diff --git a/test/e2e/404-page-router/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/404-page-router/app/proxy.js
similarity index 70%
rename from test/e2e/404-page-router/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/404-page-router/app/proxy.js
index a2089b0349d3f..b2b9698dd6dfb 100644
--- a/test/e2e/404-page-router/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/404-page-router/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware() {
+export function proxy() {
   return NextResponse.next()
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/actions-navigation/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/actions-navigation/proxy.js
similarity index 86%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/actions-navigation/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/actions-navigation/proxy.js
index 45398601ca22f..361e8373d99ad 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/actions-navigation/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/actions-navigation/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request) {
+export function proxy(request) {
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith('/middleware-redirect')) {
     return NextResponse.redirect(new URL('/action-after-redirect', request.url))
   }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/actions/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/actions/proxy.js
similarity index 88%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/actions/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/actions/proxy.js
index c79a0effb25cc..d99f663aa6685 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/actions/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/actions/proxy.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Ensure that https://github.com/vercel/next.js/issues/56286 is fixed.
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware(req) {
+export async function proxy(req) {
   if (req.nextUrl.pathname.includes('rewrite-to-static-first')) {
     req.nextUrl.pathname = '/static/first'
     return NextResponse.rewrite(req.nextUrl)
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/app-css/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/app-css/proxy.js
similarity index 88%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/app-css/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/app-css/proxy.js
index 7fad55fb65d51..2129c1c00cf6f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/app-css/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/app-css/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   // This middleware is used to test Suspensey CSS
   if (
     request.url.includes('_next/static/css/app/suspensey-css/slow/page.css')
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/app-external/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/app-external/proxy.js
similarity index 64%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/app-external/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/app-external/proxy.js
index 61a7183fac735..261deae7f4d46 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/app-external/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/app-external/proxy.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { respond } from 'compat-next-server-module'
 
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   return await respond()
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/app-middleware/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/app-middleware/proxy.js
similarity index 98%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/app-middleware/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/app-middleware/proxy.js
index e341734febb4b..bca7bbb67be50 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/app-middleware/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/app-middleware/proxy.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { headers as nextHeaders, draftMode } from 'next/headers'
 /**
  * @param {import('next/server').NextRequest} request
  */
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   const headersFromRequest = new Headers(request.headers)
   // It should be able to import and use `headers` inside middleware
   const headersFromNext = await nextHeaders()
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/app/proxy.js
similarity index 98%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/app/proxy.js
index 67a21a520ca73..4d5b3d6ae86cd 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/app/proxy.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
  * @param {import('next/server').NextRequest} request
  * @returns {Promise<NextResponse | undefined>}
  */
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname === '/searchparams-normalization-bug') {
     const headers = new Headers(request.headers)
     headers.set('test', request.nextUrl.searchParams.get('val') || '')
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components-dynamic-imports/bundled/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components-dynamic-imports/bundled/proxy.ts
similarity index 88%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components-dynamic-imports/bundled/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components-dynamic-imports/bundled/proxy.ts
index b678b413fc540..0d9a417f63641 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components-dynamic-imports/bundled/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components-dynamic-imports/bundled/proxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { ProxyConfig } from 'next/server'
 
-export default async function middleware() {
+export default async function proxy() {
   // This import should not be instrumented.
   // `trackDynamicImport` will throw if it's used in the edge runtime,
   // so it's enough to just do an import() here and see if it succeeds.
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components/proxy.ts
similarity index 95%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components/proxy.ts
index ff76b1470b874..7694d570be22f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/cache-components/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   // Clone the request headers and set a new header `x-hello-from-middleware1`
   const requestHeaders = new Headers(request.headers)
   requestHeaders.set('x-sentinel', 'hello')
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/draft-mode-middleware/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/draft-mode-middleware/proxy.ts
similarity index 86%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/draft-mode-middleware/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/draft-mode-middleware/proxy.ts
index 8c88c591391f8..9a3d35165fad1 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/draft-mode-middleware/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/draft-mode-middleware/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse, type NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 import { draftMode } from 'next/headers'
 
