diff --git a/packages/http-client/__tests__/basics.test.ts b/packages/http-client/__tests__/basics.test.ts
index 2bb57ed3bf..e0fa1cfba6 100644
--- a/packages/http-client/__tests__/basics.test.ts
+++ b/packages/http-client/__tests__/basics.test.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,31 @@ describe('basics', () => {
     expect(obj.headers['user-agent']).toBe('actions/http-client')
   })
 
+  it('can make a request to an IPv6 literal host', async () => {
+    const res: httpm.HttpClientResponse = await _http.get(
+      // This is Cloudflare's DNS, the IPv6 equivalent of 1.1.1.1
+      'https://[2606:4700:4700::1111]'
+    )
+
+    expect(res.message.statusCode).toBeDefined()
+  })
+
+  it('can make a request to an IPv6 literal host with an explicit port', async () => {
+    const res: httpm.HttpClientResponse = await _http.get(
+      'https://[2606:4700:4700::1111]:443'
+    )
+
+    expect(res.message.statusCode).toBeDefined()
+  })
+
+  it('can make a request to an IPv6 literal host with a path', async () => {
+    const res: httpm.HttpClientResponse = await _http.get(
+      'https://[2606:4700:4700::1111]/hello'
+    )
+
+    expect(res.message.statusCode).toBeDefined()
+  })
+
   /* TODO write a mock rather then relying on a third party
   it('does basic https get request', async () => {
     const res: httpm.HttpClientResponse = await _http.get(
diff --git a/packages/http-client/src/index.ts b/packages/http-client/src/index.ts
index 2f940949fa..6fbef646bd 100644
--- a/packages/http-client/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/http-client/src/index.ts
@@ -588,9 +588,13 @@ export class HttpClient {
     const usingSsl: boolean = info.parsedUrl.protocol === 'https:'
     info.httpModule = usingSsl ? https : http
     const defaultPort: number = usingSsl ? 443 : 80
+    const normalizedHostname = this._normalizeHostname(info.parsedUrl.hostname)
 
     info.options = <http.RequestOptions>{}
-    info.options.host = info.parsedUrl.hostname
+    // URL.hostname returns bracketed IPv6 literals (e.g. "[2001:db8::1]").
+    // Node request options expect an unbracketed address for DNS/socket connect.
+    info.options.hostname = normalizedHostname
+    info.options.host = normalizedHostname
     info.options.port = info.parsedUrl.port
       ? parseInt(info.parsedUrl.port)
       : defaultPort
@@ -614,6 +618,14 @@ export class HttpClient {
     return info
   }
 
+  private _normalizeHostname(hostname: string): string {
+    if (hostname.startsWith('[') && hostname.endsWith(']')) {
+      return hostname.slice(1, -1)
+    }
+
+    return hostname
+  }
+
   private _mergeHeaders(
     headers?: http.OutgoingHttpHeaders
   ): http.OutgoingHttpHeaders {