diff --git a/net/portmapper/portmapper.go b/net/portmapper/portmapper.go
index 2eb06a026..9b0ec5ca7 100644
--- a/net/portmapper/portmapper.go
+++ b/net/portmapper/portmapper.go
@@ -100,11 +100,11 @@ type mapping interface {
 	// but can be called asynchronously. Release should be idempotent, and thus even if called
 	// multiple times should not cause additional side-effects.
 	Release(context.Context)
-	// goodUntil will return the lease time that the mapping is valid for.
+	// GoodUntil will return the lease time that the mapping is valid for.
 	GoodUntil() time.Time
-	// renewAfter returns the earliest time that the mapping should be renewed.
+	// RenewAfter returns the earliest time that the mapping should be renewed.
 	RenewAfter() time.Time
-	// externalIPPort indicates what port the mapping can be reached from on the outside.
+	// External indicates what port the mapping can be reached from on the outside.
 	External() netip.AddrPort
 }
 
@@ -797,7 +797,11 @@ func (c *Client) Probe(ctx context.Context) (res ProbeResult, err error) {
 		switch port {
 		case c.upnpPort():
 			metricUPnPResponse.Add(1)
-			if ip == gw && mem.Contains(mem.B(buf[:n]), mem.S(":InternetGatewayDevice:")) {
+			if mem.Contains(mem.B(buf[:n]), mem.S(":InternetGatewayDevice:")) {
+				if ip != gw {
+					// https://github.com/tailscale/tailscale/issues/5502
+					c.logf("UPnP discovery response from %v, but gateway IP is %v", ip, gw)
+				}
 				meta, err := parseUPnPDiscoResponse(buf[:n])
 				if err != nil {
 					metricUPnPParseErr.Add(1)
diff --git a/net/portmapper/upnp.go b/net/portmapper/upnp.go
index b59ec4f40..ceee6c8f3 100644
--- a/net/portmapper/upnp.go
+++ b/net/portmapper/upnp.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand"
+	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/netip"
 	"net/url"
@@ -174,8 +175,10 @@ func getUPnPClient(ctx context.Context, logf logger.Logf, gw netip.Addr, meta uP
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected host %q in %q", u.Host, meta.Location)
 	}
 	if ipp.Addr() != gw {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("UPnP discovered root %q does not match gateway IP %v; ignoring UPnP",
+		// https://github.com/tailscale/tailscale/issues/5502
+		logf("UPnP discovered root %q does not match gateway IP %v; repointing at gateway which is assumed to be floating",
 			meta.Location, gw)
+		u.Host = net.JoinHostPort(gw.String(), u.Port())
 	}
 
 	// We're fetching a smallish XML document over plain HTTP