diff --git a/components/esp_http_server/include/esp_http_server.h b/components/esp_http_server/include/esp_http_server.h
index 30d6549cc5..0d936de88a 100644
--- a/components/esp_http_server/include/esp_http_server.h
+++ b/components/esp_http_server/include/esp_http_server.h
@@ -1530,7 +1530,15 @@ typedef enum {
  * @brief WebSocket frame format
  */
 typedef struct httpd_ws_frame {
-    bool final;                 /*!< Final frame */
+    bool final;                 /*!< Final frame:
+                                     For received frames this field indicates whether the `FIN` flag was set.
+                                     For frames to be transmitted, this field is only used if the `fragmented`
+                                         option is set as well. If `fragmented` is false, the `FIN` flag is set
+                                         by default, marking the ws_frame as a complete/unfragmented message
+                                         (esp_http_server doesn't automatically fragment messages) */
+    bool fragmented;            /*!< Indication that the frame allocated for transmission is a message fragment,
+                                     so the `FIN` flag is set manually according to the `final` option.
+                                     This flag is never set for received messages */
     httpd_ws_type_t type;       /*!< WebSocket frame type */
     uint8_t *payload;           /*!< Pre-allocated data buffer */
     size_t len;                 /*!< Length of the WebSocket data */
diff --git a/components/esp_http_server/src/httpd_ws.c b/components/esp_http_server/src/httpd_ws.c
index d9a1cc7676..a6af5c5d9e 100644
--- a/components/esp_http_server/src/httpd_ws.c
+++ b/components/esp_http_server/src/httpd_ws.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ static const char *TAG="httpd_ws";
  * Bit masks for WebSocket frames.
  * Please refer to RFC6455 Section 5.2 for more details.
  */
+#define HTTPD_WS_CONTINUE       0x00U
 #define HTTPD_WS_FIN_BIT        0x80U
 #define HTTPD_WS_OPCODE_BITS    0x0fU
 #define HTTPD_WS_MASK_BIT       0x80U
@@ -279,7 +280,8 @@ esp_err_t httpd_ws_send_frame_async(httpd_handle_t hd, int fd, httpd_ws_frame_t
     /* Prepare Tx buffer - maximum length is 14, which includes 2 bytes header, 8 bytes length, 4 bytes mask key */
     uint8_t tx_len = 0;
     uint8_t header_buf[10] = {0 };
-    header_buf[0] |= frame->final ? HTTPD_WS_FIN_BIT : 0; /* Final (FIN) bit */
+    /* Set the `FIN` bit by default if message is not fragmented. Else, set it as per the `final` field */
+    header_buf[0] |= (!frame->fragmented) ? HTTPD_WS_FIN_BIT : (frame->final? HTTPD_WS_FIN_BIT: HTTPD_WS_CONTINUE);
     header_buf[0] |= frame->type; /* Type (opcode): 4 bits */
 
     if (frame->len <= 125) {
@@ -381,4 +383,4 @@ esp_err_t httpd_ws_get_frame_type(httpd_req_t *req)
     return ESP_OK;
 }
 
-#endif /* CONFIG_HTTPD_WS_SUPPORT */
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif /* CONFIG_HTTPD_WS_SUPPORT */
diff --git a/examples/protocols/http_server/ws_echo_server/README.md b/examples/protocols/http_server/ws_echo_server/README.md
index 61bcc0fbbd..8fa4219337 100644
--- a/examples/protocols/http_server/ws_echo_server/README.md
+++ b/examples/protocols/http_server/ws_echo_server/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ ws_server_example_test.py could be used as a simple WS client).
 The server registers WebSocket handler which echoes back the received WebSocket frame. It also demonstrates
 use of asynchronous send, which is triggered on reception of a certain message.
 
+Please note that the WebSocket HTTP server does not automatically fragment messages.
+Each outgoing frame has the FIN flag set by default.
+In case an application wants to send fragmented data, it must be done manually by setting the
+`fragmented` option and using the `final` flag as described in [RFC6455, section 5.4](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6455#section-5.4).
+
+
 ### Hardware Required
 
 This example can be executed on any common development board, the only required interface is WiFi or Ethernet connection to a local network.