-export async function middleware(req: NextRequest) {
+export async function proxy(req: NextRequest) {
   const { isEnabled } = await draftMode()
   console.log('draftMode().isEnabled from middleware:', isEnabled)
   return NextResponse.next()
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/edge-route-rewrite/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/edge-route-rewrite/proxy.ts
similarity index 90%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/edge-route-rewrite/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/edge-route-rewrite/proxy.ts
index b6a57a20e4f34..bb4bdb0d19d24 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/edge-route-rewrite/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/edge-route-rewrite/proxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { type NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   const url = request.nextUrl
 
   let originalPathname = url.pathname
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/edge-runtime-node-compatibility/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/edge-runtime-node-compatibility/proxy.ts
similarity index 78%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/edge-runtime-node-compatibility/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/edge-runtime-node-compatibility/proxy.ts
index be6cddcad3ff4..6bd227c113082 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/edge-runtime-node-compatibility/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/edge-runtime-node-compatibility/proxy.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { AsyncLocalStorage } from 'async_hooks'
 
 const storage = new AsyncLocalStorage<{}>()
 
-export async function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export async function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   storage.run({}, () => {})
 
   return NextResponse.next()
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/front-redirect-issue/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/front-redirect-issue/middleware.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 710b9d60d8649..0000000000000
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/front-redirect-issue/middleware.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-export default function middleware() {
-  return
-}
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/front-redirect-issue/proxy.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/front-redirect-issue/proxy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..e853d3c9aff45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/front-redirect-issue/proxy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export default function proxy() {
+  return
+}
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/hooks/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/hooks/proxy.js
similarity index 91%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/hooks/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/hooks/proxy.js
index 2b2ad034092e5..82ff479048cfa 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/hooks/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/hooks/proxy.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
  * @param {import('next/server').NextRequest} request
  * @returns {NextResponse | undefined}
  */
-export function middleware(request) {
+export function proxy(request) {
   if (
     request.nextUrl.pathname ===
     '/hooks/use-selected-layout-segment/rewritten-middleware'
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/interception-dynamic-segment-middleware/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/interception-dynamic-segment-middleware/proxy.ts
similarity index 86%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/interception-dynamic-segment-middleware/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/interception-dynamic-segment-middleware/proxy.ts
index ba543763d1ec3..f5f9326d20064 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/interception-dynamic-segment-middleware/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/interception-dynamic-segment-middleware/proxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse, type NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export default async function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export default async function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   const locale = 'en'
   const { pathname } = request.nextUrl
   const pathnameHasLocale =
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/interception-middleware-rewrite/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/interception-middleware-rewrite/proxy.ts
similarity index 87%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/interception-middleware-rewrite/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/interception-middleware-rewrite/proxy.ts
index e7c3f1f8ffee3..8ab787195fc23 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/interception-middleware-rewrite/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/interception-middleware-rewrite/proxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export default function middleware(req) {
+export default function proxy(req) {
   if (!req.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith('/en')) {
     return NextResponse.rewrite(new URL(`/en${req.nextUrl.pathname}`, req.url))
   }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/logging/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/logging/proxy.js
similarity index 73%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/logging/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/logging/proxy.js
index 7d7bfe4484794..de6de28c80e76 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/logging/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/logging/proxy.js
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 // used to test that if Middleware is present, non-route requests are still not logged
-export function middleware() {}
+export function proxy() {}
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-matching/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-matching/proxy.js
similarity index 80%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-matching/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-matching/proxy.js
index c913e6bd7dc6d..2388441784925 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-matching/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-matching/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export default function middleware(req, res) {
+export default function proxy(req, res) {
   const url = req.nextUrl.clone()
   url.pathname = '/'
   return NextResponse.rewrite(url)
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-catchall-priority-with-parallel-route/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-catchall-priority-with-parallel-route/proxy.js
similarity index 96%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-catchall-priority-with-parallel-route/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-catchall-priority-with-parallel-route/proxy.js
index 8a5819f051dc2..2fe0f897d9652 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-catchall-priority-with-parallel-route/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-catchall-priority-with-parallel-route/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   if (
     request.nextUrl.pathname.includes('payment') &&
     !request.nextUrl.pathname.includes('whoops')
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-dynamic/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-dynamic/proxy.ts
similarity index 70%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-dynamic/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-dynamic/proxy.ts
index acc313c4ba68f..07b54165a730b 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-dynamic/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rewrite-dynamic/proxy.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: Request) {
+export function proxy(request: Request) {
   return NextResponse.rewrite(new URL('/render/next', request.url))
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rsc-external-rewrite/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rsc-external-rewrite/proxy.ts
similarity index 91%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rsc-external-rewrite/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rsc-external-rewrite/proxy.ts
index 7b87fed7b63da..45357e1629bee 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rsc-external-rewrite/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/middleware-rsc-external-rewrite/proxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   const url = request.nextUrl.clone()
 
