diff --git a/components/esp_websocket_client/esp_websocket_client.c b/components/esp_websocket_client/esp_websocket_client.c
index 27adc5ce26..8c2b84eb90 100644
--- a/components/esp_websocket_client/esp_websocket_client.c
+++ b/components/esp_websocket_client/esp_websocket_client.c
@@ -792,6 +792,51 @@ esp_err_t esp_websocket_client_set_headers(esp_websocket_client_handle_t client,
     return ret;
 }
 
+esp_err_t esp_websocket_client_append_header(esp_websocket_client_handle_t client, const char *key, const char *value)
+{
+    // Validate the input parameters
+    if (client == NULL || key == NULL || value == NULL) {
+        return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
+    }
+
+    websocket_config_storage_t *cfg = client->config;
+
+    // Calculate the length for "key: value\r\n"
+    size_t len = strlen(key) + strlen(value) + 5; // 5 accounts for ": \r\n" and null-terminator
+
+    // If no previous headers exist
+    if (cfg->headers == NULL) {
+        cfg->headers = (char *)malloc(len);
+        if (cfg->headers == NULL) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to allocate...");
+            return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
+        }
+        snprintf(cfg->headers, len, "%s: %s\r\n", key, value);
+        return ESP_OK;
+    }
+
+    // Extend the current headers to accommodate the new key-value pair
+    size_t current_len = strlen(cfg->headers);
+    size_t new_len = current_len + len;
+
+    // Allocate memory for new headers
+    char *new_headers = (char *)malloc(new_len);
+    if (new_headers == NULL) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to allocate...");
+        return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
+    }
+
+    // Copy old headers and append the new header
+    strcpy(new_headers, cfg->headers);
+    snprintf(new_headers + current_len, len, "%s: %s\r\n", key, value);
+
+    // Free old headers and assign the new header pointer to cfg->headers
+    free(cfg->headers);
+    cfg->headers = new_headers;
+
+    return ESP_OK;
+}
+
 static esp_err_t esp_websocket_client_recv(esp_websocket_client_handle_t client)
 {
     int rlen;
diff --git a/components/esp_websocket_client/examples/linux/main/main.c b/components/esp_websocket_client/examples/linux/main/main.c
index e89495bb64..e52dd42fd3 100644
--- a/components/esp_websocket_client/examples/linux/main/main.c
+++ b/components/esp_websocket_client/examples/linux/main/main.c
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ static void websocket_app_start(void)
     ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Connecting to %s...", websocket_cfg.uri);
 
     esp_websocket_client_handle_t client = esp_websocket_client_init(&websocket_cfg);
+    // This call demonstrates adding another header; it's called to increase code coverage
+    esp_websocket_client_append_header(client, "HeaderNewKey", "value");
+
     esp_websocket_register_events(client, WEBSOCKET_EVENT_ANY, websocket_event_handler, (void *)client);
 
     esp_websocket_client_start(client);
@@ -93,6 +96,14 @@ static void websocket_app_start(void)
         vTaskDelay(1000 / portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
     }
 
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Sending fragmented message");
+    vTaskDelay(1000 / portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
+    memset(data, 'a', sizeof(data));
+    esp_websocket_client_send_text_partial(client, data, sizeof(data), portMAX_DELAY);
+    memset(data, 'b', sizeof(data));
+    esp_websocket_client_send_cont_msg(client, data, sizeof(data), portMAX_DELAY);
+    esp_websocket_client_send_fin(client, portMAX_DELAY);
+
     esp_websocket_client_destroy(client);
 }
 
diff --git a/components/esp_websocket_client/include/esp_websocket_client.h b/components/esp_websocket_client/include/esp_websocket_client.h
index 0f7af07f44..db7e8cdb8a 100644
--- a/components/esp_websocket_client/include/esp_websocket_client.h
+++ b/components/esp_websocket_client/include/esp_websocket_client.h
@@ -158,13 +158,31 @@ esp_err_t esp_websocket_client_set_uri(esp_websocket_client_handle_t client, con
  * @brief      Set additional websocket headers for the client, when performing this behavior, the headers will replace the old ones
  * @pre        Must stop the WebSocket client before set headers if the client has been connected
  *
- * @param[in]  client  The client
- * @param headers  additional header strings each terminated with \r\n
+ *    - This API should be used after the WebSocket client connection has succeeded (i.e., once the transport layer is initialized).
+ *    - If you wish to set or append headers before the WebSocket client connection is established(before handshake), consider the following options:
+ *       1. Input headers directly into the config options, terminating each item with [CR][LF]. This approach will replace any previous headers.
+ *          Example: websocket_cfg.headers = "Sec-WebSocket-Key: my_key\r\nPassword: my_pass\r\n";
+ *       2. Use the `esp_websocket_client_append_header` API to append a single header to the current set.
+ *
+ * @param[in]  client  The WebSocket client handle
+ * @param[in]  headers Additional header strings each terminated with [CR][LF]
  *
  * @return     esp_err_t
  */
 esp_err_t esp_websocket_client_set_headers(esp_websocket_client_handle_t client, const char *headers);
 
+/**
+ * @brief      Appends a new key-value pair to the headers of a WebSocket client.
+ * @pre        Ensure that this function is called before starting the WebSocket client.
+ *
+ * @param[in]  client  The WebSocket client handle
+ * @param[in]  key     The header key to append
+ * @param[in]  value   The associated value for the given key
+ *
+ * @return     esp_err_t
+ */
+esp_err_t esp_websocket_client_append_header(esp_websocket_client_handle_t client, const char *key, const char *value);
+
 /**
  * @brief      Open the WebSocket connection
  *