diff --git a/examples/petstore-expanded/chi/api/petstore.gen.go b/examples/petstore-expanded/chi/api/petstore.gen.go
index bf52a20f3..64aec35cb 100644
--- a/examples/petstore-expanded/chi/api/petstore.gen.go
+++ b/examples/petstore-expanded/chi/api/petstore.gen.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ type ServerInterfaceWrapper struct {
 	ErrorHandlerFunc   func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, err error)
 }
 
-type MiddlewareFunc func(http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc
+type MiddlewareFunc func(http.Handler) http.Handler
 
 // FindPets operation middleware
 func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) FindPets(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
@@ -119,30 +119,30 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) FindPets(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Reque
 		return
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.FindPets(w, r, params)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // AddPet operation middleware
 func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) AddPet(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx := r.Context()
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.AddPet(w, r)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // DeletePet operation middleware
@@ -160,15 +160,15 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) DeletePet(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
 		return
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.DeletePet(w, r, id)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // FindPetByID operation middleware
@@ -186,15 +186,15 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) FindPetByID(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Re
 		return
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.FindPetByID(w, r, id)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 type UnescapedCookieParamError struct {
diff --git a/internal/test/server/server.gen.go b/internal/test/server/server.gen.go
index ee11ddd40..c9df6acd2 100644
--- a/internal/test/server/server.gen.go
+++ b/internal/test/server/server.gen.go
@@ -169,36 +169,36 @@ type ServerInterfaceWrapper struct {
 	ErrorHandlerFunc   func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, err error)
 }
 
-type MiddlewareFunc func(http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc
+type MiddlewareFunc func(http.Handler) http.Handler
 
 // GetEveryTypeOptional operation middleware
 func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) GetEveryTypeOptional(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx := r.Context()
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.GetEveryTypeOptional(w, r)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // GetSimple operation middleware
 func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) GetSimple(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx := r.Context()
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.GetSimple(w, r)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // GetWithArgs operation middleware
@@ -256,15 +256,15 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) GetWithArgs(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Re
 
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.GetWithArgs(w, r, params)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // GetWithReferences operation middleware
@@ -291,15 +291,15 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) GetWithReferences(w http.ResponseWriter, r *h
 		return
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.GetWithReferences(w, r, globalArgument, argument)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // GetWithContentType operation middleware
@@ -317,30 +317,30 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) GetWithContentType(w http.ResponseWriter, r *
 		return
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.GetWithContentType(w, r, contentType)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // GetReservedKeyword operation middleware
 func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) GetReservedKeyword(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx := r.Context()
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.GetReservedKeyword(w, r)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // CreateResource operation middleware
@@ -358,15 +358,15 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) CreateResource(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http
 		return
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.CreateResource(w, r, argument)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // CreateResource2 operation middleware
@@ -398,15 +398,15 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) CreateResource2(w http.ResponseWriter, r *htt
 		return
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.CreateResource2(w, r, inlineArgument, params)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // UpdateResource3 operation middleware
@@ -424,30 +424,30 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) UpdateResource3(w http.ResponseWriter, r *htt
 		return
 	}
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.UpdateResource3(w, r, pFallthrough)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 // GetResponseWithReference operation middleware
 func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) GetResponseWithReference(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx := r.Context()
 
-	var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		siw.Handler.GetResponseWithReference(w, r)
-	}
+	})
 
 	for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
 		handler = middleware(handler)
 	}
 
-	handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 
 type UnescapedCookieParamError struct {
diff --git a/pkg/codegen/templates/chi/chi-middleware.tmpl b/pkg/codegen/templates/chi/chi-middleware.tmpl
index 7c1385ba2..30270ccd2 100644
--- a/pkg/codegen/templates/chi/chi-middleware.tmpl
+++ b/pkg/codegen/templates/chi/chi-middleware.tmpl
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ type ServerInterfaceWrapper struct {
     ErrorHandlerFunc func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, err error)
 }
 
-type MiddlewareFunc func(http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc
+type MiddlewareFunc func(http.Handler) http.Handler
 
 {{range .}}{{$opid := .OperationId}}
 
@@ -168,15 +168,15 @@ func (siw *ServerInterfaceWrapper) {{$opid}}(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
     {{end}}
   {{end}}
 
-  var handler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+  var handler http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
     siw.Handler.{{.OperationId}}(w, r{{genParamNames .PathParams}}{{if .RequiresParamObject}}, params{{end}})
-}
+  })
 
   for _, middleware := range siw.HandlerMiddlewares {
     handler = middleware(handler)
   }
 
-  handler(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+  handler.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
 }
 {{end}}