   if (url.pathname === '/about') {
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/navigation-redirect-import/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/navigation-redirect-import/proxy.ts
similarity index 79%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/navigation-redirect-import/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/navigation-redirect-import/proxy.ts
index 983080a7b7eed..a9f95c37985de 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/navigation-redirect-import/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/navigation-redirect-import/proxy.ts
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@ import { redirect } from 'next/navigation'
 // Redirect can't be called in middleware, but it should be able to be imported.
 console.log({ redirect })
 
-export default function middleware() {}
+export default function proxy() {}
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/navigation/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/navigation/proxy.js
similarity index 96%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/navigation/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/navigation/proxy.js
index c5ec182256618..e63a3000d9334 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/navigation/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/navigation/proxy.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ if (NEXT_RSC_UNION_QUERY !== '_rsc') {
  * @param {import('next/server').NextRequest} request
  * @returns {NextResponse | undefined}
  */
-export function middleware(request) {
+export function proxy(request) {
   const rscQuery = request.nextUrl.searchParams.get(NEXT_RSC_UNION_QUERY)
 
   // Test that the RSC query is not present in the middleware
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app-deploy/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app-deploy/proxy.js
similarity index 96%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app-deploy/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app-deploy/proxy.js
index 520e8780903de..7de92cc4e899c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app-deploy/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app-deploy/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { after } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(
+export function proxy(
   /** @type {import ('next/server').NextRequest} */ request
 ) {
   const url = new URL(request.url)
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app/proxy.js
similarity index 97%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app/proxy.js
index c370c72435aa4..75ed8b8df6cc5 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-app/proxy.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { cookies } from 'next/headers'
 import { NextResponse, after } from 'next/server'
 import { cliLog } from './utils/log'
 
-export async function middleware(
+export async function proxy(
   /** @type {import ('next/server').NextRequest} */ request
 ) {
   const url = new URL(request.url)
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-pages/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-pages/proxy.js
similarity index 95%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-pages/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-pages/proxy.js
index 64cfedba60633..472c3c955c42a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-pages/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/next-after-pages/proxy.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { cookies } from 'next/headers'
 import { NextResponse, after } from 'next/server'
 import { cliLog } from './utils/log'
 
-export async function middleware(
+export async function proxy(
   /** @type {import ('next/server').NextRequest} */ request
 ) {
   const url = new URL(request.url)
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/next-dynamic-csp-nonce/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/next-dynamic-csp-nonce/proxy.js
similarity index 90%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/next-dynamic-csp-nonce/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/next-dynamic-csp-nonce/proxy.js
index 9ef8271dbef74..9dde5c9ebd33c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/next-dynamic-csp-nonce/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/next-dynamic-csp-nonce/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request) {
+export function proxy(request) {
   const response = NextResponse.next()
   const nonce = 'test-nonce'
   response.headers.set('x-nonce', nonce)
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/no-duplicate-headers-middleware/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/no-duplicate-headers-middleware/proxy.ts
similarity index 83%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/no-duplicate-headers-middleware/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/no-duplicate-headers-middleware/proxy.ts
index 5c5a087a2d3ed..26570d4a7c0ee 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/no-duplicate-headers-middleware/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/no-duplicate-headers-middleware/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname === '/favicon.ico') {
     return NextResponse.next({
       headers: {
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/legacy/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/cache-components/proxy.ts
similarity index 82%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/legacy/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/cache-components/proxy.ts
index aa47094431a90..833fb090f75f2 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/legacy/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/cache-components/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   if (Math.random() > -1 && request.nextUrl.pathname === '/rewrite') {
     return NextResponse.rewrite(new URL('/rewritten', request.url))
   }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/cache-components/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/legacy/proxy.ts
similarity index 82%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/cache-components/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/legacy/proxy.ts
index aa47094431a90..833fb090f75f2 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/cache-components/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/node-extensions/fixtures/random/legacy/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   if (Math.random() > -1 && request.nextUrl.pathname === '/rewrite') {
     return NextResponse.rewrite(new URL('/rewritten', request.url))
   }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/pages-to-app-routing/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/pages-to-app-routing/middleware.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index e97ded7762422..0000000000000
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/pages-to-app-routing/middleware.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
-
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {}
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/pages-to-app-routing/proxy.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/pages-to-app-routing/proxy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..002bf32dcd117
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/pages-to-app-routing/proxy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
+
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {}
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/phase-changes/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/phase-changes/proxy.ts
similarity index 87%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/phase-changes/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/phase-changes/proxy.ts
index 74ec1af3de3e6..33689c2d845db 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/phase-changes/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/phase-changes/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { cookies } from 'next/headers'
 import { after, type NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export async function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   const url = new URL(request.url)
 
