:   ctx,
-				Handler: h,
+				Handler:   h,
-				Schema:  schema,
+				Schema:    schema,
-				Entity:  entity,
+				Entity:    entity,
-				Model:   model,
+				Model:     model,
-				Options: options,
+				Operation: "create",
-				Data:    v,
+				Options:   options,
-				Writer:  w,
+				Data:      v,
-				Tx:      tx,
+				Writer:    w,
+				Tx:        tx,
 			}
 			if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeCreate, hookCtx); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("BeforeCreate hook failed: %w", err)
@@ -851,15 +854,16 @@ func (h *Handler) handleCreate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, dat
 
 				for _, item := range v {
 					hookCtx := &HookContext{
-						Context: ctx,
+						Context:   ctx,
-						Handler: h,
+						Handler:   h,
-						Schema:  schema,
+						Schema:    schema,
-						Entity:  entity,
+						Entity:    entity,
-						Model:   model,
+						Model:     model,
-						Options: options,
+						Operation: "create",
-						Data:    item,
+						Options:   options,
-						Writer:  w,
+						Data:      item,
-						Tx:      tx,
+						Writer:    w,
+						Tx:        tx,
 					}
 					if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeCreate, hookCtx); err != nil {
 						return fmt.Errorf("BeforeCreate hook failed: %w", err)
@@ -898,15 +902,16 @@ func (h *Handler) handleCreate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, dat
 		err := h.db.RunInTransaction(ctx, func(tx common.Database) error {
 			for _, item := range v {
 				hookCtx := &HookContext{
-					Context: ctx,
+					Context:   ctx,
-					Handler: h,
+					Handler:   h,
-					Schema:  schema,
+					Schema:    schema,
-					Entity:  entity,
+					Entity:    entity,
-					Model:   model,
+					Model:     model,
-					Options: options,
+					Operation: "create",
-					Data:    item,
+					Options:   options,
-					Writer:  w,
+					Data:      item,
-					Tx:      tx,
+					Writer:    w,
+					Tx:        tx,
 				}
 				if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeCreate, hookCtx); err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("BeforeCreate hook failed: %w", err)
@@ -982,15 +987,16 @@ func (h *Handler) handleCreate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, dat
 				for _, item := range v {
 					if itemMap, ok := item.(map[string]interface{}); ok {
 						hookCtx := &HookContext{
-							Context: ctx,
+							Context:   ctx,
-							Handler: h,
+							Handler:   h,
-							Schema:  schema,
+							Schema:    schema,
-							Entity:  entity,
+							Entity:    entity,
-							Model:   model,
+							Model:     model,
-							Options: options,
+							Operation: "create",
-							Data:    itemMap,
+							Options:   options,
-							Writer:  w,
+							Data:      itemMap,
-							Tx:      tx,
+							Writer:    w,
+							Tx:        tx,
 						}
 						if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeCreate, hookCtx); err != nil {
 							return fmt.Errorf("BeforeCreate hook failed: %w", err)
@@ -1035,15 +1041,16 @@ func (h *Handler) handleCreate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, dat
 				}
 
 				hookCtx := &HookContext{
-					Context: ctx,
+					Context:   ctx,
-					Handler: h,
+					Handler:   h,
-					Schema:  schema,
+					Schema:    schema,
-					Entity:  entity,
+					Entity:    entity,
-					Model:   model,
+					Model:     model,
-					Options: options,
+					Operation: "create",
-					Data:    itemMap,
+					Options:   options,
-					Writer:  w,
+					Data:      itemMap,
-					Tx:      tx,
+					Writer:    w,
+					Tx:        tx,
 				}
 				if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeCreate, hookCtx); err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("BeforeCreate hook failed: %w", err)
@@ -1166,16 +1173,17 @@ func (h *Handler) handleUpdate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, url
 			// they must run before the existence-check select so that select is
 			// also subject to RLS on this connection/transaction.
 			hookCtx := &HookContext{
-				Context: ctx,
+				Context:   ctx,
-				Handler: h,
+				Handler:   h,
-				Schema:  schema,
+				Schema:    schema,
-				Entity:  entity,
+				Entity:    entity,
-				Model:   model,
+				Model:     model,
-				Options: options,
+				Operation: "update",
-				ID:      urlID,
+				Options:   options,
-				Data:    updates,
+				ID:        urlID,
-				Writer:  w,
+				Data:      updates,
-				Tx:      tx,
+				Writer:    w,
+				Tx:        tx,
 			}
 
 			if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeUpdate, hookCtx); err != nil {
@@ -1387,16 +1395,17 @@ func (h *Handler) handleUpdate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, url
 
