diff --git a/site/dashboard.html b/site/dashboard.html
index 2d9cc60..77018fc 100644
--- a/site/dashboard.html
+++ b/site/dashboard.html
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ body {
   min-width: 2px;
 }
 .path-bar-fill.forward { background: var(--amber); }
+.path-bar-fill.upstream { background: var(--amber-dim); }
 .path-bar-fill.recursive { background: var(--cyan); }
 .path-bar-fill.cached { background: var(--teal); }
 .path-bar-fill.local { background: var(--violet); }
@@ -285,6 +286,7 @@ body {
   font-weight: 500;
 }
 .path-tag.FORWARD { background: rgba(192, 98, 58, 0.12); color: var(--amber-dim); }
+.path-tag.UPSTREAM { background: rgba(160, 120, 72, 0.12); color: var(--amber-dim); }
 .path-tag.RECURSIVE { background: rgba(74, 124, 138, 0.12); color: var(--cyan); }
 .path-tag.CACHED { background: rgba(107, 124, 78, 0.12); color: var(--teal-dim); }
 .path-tag.LOCAL { background: rgba(100, 116, 139, 0.12); color: var(--violet-dim); }
@@ -655,6 +657,7 @@ body {
             <option value="RECURSIVE">recursive</option>
             <option value="COALESCED">coalesced</option>
             <option value="FORWARD">forward</option>
+            <option value="UPSTREAM">upstream</option>
             <option value="CACHED">cached</option>
             <option value="BLOCKED">blocked</option>
             <option value="OVERRIDE">override</option>
@@ -936,10 +939,12 @@ function renderMemory(mem, stats) {
 
 function renderBarChart(containerId, defs, data, total) {
   total = total || 1;
-  document.getElementById(containerId).innerHTML = defs.map(d => {
-    const count = data[d.key] || 0;
-    const pct = ((count / total) * 100).toFixed(1);
-    return `
+  document.getElementById(containerId).innerHTML = defs
+    .filter(d => (data[d.key] || 0) > 0)
+    .map(d => {
+      const count = data[d.key] || 0;
+      const pct = ((count / total) * 100).toFixed(1);
+      return `
       <div class="path-bar-row">
         <span class="path-label">${d.label}</span>
         <div class="path-bar-track">
@@ -947,7 +952,7 @@ function renderBarChart(containerId, defs, data, total) {
         </div>
         <span class="path-pct">${pct}%</span>
       </div>`;
-  }).join('');
+    }).join('');
 }
 
 function encryptionPct(transport) {
@@ -957,6 +962,7 @@ function encryptionPct(transport) {
 
 const PATH_DEFS = [
   { key: 'forwarded', label: 'Forward', cls: 'forward' },
+  { key: 'upstream',  label: 'Upstream', cls: 'upstream' },
   { key: 'recursive', label: 'Recursive', cls: 'recursive' },
   { key: 'cached',    label: 'Cached',  cls: 'cached' },
   { key: 'local',     label: 'Local',   cls: 'local' },
@@ -1209,7 +1215,7 @@ async function refresh() {
     prevTime = now;
 
     // Cache hit rate
-    const answered = q.cached + q.forwarded + q.recursive + q.coalesced + q.local + q.overridden;
+    const answered = q.cached + q.forwarded + q.upstream + q.recursive + q.coalesced + q.local + q.overridden;
     const hitRate = answered > 0 ? ((q.cached / answered) * 100).toFixed(1) : '0.0';
     document.getElementById('cacheRate').textContent = hitRate + '%';
 