   const cookieStore = await cookies()
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/ppr-middleware-rewrite-force-dynamic-ssg-dynamic-params/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/ppr-middleware-rewrite-force-dynamic-ssg-dynamic-params/proxy.ts
similarity index 91%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/ppr-middleware-rewrite-force-dynamic-ssg-dynamic-params/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/ppr-middleware-rewrite-force-dynamic-ssg-dynamic-params/proxy.ts
index d6cac831af0fb..8aca722267d43 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/ppr-middleware-rewrite-force-dynamic-ssg-dynamic-params/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/ppr-middleware-rewrite-force-dynamic-ssg-dynamic-params/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   return NextResponse.rewrite(
     new URL('/en' + request.nextUrl.pathname, request.url)
   )
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/proxy-with-middleware/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/proxy-with-middleware/middleware.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index adf5b7f421208..0000000000000
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/proxy-with-middleware/middleware.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
-
-export function middleware(req: Request) {
-  return NextResponse.rewrite(new URL('/', req.url))
-}
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/rewrite-headers/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/rewrite-headers/proxy.js
similarity index 95%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/rewrite-headers/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/rewrite-headers/proxy.js
index c40b48bcc67bd..05a45f997afbb 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/rewrite-headers/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/rewrite-headers/proxy.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export const config = {
   ],
 }
 
-export default function middleware(req) {
+export default function proxy(req) {
   const url = new URL(req.url)
 
   if (url.pathname === '/hello/wyatt') {
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/rewrites-redirects/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/rewrites-redirects/proxy.ts
similarity index 89%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/rewrites-redirects/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/rewrites-redirects/proxy.ts
index d3b147ecd233f..a45519a4405b2 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/rewrites-redirects/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/rewrites-redirects/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith('/middleware-rewrite-before')) {
     return NextResponse.rewrite(
       new URL('/middleware-rewrite-after', request.url)
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/rsc-redirect/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/rsc-redirect/proxy.ts
similarity index 87%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/rsc-redirect/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/rsc-redirect/proxy.ts
index 60b2b0a242840..1abb8ae00997a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/rsc-redirect/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/rsc-redirect/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   console.log('middleware called')
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname === '/old-about') {
     const url = request.nextUrl.clone()
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/searchparams-reuse-loading/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/searchparams-reuse-loading/proxy.ts
similarity index 92%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/searchparams-reuse-loading/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/searchparams-reuse-loading/proxy.ts
index a82f0c53d2ea9..8734e1e4f2f6a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/searchparams-reuse-loading/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/searchparams-reuse-loading/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   const { pathname, search } = request.nextUrl
 