 					// Execute BeforeUpdate hooks inside transaction
 					hookCtx := &HookContext{
-						Context: ctx,
+						Context:   ctx,
-						Handler: h,
+						Handler:   h,
-						Schema:  schema,
+						Schema:    schema,
-						Entity:  entity,
+						Entity:    entity,
-						Model:   model,
+						Model:     model,
-						Options: options,
+						Operation: "update",
-						ID:      itemIDStr,
+						Options:   options,
-						Data:    item,
+						ID:        itemIDStr,
-						Writer:  w,
+						Data:      item,
-						Tx:      tx,
+						Writer:    w,
+						Tx:        tx,
 					}
 
 					if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeUpdate, hookCtx); err != nil {
@@ -1543,16 +1552,17 @@ func (h *Handler) handleUpdate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, url
 
 						// Execute BeforeUpdate hooks inside transaction
 						hookCtx := &HookContext{
-							Context: ctx,
+							Context:   ctx,
-							Handler: h,
+							Handler:   h,
-							Schema:  schema,
+							Schema:    schema,
-							Entity:  entity,
+							Entity:    entity,
-							Model:   model,
+							Model:     model,
-							Options: options,
+							Operation: "update",
-							ID:      itemIDStr,
+							Options:   options,
-							Data:    itemMap,
+							ID:        itemIDStr,
-							Writer:  w,
+							Data:      itemMap,
-							Tx:      tx,
+							Writer:    w,
+							Tx:        tx,
 						}
 
 						if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeUpdate, hookCtx); err != nil {
@@ -1648,15 +1658,16 @@ func (h *Handler) handleDelete(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, id
 
 	// Execute BeforeDelete hooks (covers model-rule checks before any deletion)
 	hookCtx := &HookContext{
-		Context: ctx,
+		Context:   ctx,
-		Handler: h,
+		Handler:   h,
-		Schema:  schema,
+		Schema:    schema,
-		Entity:  entity,
+		Entity:    entity,
-		Model:   model,
+		Model:     model,
-		ID:      id,
+		Operation: "delete",
-		Data:    data,
+		ID:        id,
-		Writer:  w,
+		Data:      data,
-		Tx:      h.db,
+		Writer:    w,
+		Tx:        h.db,
 	}
 	if err := h.hooks.ExecuteBeforeOp(BeforeDelete, hookCtx); err != nil {
 		logger.Error("BeforeDelete hook failed: %v", err)

pkg/resolvespec/security_hooks.go

@@ -25,12 +25,18 @@ func RegisterSecurityHooks(handler *Handler, securityList *security.SecurityList
 	// Hook 1: BeforeRead - Load security rules
 	handler.Hooks().Register(BeforeRead, func(hookCtx *HookContext) error {
 		secCtx := newSecurityContext(hookCtx)
+		if security.IsModelSecurityDisabled(secCtx) {
+			return nil
+		}
 		return security.LoadSecurityRules(secCtx, securityList)
 	})
 
 	// Hook 2: BeforeScan - Apply row-level security filters
 	handler.Hooks().Register(BeforeScan, func(hookCtx *HookContext) error {
 		secCtx := newSecurityContext(hookCtx)
+		if security.ShouldSkipRowSecurity(secCtx, hookCtx.Operation) {
+			return nil
+		}
 		return security.ApplyRowSecurity(secCtx, securityList)
 	})
 
@@ -97,6 +103,10 @@ func (s *securityContext) GetEntity() string {
 	return s.ctx.Entity
 }
 
+func (s *securityContext) GetOperation() string {
+	return s.ctx.Operation
+}
+
 func (s *securityContext) GetModel() interface{} {
 	return s.ctx.Model
 }

pkg/restheadspec/handler.go

@@ -233,8 +233,18 @@ func (h *Handler) Handle(w common.ResponseWriter, r common.Request, params map[s
 			return
 		}
 		validId, _ := strconv.ParseInt(id, 10, 64)
-		if validId > 0 {
+		updateID := id
-			h.handleUpdate(ctx, w, id, nil, data, options)
+		isUpdate := validId > 0
+		if !isUpdate {
+			// No valid /:id in the URL - check whether the body itself carries
+			// a valid primary key value and treat this as an update if so.
+			if pkID, ok := h.extractPrimaryKeyFromBody(model, data); ok && pkID != "0" {
+				updateID = pkID
+				isUpdate = true
+			}
+		}
+		if isUpdate {
+			h.handleUpdate(ctx, w, updateID, nil, data, options)
 		} else {
 			h.handleCreate(ctx, w, data, options)
 		}
@@ -271,6 +281,49 @@ func (h *Handler) Handle(w common.ResponseWriter, r common.Request, params map[s
 	}
 }
 
