diff --git a/infrastructure_files/getting-started-enterprise.sh b/infrastructure_files/getting-started-enterprise.sh
index 701598a60..e88436e84 100755
--- a/infrastructure_files/getting-started-enterprise.sh
+++ b/infrastructure_files/getting-started-enterprise.sh
@@ -808,9 +808,8 @@ server:
 
   # Trust X-Forwarded-* only from the Traefik container's static address. Both
   # keys must stay in step with the ipv4_address pinned in docker-compose.yml:
-  # trustedPeers decides whether forwarded headers are read at all. Leaving it
-  # unset trusts nothing and records Traefik's own address as every peer's
-  # connection IP.
+  # trustedPeers restricts which sources may supply forwarded headers. Leaving
+  # it unset trusts all IPv4 and IPv6 sources.
   reverseProxy:
     trustedPeers:
       - "${TRAEFIK_IP}/32"
diff --git a/infrastructure_files/getting-started.sh b/infrastructure_files/getting-started.sh
index afbc5c282..d5c6d9dc9 100755
--- a/infrastructure_files/getting-started.sh
+++ b/infrastructure_files/getting-started.sh
@@ -586,9 +586,9 @@ configure_reverse_proxy() {
     TRUSTED_PEERS="${NETBIRD_TRUSTED_PEERS:-}"
     if [[ -z "$TRUSTED_PEERS" ]]; then
       echo "" > /dev/stderr
-      echo "Note: reverseProxy.trustedPeers is unset, so NetBird will use the address your" > /dev/stderr
-      echo "proxy connects from as each peer's connection IP. To record real client IPs," > /dev/stderr
-      echo "set NETBIRD_TRUSTED_PEERS to your proxy's address (e.g. 172.20.0.5/32) and re-run." > /dev/stderr
+      echo "Warning: reverseProxy.trustedPeers is unset, so all IPv4 and IPv6 sources" > /dev/stderr
+      echo "are trusted to provide forwarded client-IP headers. Set NETBIRD_TRUSTED_PEERS" > /dev/stderr
+      echo "to your proxy's address (e.g. 172.20.0.5/32) and re-run." > /dev/stderr
       echo "" > /dev/stderr
     fi
   fi
diff --git a/management/internals/server/boot.go b/management/internals/server/boot.go
index cd3fb9a62..ea999d82b 100644
--- a/management/internals/server/boot.go
+++ b/management/internals/server/boot.go
@@ -366,20 +366,24 @@ func streamInterceptor(
 	return handler(srv, wrapped)
 }
 
-// realIPOptions builds the real-IP middleware options from the reverse proxy config.
+// realIPOptions builds the real-IP middleware options.
 //
-// TrustedPeers controls which transport peers are allowed to supply forwarded-IP
-// headers. If empty, forwarded headers are ignored and the transport peer address
-// is used directly. Operators terminating connections at a reverse proxy should
-// configure TrustedPeers with that proxy's address or network.
+// Empty TrustedPeers trusts all IPv4 and IPv6 sources. Configure TrustedPeers
+// with the reverse proxy address or network.
 //
-// X-Forwarded-For is consulted first. X-Real-IP is read when X-Forwarded-For is
-// absent or has no entries left after TrustedHTTPProxiesCount is applied.
+// X-Forwarded-For takes precedence over X-Real-IP.
 func realIPOptions(cfg nbconfig.ReverseProxy) []realip.Option {
-	if idx := slices.IndexFunc(cfg.TrustedPeers, func(p netip.Prefix) bool { return p.Bits() == 0 }); idx >= 0 {
+	trustedPeers := cfg.TrustedPeers
+	if len(trustedPeers) == 0 {
+		trustedPeers = []netip.Prefix{
+			netip.MustParsePrefix("0.0.0.0/0"),
+			netip.MustParsePrefix("::/0"),
+		}
+	}
+	if idx := slices.IndexFunc(trustedPeers, func(p netip.Prefix) bool { return p.Bits() == 0 }); idx >= 0 {
 		log.WithContext(context.Background()).Warnf("TrustedPeers contains the default route %s, which trusts "+
 			"X-Forwarded-For from every client and allows connection IP spoofing. Set TrustedPeers to the address "+
-			"of your reverse proxy, or leave it empty to use the connection's source address.", cfg.TrustedPeers[idx])
+			"of your reverse proxy.", trustedPeers[idx])
 	}
 	if cfg.TrustedHTTPProxiesCount > 0 {
 		log.WithContext(context.Background()).Warn(
@@ -389,7 +393,7 @@ func realIPOptions(cfg nbconfig.ReverseProxy) []realip.Option {
 	}
 
 	return []realip.Option{
-		realip.WithTrustedPeers(cfg.TrustedPeers),
+		realip.WithTrustedPeers(trustedPeers),
 		realip.WithTrustedProxies(cfg.TrustedHTTPProxies),
 		realip.WithTrustedProxiesCount(cfg.TrustedHTTPProxiesCount),
 		realip.WithHeaders([]string{realip.XForwardedFor, realip.XRealIp}),
diff --git a/management/internals/server/realip_test.go b/management/internals/server/realip_test.go
index 661cbc94a..ef6b3123d 100644
--- a/management/internals/server/realip_test.go
+++ b/management/internals/server/realip_test.go
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/grpc-ecosystem/go-grpc-middleware/v2/interceptors/realip"
-	nbconfig "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/server/config"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/emptypb"
+
+	nbconfig "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/server/config"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -135,8 +136,8 @@ func assertRealIP(t *testing.T, cfg nbconfig.ReverseProxy, want string, kv ...st
 	})
 }
 
-func TestRealIPDefaultIgnoresClientForwardedHeaders(t *testing.T) {
-	assertRealIP(t, nbconfig.ReverseProxy{}, "127.0.0.1",
+func TestRealIPDefaultTrustsForwardedHeaders(t *testing.T) {
+	assertRealIP(t, nbconfig.ReverseProxy{}, "203.0.113.44",
 		realip.XForwardedFor, "203.0.113.44",
 		realip.XRealIp, "203.0.113.44",
 	)