   if (
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/segment-cache/search-params/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/segment-cache/search-params/proxy.ts
similarity index 94%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/segment-cache/search-params/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/segment-cache/search-params/proxy.ts
index 7f5df9731e3f2..171aa9e474a9f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/segment-cache/search-params/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/segment-cache/search-params/proxy.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith('/search-params/target-page')) {
     const searchParam = request.nextUrl.searchParams.get('searchParam')
     if (
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/server-actions-redirect-middleware-rewrite/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/server-actions-redirect-middleware-rewrite/proxy.ts
similarity index 63%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/server-actions-redirect-middleware-rewrite/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/server-actions-redirect-middleware-rewrite/proxy.ts
index f61dbe0a303bb..f26d23d3cd36c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/server-actions-redirect-middleware-rewrite/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/server-actions-redirect-middleware-rewrite/proxy.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export default function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export default function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   return NextResponse.rewrite(request.url)
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/sub-shell-generation-middleware/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/sub-shell-generation-middleware/proxy.ts
similarity index 87%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/sub-shell-generation-middleware/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/sub-shell-generation-middleware/proxy.ts
index 0889cab36a812..f76fe96334118 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/sub-shell-generation-middleware/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/sub-shell-generation-middleware/proxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { type NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export const middleware = (request: NextRequest) => {
+export const proxy = (request: NextRequest) => {
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname.includes('/not-broken')) {
     const destination = new URL(
       '/rewrite' + request.nextUrl.pathname + request.nextUrl.search,
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/with-babel/middleware.js b/test/e2e/app-dir/with-babel/proxy.js
similarity index 66%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/with-babel/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/with-babel/proxy.js
index e045282b9f3c7..baaca8e65a98f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/with-babel/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/with-babel/proxy.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware() {
+export async function proxy() {
   return NextResponse.next()
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/app-dir/x-forwarded-headers/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/app-dir/x-forwarded-headers/proxy.ts
similarity index 89%
rename from test/e2e/app-dir/x-forwarded-headers/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/app-dir/x-forwarded-headers/proxy.ts
index b75c57a077bcd..3c7c2967a0256 100644
--- a/test/e2e/app-dir/x-forwarded-headers/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/app-dir/x-forwarded-headers/proxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware(req: Request) {
+export function proxy(req: Request) {
   return NextResponse.next({
     headers: {
       'middleware-x-forwarded-host':
diff --git a/test/e2e/client-max-body-size/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/client-max-body-size/proxy.ts
similarity index 71%
rename from test/e2e/client-max-body-size/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/client-max-body-size/proxy.ts
index decb3774533d2..abbd48804f533 100644
--- a/test/e2e/client-max-body-size/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/client-max-body-size/proxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export async function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   return NextResponse.next()
 }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/deprecation-warnings/fixtures/with-deprecated-config/next.config.js b/test/e2e/deprecation-warnings/fixtures/with-deprecated-config/next.config.js
index 299617a1a6f12..6a91b8ae3d189 100644
--- a/test/e2e/deprecation-warnings/fixtures/with-deprecated-config/next.config.js
+++ b/test/e2e/deprecation-warnings/fixtures/with-deprecated-config/next.config.js
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 /** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
 module.exports = {
   // Explicitly configure deprecated options
-  skipMiddlewareUrlNormalize: true,
+  skipProxyUrlNormalize: true,
   experimental: {
-    middlewarePrefetch: 'strict',
+    proxyPrefetch: 'strict',
     instrumentationHook: true,
-    middlewareClientMaxBodySize: '5mb',
-    externalMiddlewareRewritesResolve: true,
+    proxyClientMaxBodySize: '5mb',
+    externalProxyRewritesResolve: true,
   },
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/edge-can-read-request-body/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/edge-can-read-request-body/app/proxy.js
similarity index 95%
rename from test/e2e/edge-can-read-request-body/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/edge-can-read-request-body/app/proxy.js
index bbddddb07ef8a..78278e116fc65 100644
--- a/test/e2e/edge-can-read-request-body/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/edge-can-read-request-body/app/proxy.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 /**
  * @param {NextRequest} req
  */
-export default async function middleware(req) {
+export default async function proxy(req) {
   const res = NextResponse.next()
   res.headers.set('x-incoming-content-type', req.headers.get('content-type'))
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/i18n-navigations-middleware/middleware.js b/test/e2e/i18n-navigations-middleware/proxy.js
similarity index 74%
rename from test/e2e/i18n-navigations-middleware/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/i18n-navigations-middleware/proxy.js
index cf8566123cde8..5f2d2d7cf931b 100644
--- a/test/e2e/i18n-navigations-middleware/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/i18n-navigations-middleware/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
 export const config = { matcher: ['/foo'] }
-export async function middleware(req) {
+export async function proxy(req) {
   return NextResponse.next()
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/i18n-preferred-locale-detection/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/i18n-preferred-locale-detection/app/middleware.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 6f6759070eb1c..0000000000000
--- a/test/e2e/i18n-preferred-locale-detection/app/middleware.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-export async function middleware() {
-  const noop = () => {}
-  noop()
-}
diff --git a/test/e2e/i18n-preferred-locale-detection/app/proxy.js b/test/e2e/i18n-preferred-locale-detection/app/proxy.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..fa31d04e9ac8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/i18n-preferred-locale-detection/app/proxy.js
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+export async function proxy() {
+  const noop = () => {}
+  noop()
+}
diff --git a/test/e2e/import-conditions/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/import-conditions/proxy.ts
similarity index 95%
rename from test/e2e/import-conditions/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/import-conditions/proxy.ts
index 817e591df9cb7..d2d477d7cdf2e 100644
--- a/test/e2e/import-conditions/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/import-conditions/proxy.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import * as react from 'library-with-exports/react'
 import * as serverFavoringBrowser from 'library-with-exports/server-favoring-browser'
 import * as serverFavoringEdge from 'library-with-exports/server-favoring-edge'
 