+// extractPrimaryKeyFromBody looks for a valid primary key value inside a
+// decoded (single-record) POST body, keyed by the model's primary key column
+// or its JSON equivalent. It returns the string form of that value and true
+// if one was found and is non-empty/non-zero; otherwise ("", false).
+func (h *Handler) extractPrimaryKeyFromBody(model interface{}, data interface{}) (string, bool) {
+	dataMap, ok := data.(map[string]interface{})
+	if !ok {
+		// Batch payloads (slices) aren't eligible for this implicit-update detection.
+		return "", false
+	}
+
+	pkCol := reflection.GetPrimaryKeyName(model)
+	if pkCol == "" {
+		return "", false
+	}
+
+	val, exists := dataMap[pkCol]
+	if !exists {
+		modelType := reflection.GetPointerElement(reflect.TypeOf(model))
+		for jsonKey, col := range reflection.BuildJSONToDBColumnMap(modelType) {
+			if col == pkCol {
+				val, exists = dataMap[jsonKey]
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if !exists || val == nil || reflection.IsEmptyValue(val) {
+		return "", false
+	}
+
+	switch v := val.(type) {
+	case float64:
+		if v <= 0 {
+			return "", false
+		}
+		return strconv.FormatInt(int64(v), 10), true
+	case string:
+		return v, true
+	default:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%v", v), true
+	}
+}
+
 // HandleGet processes GET requests for metadata
 func (h *Handler) HandleGet(w common.ResponseWriter, r common.Request, params map[string]string) {
 	// Capture panics and return error response
@@ -379,6 +432,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleRead(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, id st
 		Entity:    entity,
 		TableName: tableName,
 		Model:     model,
+		Operation: "read",
 		Options:   options,
 		ID:        id,
 		Writer:    w,
@@ -1236,6 +1290,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleCreate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, dat
 		Entity:    entity,
 		TableName: tableName,
 		Model:     model,
+		Operation: "create",
 		Options:   options,
 		Data:      data,
 		Writer:    w,
@@ -1335,6 +1390,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleCreate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, dat
 				Entity:    entity,
 				TableName: tableName,
 				Model:     model,
+				Operation: "create",
 				Options:   options,
 				Data:      modelValue,
 				Writer:    w,
@@ -1489,6 +1545,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleUpdate(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, id
 			TableName: tableName,
 			Tx:        tx,
 			Model:     model,
+			Operation: "update",
 			Options:   options,
 			ID:        id,
 			Data:      dataMap,
@@ -1686,6 +1743,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleDelete(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, id
 						Entity:    entity,
 						TableName: tableName,
 						Model:     model,
+						Operation: "delete",
 						ID:        itemID,
 						Writer:    w,
 						Tx:        tx,
@@ -1760,6 +1818,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleDelete(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, id
 						Entity:    entity,
 						TableName: tableName,
 						Model:     model,
+						Operation: "delete",
 						ID:        itemIDStr,
 						Writer:    w,
 						Tx:        tx,
@@ -1818,6 +1877,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleDelete(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, id
 							Entity:    entity,
 							TableName: tableName,
 							Model:     model,
+							Operation: "delete",
 							ID:        itemIDStr,
 							Writer:    w,
 							Tx:        tx,
@@ -1902,6 +1962,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleDelete(ctx context.Context, w common.ResponseWriter, id
 		Entity:    entity,
 		TableName: tableName,
 		Model:     model,
+		Operation: "delete",
 		ID:        id,
 		Writer:    w,
 		Tx:        h.db,

pkg/security/hooks.go

@@ -232,9 +232,37 @@ func LoadSecurityRules(secCtx SecurityContext, securityList *SecurityList) error
 // ApplyRowSecurity is a public wrapper for applyRowSecurity that accepts a SecurityContext
 // This allows other packages to apply row-level security using the generic interface
 func ApplyRowSecurity(secCtx SecurityContext, securityList *SecurityList) error {
+	// Spec adapters that expose the dispatched operation can enforce the same
+	// model-rule bypass even when ApplyRowSecurity is called directly.
+	if operationCtx, ok := secCtx.(interface{ GetOperation() string }); ok &&
+		ShouldSkipRowSecurity(secCtx, operationCtx.GetOperation()) {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return applyRowSecurity(secCtx, securityList)
 }
 