diff --git a/src/api.rs b/src/api.rs
index 6ec3e48..17c4614 100644
--- a/src/api.rs
+++ b/src/api.rs
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ struct LanStatsResponse {
 struct QueriesStats {
     total: u64,
     forwarded: u64,
+    upstream: u64,
     recursive: u64,
     coalesced: u64,
     cached: u64,
@@ -548,6 +549,7 @@ async fn stats(State(ctx): State<Arc<ServerCtx>>) -> Json<StatsResponse> {
         queries: QueriesStats {
             total: snap.total,
             forwarded: snap.forwarded,
+            upstream: snap.upstream,
             recursive: snap.recursive,
             coalesced: snap.coalesced,
             cached: snap.cached,
diff --git a/src/ctx.rs b/src/ctx.rs
index 222e407..eeca407 100644
--- a/src/ctx.rs
+++ b/src/ctx.rs
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ pub async fn resolve_query(
                 .await
                 {
                     Ok(resp_wire) => match cache_and_parse(ctx, &qname, qtype, &resp_wire) {
-                        Ok(resp) => (resp, QueryPath::Forwarded, DnssecStatus::Indeterminate),
+                        Ok(resp) => (resp, QueryPath::Upstream, DnssecStatus::Indeterminate),
                         Err(e) => {
                             error!("{} | {:?} {} | PARSE ERROR | {}", src_addr, qtype, qname, e);
                             (
@@ -1253,4 +1253,29 @@ mod tests {
             other => panic!("expected A record, got {:?}", other),
         }
     }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn pipeline_default_pool_reports_upstream_path() {
+        let mut upstream_resp = DnsPacket::new();
+        upstream_resp.header.response = true;
+        upstream_resp.header.rescode = ResultCode::NOERROR;
+        upstream_resp.answers.push(DnsRecord::A {
+            domain: "example.com".to_string(),
+            addr: Ipv4Addr::new(93, 184, 216, 34),
+            ttl: 300,
+        });
+        let upstream_addr = crate::testutil::mock_upstream(upstream_resp).await;
+
+        let ctx = crate::testutil::test_ctx().await;
+        ctx.upstream_pool
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap()
+            .set_primary(vec![Upstream::Udp(upstream_addr)]);
+        let ctx = Arc::new(ctx);
+
+        let (resp, path) = resolve_in_test(&ctx, "example.com", QueryType::A).await;
+        assert_eq!(path, QueryPath::Upstream);
+        assert_eq!(resp.header.rescode, ResultCode::NOERROR);
+        assert_eq!(resp.answers.len(), 1);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/stats.rs b/src/stats.rs
index feae945..df9127c 100644
--- a/src/stats.rs
+++ b/src/stats.rs
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ fn linux_rss() -> usize {
 pub struct ServerStats {
     queries_total: u64,
     queries_forwarded: u64,
+    queries_upstream: u64,
     queries_recursive: u64,
     queries_coalesced: u64,
     queries_cached: u64,
@@ -127,7 +128,10 @@ impl Transport {
 pub enum QueryPath {
     Local,
     Cached,
+    /// Matched a `[[forwarding]]` suffix rule.
     Forwarded,
+    /// Resolved via the default `[upstream]` pool (no suffix match).
+    Upstream,
     Recursive,
     Coalesced,
     Blocked,
@@ -141,6 +145,7 @@ impl QueryPath {
             QueryPath::Local => "LOCAL",
             QueryPath::Cached => "CACHED",
             QueryPath::Forwarded => "FORWARD",
+            QueryPath::Upstream => "UPSTREAM",
             QueryPath::Recursive => "RECURSIVE",
             QueryPath::Coalesced => "COALESCED",
             QueryPath::Blocked => "BLOCKED",
@@ -156,6 +161,8 @@ impl QueryPath {
             Some(QueryPath::Cached)
         } else if s.eq_ignore_ascii_case("FORWARD") {
             Some(QueryPath::Forwarded)
+        } else if s.eq_ignore_ascii_case("UPSTREAM") {
+            Some(QueryPath::Upstream)
         } else if s.eq_ignore_ascii_case("RECURSIVE") {
             Some(QueryPath::Recursive)
         } else if s.eq_ignore_ascii_case("COALESCED") {
@@ -183,6 +190,7 @@ impl ServerStats {
         ServerStats {
             queries_total: 0,
             queries_forwarded: 0,
+            queries_upstream: 0,
             queries_recursive: 0,
             queries_coalesced: 0,
             queries_cached: 0,
@@ -204,6 +212,7 @@ impl ServerStats {
             QueryPath::Local => self.queries_local += 1,
             QueryPath::Cached => self.queries_cached += 1,
             QueryPath::Forwarded => self.queries_forwarded += 1,
+            QueryPath::Upstream => self.queries_upstream += 1,
             QueryPath::Recursive => self.queries_recursive += 1,
             QueryPath::Coalesced => self.queries_coalesced += 1,
             QueryPath::Blocked => self.queries_blocked += 1,
@@ -232,6 +241,7 @@ impl ServerStats {
             uptime_secs: self.uptime_secs(),
             total: self.queries_total,
             forwarded: self.queries_forwarded,
+            upstream: self.queries_upstream,
             recursive: self.queries_recursive,
             coalesced: self.queries_coalesced,
             cached: self.queries_cached,
@@ -253,10 +263,11 @@ impl ServerStats {
         let secs = uptime.as_secs() % 60;
 
         log::info!(
-            "STATS | uptime {}h{}m{}s | total {} | fwd {} | recursive {} | coalesced {} | cached {} | local {} | override {} | blocked {} | errors {}",
+            "STATS | uptime {}h{}m{}s | total {} | fwd {} | upstream {} | recursive {} | coalesced {} | cached {} | local {} | override {} | blocked {} | errors {}",
             hours, mins, secs,
             self.queries_total,
             self.queries_forwarded,
+            self.queries_upstream,
             self.queries_recursive,
             self.queries_coalesced,
             self.queries_cached,
@@ -272,6 +283,7 @@ pub struct StatsSnapshot {
     pub uptime_secs: u64,
     pub total: u64,
     pub forwarded: u64,
+    pub upstream: u64,
     pub recursive: u64,
     pub coalesced: u64,
     pub cached: u64,