-export function middleware() {
+export function proxy() {
   const response = NextResponse.next()
 
   response.headers.set('x-react-condition', react.condition)
diff --git a/test/e2e/instrumentation-hook/with-middleware/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/instrumentation-hook/with-middleware/middleware.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 499e7603b0799..0000000000000
--- a/test/e2e/instrumentation-hook/with-middleware/middleware.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-export function middleware() {}
diff --git a/test/e2e/instrumentation-hook/with-middleware/proxy.ts b/test/e2e/instrumentation-hook/with-middleware/proxy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..06e71167d2463
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/instrumentation-hook/with-middleware/proxy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export function proxy() {}
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-base-path/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-base-path/app/proxy.js
similarity index 92%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-base-path/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-base-path/app/proxy.js
index 2e1bcab993a02..1ab9d83406c5e 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-base-path/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-base-path/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   const url = request.nextUrl
 
   if (
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-basepath/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-basepath/app/proxy.js
similarity index 86%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-basepath/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-basepath/app/proxy.js
index 0760a6e4ae2a6..aef3d45a43d91 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-basepath/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-basepath/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export default function middleware(request) {
+export default function proxy(request) {
   const nextUrl = request.nextUrl.clone()
   nextUrl.pathname = '/'
   const res = NextResponse.rewrite(nextUrl)
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-i18n/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-i18n/app/proxy.js
similarity index 88%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-i18n/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-i18n/app/proxy.js
index bdd67e48df85b..64250bbe44408 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-i18n/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers-i18n/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export default function middleware(request) {
+export default function proxy(request) {
   const nextUrl = request.nextUrl.clone()
   nextUrl.pathname = '/'
   const res = NextResponse.rewrite(nextUrl)
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers/app/proxy.js
similarity index 97%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers/app/proxy.js
index da2ca8e84fcef..9cfbe47b04d24 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-custom-matchers/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export default function middleware(request) {
+export default function proxy(request) {
   const res = NextResponse.rewrite(new URL('/', request.url))
   res.headers.set('X-From-Middleware', 'true')
   return res
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-dynamic-basepath-matcher/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-dynamic-basepath-matcher/app/proxy.js
similarity index 82%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-dynamic-basepath-matcher/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-dynamic-basepath-matcher/app/proxy.js
index d4a6e6e00a89e..ad59b41471399 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-dynamic-basepath-matcher/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-dynamic-basepath-matcher/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export default function middleware(_) {
+export default function proxy(_) {
   const res = NextResponse.next()
   res.headers.set('X-From-Middleware', 'true')
   return res
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-general/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-general/app/proxy.js
similarity index 99%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-general/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-general/app/proxy.js
index 146288f85059a..52be6c63aabd0 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-general/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-general/app/proxy.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ const params = (url) => {
   return result
 }
 
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   getSomeData()
 
   const url = request.nextUrl
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-redirects/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-redirects/app/proxy.js
similarity index 97%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-redirects/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-redirects/app/proxy.js
index 392e8f98e7d38..917881cf403ad 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-redirects/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-redirects/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   const url = request.nextUrl
 
   // this is needed for tests to get the BUILD_ID
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-request-header-overrides/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-request-header-overrides/app/proxy.js
similarity index 94%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-request-header-overrides/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-request-header-overrides/app/proxy.js
index 4421a4f37f426..5d804100dcad4 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-request-header-overrides/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-request-header-overrides/app/proxy.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 /**
  * @param {import('next/server').NextRequest} request
  */
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   const headers = new Headers(request.headers)
   headers.set('x-from-middleware', 'hello-from-middleware')
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-responses/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-responses/app/proxy.js
similarity index 97%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-responses/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-responses/app/proxy.js
index cb939632441f4..b9f674468a81b 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-responses/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-responses/app/proxy.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 // middleware that will return a body at run time, and check it is disallowed.
 class MyResponse extends Response {}
 