+// ShouldSkipRowSecurity reports whether row-security enforcement should be
+// skipped for the operation. It uses the same model-rule resolution as
+// CheckModelAuthAllowed so the model registry remains the single source of
+// truth for security behavior.
+func ShouldSkipRowSecurity(secCtx SecurityContext, operation string) bool {
+	rules, ok := resolveModelRules(secCtx)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return rules.SecurityDisabled || (operation == "read" && rules.CanPublicRead)
+}
+
+// IsModelSecurityDisabled reports whether all model-level security processing
+// is disabled for the model. This is distinct from ShouldSkipRowSecurity:
+// CanPublicRead skips row filtering for reads but must still allow other read
+// security, such as column masking, to be loaded.
+func IsModelSecurityDisabled(secCtx SecurityContext) bool {
+	rules, ok := resolveModelRules(secCtx)
+	return ok && rules.SecurityDisabled
+}
+
 // ApplyColumnSecurity is a public wrapper for applyColumnSecurity that accepts a SecurityContext
 // This allows other packages to apply column-level security using the generic interface
 func ApplyColumnSecurity(secCtx SecurityContext, securityList *SecurityList) error {
@@ -303,25 +331,14 @@ func checkModelDeleteAllowed(secCtx SecurityContext) error {
 //  7. Guest (UserID == 0) → return "authentication required".
 //  8. Authenticated user → allow (operation-specific checks remain in BeforeUpdate/BeforeDelete).
 func CheckModelAuthAllowed(secCtx SecurityContext, operation string) error {
-	rules, ok := GetModelRulesFromContext(secCtx.GetContext())
+	rules, ok := resolveModelRules(secCtx)
 	if !ok {
-		schema := secCtx.GetSchema()
+		// Model not registered - fall through to auth check
-		entity := secCtx.GetEntity()
+		userID, _ := secCtx.GetUserID()
-		var err error
+		if userID == 0 {
-		if schema != "" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("authentication required")
-			rules, err = modelregistry.GetModelRulesByName(fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", schema, entity))
-		}
-		if err != nil || schema == "" {
-			rules, err = modelregistry.GetModelRulesByName(entity)
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			// Model not registered - fall through to auth check
-			userID, _ := secCtx.GetUserID()
-			if userID == 0 {
-				return fmt.Errorf("authentication required")
-			}
-			return nil
 		}
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	if rules.SecurityDisabled {
@@ -347,6 +364,31 @@ func CheckModelAuthAllowed(secCtx SecurityContext, operation string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// resolveModelRules returns model rules from the request context first, then
+// falls back to the schema-qualified and unqualified registry names.
+func resolveModelRules(secCtx SecurityContext) (modelregistry.ModelRules, bool) {
+	if rules, ok := GetModelRulesFromContext(secCtx.GetContext()); ok {
+		return rules, true
+	}
+
+	schema := secCtx.GetSchema()
+	entity := secCtx.GetEntity()
+	var err error
+	if schema != "" {
+		var rules modelregistry.ModelRules
+		rules, err = modelregistry.GetModelRulesByName(fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", schema, entity))
+		if err == nil {
+			return rules, true
+		}
+	}
+
+	rules, err := modelregistry.GetModelRulesByName(entity)
+	if err != nil {
+		return modelregistry.ModelRules{}, false
+	}
+	return rules, true
+}
+
 // CheckModelUpdateAllowed is the public wrapper for checkModelUpdateAllowed.
 func CheckModelUpdateAllowed(secCtx SecurityContext) error {
 	return checkModelUpdateAllowed(secCtx)

pkg/server/quickproxy/quickproxy.go

@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@
 package quickproxy
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httputil"
@@ -26,6 +28,17 @@ type Rule struct {
 	// The incoming request path and query are forwarded unchanged; only the
 	// scheme and host are rewritten to Target's.
 	Target string
+
+	// Exclude is a list of URL path prefixes that this rule should not
+	// proxy, even though they fall under URLPrefix. Each entry is a full
+	// path from root and must itself start with URLPrefix (e.g. rule
+	// URLPrefix "/api" excluding a subpath must use "/api/health", not
+	// "/health"). A request matching an Exclude prefix is treated as if
+	// this rule didn't match at all: matching continues against any other
+	// configured rule, falling back if none match. This is typically used
+	// to carve out paths (e.g. "/health") from a catch-all "/" rule so
+	// they're served by the fallback handler instead of being proxied.
+	Exclude []string
 }
 
