diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/acadenice/database-view/services/bridge-client.ts b/apps/client/src/features/acadenice/database-view/services/bridge-client.ts
index e0ef267a..3d2d4fc5 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/acadenice/database-view/services/bridge-client.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/acadenice/database-view/services/bridge-client.ts
@@ -17,17 +17,16 @@
 
 import axios, { AxiosInstance } from "axios";
 
-/** Resolved bridge base URL: per-instance override > env var > default. */
+/** Resolved bridge base URL: per-instance override > env var > same-origin proxy default.
+ *
+ * In dev, the Vite server proxies `/bridge/*` to `http://localhost:4000/*` (see vite.config.ts).
+ * Same-origin = the auth cookie is sent automatically without CORS gymnastics.
+ * In prod, set VITE_BRIDGE_URL at build time to an absolute URL behind your reverse proxy
+ * (or keep `/bridge` and proxy server-side).
+ */
 export function resolveBridgeUrl(bridgeUrlOverride?: string | null): string {
-  // Vite exposes import.meta.env at build time. The double cast is required
-  // because ImportMeta has no index signature in TypeScript's strict mode,
-  // but at runtime Vite replaces the env values.
   const metaEnv = (import.meta as unknown as { env?: { VITE_BRIDGE_URL?: string } }).env;
-  return (
-    bridgeUrlOverride ??
-    metaEnv?.VITE_BRIDGE_URL ??
-    "http://localhost:4000"
-  );
+  return bridgeUrlOverride ?? metaEnv?.VITE_BRIDGE_URL ?? "/bridge";
 }
 
 /** Attempt to read the auth token from JS-accessible cookie or jotai storage. */
@@ -58,7 +57,11 @@ export function createBridgeClient(bridgeUrl: string): AxiosInstance {
   });
 
   instance.interceptors.request.use((config) => {
-    const token = readTokenFromCookie();
+    // Priority: cookie token (prod) > VITE_BRIDGE_TOKEN env (dev fallback)
+    const cookieToken = readTokenFromCookie();
+    const metaEnv = (import.meta as unknown as { env?: { VITE_BRIDGE_TOKEN?: string } }).env;
+    const envToken = metaEnv?.VITE_BRIDGE_TOKEN;
+    const token = cookieToken || envToken;
     if (token) {
       config.headers["Authorization"] = `Bearer ${token}`;
     }
diff --git a/apps/client/vite.config.ts b/apps/client/vite.config.ts
index e6f9de48..4965ced0 100644
--- a/apps/client/vite.config.ts
+++ b/apps/client/vite.config.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => {
     BILLING_TRIAL_DAYS,
     POSTHOG_HOST,
     POSTHOG_KEY,
+    VITE_BRIDGE_TOKEN,
   } = loadEnv(mode, envPath, "");
 
   return {
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => {
         BILLING_TRIAL_DAYS,
         POSTHOG_HOST,
         POSTHOG_KEY,
+        VITE_BRIDGE_TOKEN,
       },
       APP_VERSION: JSON.stringify(process.env.npm_package_version),
     },
@@ -70,6 +72,16 @@ export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => {
           ws: true,
           rewriteWsOrigin: true,
         },
+        "/bridge": {
+          target: process.env.VITE_BRIDGE_PROXY_TARGET || "http://localhost:4000",
+          changeOrigin: true,
+          rewrite: (p) => p.replace(/^\/bridge/, ""),
+        },
+        "/bridge-events": {
+          target: process.env.VITE_BRIDGE_PROXY_TARGET || "http://localhost:4000",
+          changeOrigin: true,
+          rewrite: (p) => p.replace(/^\/bridge-events/, "/api/events"),
+        },
       },
     },
   };