-export async function middleware(request, ev) {
+export async function proxy(request, ev) {
   const { readable, writable } = new TransformStream()
   const url = request.nextUrl
   const writer = writable.getWriter()
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-rewrites/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-rewrites/app/proxy.js
similarity index 99%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-rewrites/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-rewrites/app/proxy.js
index 493e3734e15ad..b57b64ec50bae 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-rewrites/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-rewrites/app/proxy.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const PUBLIC_FILE = /\.(.*)$/
 /**
  * @param {import('next/server').NextRequest} request
  */
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   const url = request.nextUrl
 
   if (url.pathname.includes('article')) {
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-shallow-link/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-shallow-link/app/proxy.js
similarity index 76%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-shallow-link/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-shallow-link/app/proxy.js
index dd6b55cae5e94..86584d269a143 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-shallow-link/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-shallow-link/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware() {
+export async function proxy() {
   return NextResponse.next()
 }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-static-files/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-static-files/app/proxy.js
similarity index 90%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-static-files/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-static-files/app/proxy.js
index 6a444b3795aec..bfe4919fb76f9 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-static-files/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-static-files/app/proxy.js
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@ export const config = {
   ],
 }
 
-export default function middleware() {
+export default function proxy() {
   return NextResponse.json({ middleware: true })
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/middleware-trailing-slash/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/middleware-trailing-slash/app/proxy.js
similarity index 98%
rename from test/e2e/middleware-trailing-slash/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/middleware-trailing-slash/app/proxy.js
index 4d6d5b3204202..37c3a48274fc6 100644
--- a/test/e2e/middleware-trailing-slash/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/middleware-trailing-slash/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse, URLPattern } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware(request) {
+export async function proxy(request) {
   const url = request.nextUrl
 
   // this is needed for tests to get the BUILD_ID
diff --git a/test/e2e/module-layer/middleware.js b/test/e2e/module-layer/proxy.js
similarity index 92%
rename from test/e2e/module-layer/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/module-layer/proxy.js
index 51bfdfc909298..538211f599cdf 100644
--- a/test/e2e/module-layer/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/module-layer/proxy.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import * as React from 'react'
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 // import './lib/mixed-lib'
 
-export function middleware(request) {
+export function proxy(request) {
   // To avoid webpack ESM exports checking warning
   const ReactObject = Object(React)
   if (ReactObject.useState) {
diff --git a/test/e2e/og-api/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/og-api/app/proxy.js
similarity index 86%
rename from test/e2e/og-api/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/og-api/app/proxy.js
index 4ca451a3c9c50..cd196e5b0a1f7 100644
--- a/test/e2e/og-api/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/og-api/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import { ImageResponse } from 'next/og'
 
-export async function middleware(req) {
+export async function proxy(req) {
   if (req.nextUrl.pathname === '/middleware') {
     return new ImageResponse(<div>hi</div>, {
       width: 1200,
diff --git a/test/e2e/on-request-error/basic/middleware.js b/test/e2e/on-request-error/basic/proxy.js
similarity index 74%
rename from test/e2e/on-request-error/basic/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/on-request-error/basic/proxy.js
index 62fc1aff2e47b..cf1fc2dcd719c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/on-request-error/basic/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/on-request-error/basic/proxy.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-export function middleware(req) {
+export function proxy(req) {
   if (req.nextUrl.pathname === '/middleware-error') {
     throw new Error('middleware-error')
   }
diff --git a/test/e2e/opentelemetry/instrumentation/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/opentelemetry/instrumentation/proxy.ts
similarity index 90%
rename from test/e2e/opentelemetry/instrumentation/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/opentelemetry/instrumentation/proxy.ts
index e3ba9325fe04f..871b2912a90e3 100644
--- a/test/e2e/opentelemetry/instrumentation/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/opentelemetry/instrumentation/proxy.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export const config: {
   matcher: ['/behind-middleware', '/behind-middleware/:path*'],
 }
 