 // DefaultTimeout is the dial and response-header timeout applied to
@@ -50,8 +63,19 @@ func WithTimeout(d time.Duration) Option {
 
 // compiledRule pairs a Rule with its ready-to-use reverse proxy.
 type compiledRule struct {
-	prefix string
+	prefix   string
-	proxy  *httputil.ReverseProxy
+	excludes []string
+	proxy    *httputil.ReverseProxy
+}
+
+// excluded reports whether path falls under one of the rule's Exclude prefixes.
+func (r *compiledRule) excluded(path string) bool {
+	for _, ex := range r.excludes {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(path, ex) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
 }
 
 // Service holds a compiled set of proxy rules and performs longest-prefix
@@ -98,9 +122,19 @@ func NewService(rules []Rule, opts ...Option) (*Service, error) {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("quickproxy: invalid target %q for prefix %q", r.Target, r.URLPrefix)
 		}
 
+		for _, ex := range r.Exclude {
+			if !strings.HasPrefix(ex, "/") {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("quickproxy: exclude prefix %q for rule %q must start with /", ex, r.URLPrefix)
+			}
+			if !strings.HasPrefix(ex, r.URLPrefix) {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("quickproxy: exclude prefix %q for rule %q must itself start with the rule's URLPrefix", ex, r.URLPrefix)
+			}
+		}
+
 		compiled = append(compiled, compiledRule{
-			prefix: r.URLPrefix,
+			prefix:   r.URLPrefix,
-			proxy:  newReverseProxy(target, cfg.timeout),
+			excludes: r.Exclude,
+			proxy:    newReverseProxy(target, cfg.timeout),
 		})
 	}
 
@@ -159,6 +193,15 @@ func (s *Service) Handler(fallback http.Handler) http.Handler {
 
 	for i := range s.rules {
 		s.rules[i].proxy.ErrorHandler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, _ error) {
+			// ReverseProxy consumes and closes r.Body while attempting the
+			// upstream request, even when that attempt fails (per the
+			// http.RoundTripper contract). Restore a fresh copy from
+			// r.GetBody, set below, before handing the request to fallback.
+			if r.GetBody != nil {
+				if body, err := r.GetBody(); err == nil {
+					r.Body = body
+				}
+			}
 			fallback.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 		}
 	}
@@ -169,16 +212,38 @@ func (s *Service) Handler(fallback http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			fallback.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 			return
 		}
+
+		// Buffer the body so it can be replayed to fallback if the upstream
+		// attempt fails; see ErrorHandler above.
+		if r.Body != nil && r.Body != http.NoBody {
+			bodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+			r.Body.Close()
+			if err != nil {
+				http.Error(w, "failed to read request body", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+				return
+			}
+			r.Body = io.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader(bodyBytes))
+			r.GetBody = func() (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+				return io.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader(bodyBytes)), nil
+			}
+		}
+
 		rule.proxy.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 	})
 }
 
 // match returns the longest-prefix rule matching path, or nil if none match.
+// A rule whose Exclude covers path is skipped, and matching continues
+// against the next-longest-prefix rule.
 func (s *Service) match(path string) *compiledRule {
 	for i := range s.rules {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(path, s.rules[i].prefix) {
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(path, s.rules[i].prefix) {
-			return &s.rules[i]
+			continue
 		}
+		if s.rules[i].excluded(path) {
+			continue
+		}
+		return &s.rules[i]
 	}
 	return nil
 }