-export async function middleware(
+export async function proxy(
   request: NextRequest,
   event?: NextFetchEvent
 ): Promise<Response> {
diff --git a/test/e2e/proxy-request-with-middleware/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/proxy-request-with-middleware/app/proxy.js
similarity index 66%
rename from test/e2e/proxy-request-with-middleware/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/proxy-request-with-middleware/app/proxy.js
index e045282b9f3c7..baaca8e65a98f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/proxy-request-with-middleware/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/proxy-request-with-middleware/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export async function middleware() {
+export async function proxy() {
   return NextResponse.next()
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/react-version/middleware.js b/test/e2e/react-version/proxy.js
similarity index 86%
rename from test/e2e/react-version/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/react-version/proxy.js
index 48257ff2fa2f3..64beb1c620038 100644
--- a/test/e2e/react-version/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/react-version/proxy.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import { getReactConditionJson } from './lib/react-version'
 
-export function middleware(request) {
+export function proxy(request) {
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname === '/middleware') {
     return Response.json(getReactConditionJson())
   }
diff --git a/test/e2e/rsc-layers-transform/middleware.js b/test/e2e/rsc-layers-transform/proxy.js
similarity index 87%
rename from test/e2e/rsc-layers-transform/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/rsc-layers-transform/proxy.js
index 258fae5807b7a..9e3951de7695b 100644
--- a/test/e2e/rsc-layers-transform/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/rsc-layers-transform/proxy.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import { textValue, TestLink } from './lib/shared-module'
 
-export function middleware(request) {
+export function proxy(request) {
   if (request.nextUrl.pathname === '/middleware') {
     return Response.json({
       textValue,
diff --git a/test/e2e/testmode/middleware.js b/test/e2e/testmode/proxy.js
similarity index 88%
rename from test/e2e/testmode/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/testmode/proxy.js
index 71290e6e24818..47a584fffa995 100644
--- a/test/e2e/testmode/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/testmode/proxy.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export const config = {
   matcher: ['/app/rsc-fetch'],
 }
 
-export async function middleware() {
+export async function proxy() {
   const text = await (await fetch('https://example.com/middleware')).text()
   return NextResponse.next({
     headers: {
diff --git a/test/e2e/typescript-custom-tsconfig/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/tsconfig-path/proxy.ts
similarity index 85%
rename from test/e2e/typescript-custom-tsconfig/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/tsconfig-path/proxy.ts
index af58b2533723c..402875bb8dc11 100644
--- a/test/e2e/typescript-custom-tsconfig/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/tsconfig-path/proxy.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import foo from 'foo'
 
 // This function can be marked `async` if using `await` inside
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   return NextResponse.json({ foo })
 }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/tsconfig-path/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/typescript-custom-tsconfig/proxy.ts
similarity index 85%
rename from test/e2e/tsconfig-path/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/typescript-custom-tsconfig/proxy.ts
index af58b2533723c..402875bb8dc11 100644
--- a/test/e2e/tsconfig-path/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/typescript-custom-tsconfig/proxy.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import foo from 'foo'
 
 // This function can be marked `async` if using `await` inside
-export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
+export function proxy(request: NextRequest) {
   return NextResponse.json({ foo })
 }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/url/middleware.ts b/test/e2e/url/proxy.ts
similarity index 85%
rename from test/e2e/url/middleware.ts
rename to test/e2e/url/proxy.ts
index 1d87d3d5bb57c..a74a613693378 100644
--- a/test/e2e/url/middleware.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/url/proxy.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import imported from './public/vercel.png'
 const url = new URL('./public/vercel.png', import.meta.url).toString()
 
-export async function middleware(req: NextRequest) {
+export async function proxy(req: NextRequest) {
   if (req.nextUrl.toString().endsWith('/middleware')) {
     return Response.json({ imported, url })
   }
diff --git a/test/e2e/vary-header/app/middleware.js b/test/e2e/vary-header/app/proxy.js
similarity index 87%
rename from test/e2e/vary-header/app/middleware.js
rename to test/e2e/vary-header/app/proxy.js
index 85c9c4b6206cd..babc00ca03605 100644
--- a/test/e2e/vary-header/app/middleware.js
+++ b/test/e2e/vary-header/app/proxy.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 
-export function middleware() {
+export function proxy() {
   const response = NextResponse.next()
   response.headers.append('my-custom-header', 'test')
   response.headers.append('vary', 'my-custom-header')