pkg/server/quickproxy/quickproxy_test.go

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -23,7 +24,19 @@ func TestNewService_Validation(t *testing.T) {
 			{URLPrefix: "/api", Target: "http://localhost:1"},
 			{URLPrefix: "/api", Target: "http://localhost:2"},
 		}, true},
+		{"bad exclude prefix", []Rule{
+			{URLPrefix: "/", Target: "http://localhost:1", Exclude: []string{"health"}},
+		}, true},
+		{"exclude outside rule's URLPrefix", []Rule{
+			{URLPrefix: "/api", Target: "http://localhost:1", Exclude: []string{"/health"}},
+		}, true},
 		{"valid", []Rule{{URLPrefix: "/api", Target: "http://localhost:1"}}, false},
+		{"valid with exclude", []Rule{
+			{URLPrefix: "/", Target: "http://localhost:1", Exclude: []string{"/health"}},
+		}, false},
+		{"valid with nested exclude", []Rule{
+			{URLPrefix: "/api", Target: "http://localhost:1", Exclude: []string{"/api/health"}},
+		}, false},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -118,6 +131,75 @@ func TestHandler_UnreachableUpstreamFallsBack(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHandler_UnreachableUpstreamFallsBackWithBody(t *testing.T) {
+	// A closed listener address: nothing is listening, so dialing fails and
+	// ReverseProxy invokes ErrorHandler. The fallback handler must still see
+	// the original request body, even though ReverseProxy consumed and
+	// closed it while attempting (and failing) the upstream request.
+	unreachable := "http://127.0.0.1:1"
+
+	svc, err := NewService([]Rule{{URLPrefix: "/", Target: unreachable}}, WithTimeout(500*time.Millisecond))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewService: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	echoBody := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		body, err := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("fallback reading body: %v", err)
+		}
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		_, _ = w.Write(body)
+	})
+
+	handler := svc.Handler(echoBody)
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/submit", strings.NewReader("payload=1"))
+	rr := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rr, req)
+
+	if rr.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want 200", rr.Code)
+	}
+	if got := rr.Body.String(); got != "payload=1" {
+		t.Fatalf("body = %q, want payload=1", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHandler_404FallsBackWithBody(t *testing.T) {
+	upstream := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotFound)
+	}))
+	defer upstream.Close()
+
+	svc, err := NewService([]Rule{{URLPrefix: "/", Target: upstream.URL}})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewService: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	echoBody := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		body, err := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("fallback reading body: %v", err)
+		}
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		_, _ = w.Write(body)
+	})
+
+	handler := svc.Handler(echoBody)
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPut, "/missing", strings.NewReader("payload=2"))
+	rr := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rr, req)
+
+	if rr.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want 200", rr.Code)
+	}
+	if got := rr.Body.String(); got != "payload=2" {
+		t.Fatalf("body = %q, want payload=2", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHandler_NonNotFoundErrorsPassThrough(t *testing.T) {
 	codes := []int{http.StatusOK, http.StatusForbidden, http.StatusBadRequest, http.StatusInternalServerError}
 
@@ -186,6 +268,81 @@ func TestHandler_LongestPrefixMatch(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHandler_ExcludeFallsBackToFallback(t *testing.T) {
+	upstream := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte("upstream:" + r.URL.Path))
+	}))
+	defer upstream.Close()
+
+	svc, err := NewService([]Rule{
+		{URLPrefix: "/", Target: upstream.URL, Exclude: []string{"/health"}},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewService: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	handler := svc.Handler(fallbackHandler("fallback-content"))
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/health", nil)
+	rr := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rr, req)
+
+	if got := rr.Body.String(); got != "fallback-content" {
+		t.Fatalf("body = %q, want fallback-content", got)
+	}
+
+	req = httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/health/live", nil)
+	rr = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rr, req)
+
+	if got := rr.Body.String(); got != "fallback-content" {
+		t.Fatalf("body = %q, want fallback-content", got)
+	}
+
+	req = httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/other", nil)
+	rr = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rr, req)
+
+	if got := rr.Body.String(); got != "upstream:/other" {
+		t.Fatalf("body = %q, want upstream:/other", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHandler_ExcludeFallsThroughToNextRule(t *testing.T) {
+	specific := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte("specific"))
+	}))
+	defer specific.Close()
+
+	general := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte("general"))
+	}))
+	defer general.Close()
+
+	svc, err := NewService([]Rule{
+		{URLPrefix: "/api", Target: general.URL},
+		{URLPrefix: "/api/v1", Target: specific.URL, Exclude: []string{"/api/v1/health"}},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewService: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	handler := svc.Handler(fallbackHandler("fallback"))
+
+	for path, want := range map[string]string{
+		"/api/v1/thing":  "specific",
+		"/api/v1/health": "general",
+	} {
+		req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, path, nil)
+		rr := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		handler.ServeHTTP(rr, req)
+
+		if got := rr.Body.String(); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("path %s: body = %q, want %q", path, got, want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHandler_NoMatchFallsBack(t *testing.T) {
 	svc, err := NewService([]Rule{{URLPrefix: "/api", Target: "http://127.0.0.1:1"}})
 	if err != nil {