diff --git a/apps/web/vite.config.ts b/apps/web/vite.config.ts
index 3190b68..be845bf 100644
--- a/apps/web/vite.config.ts
+++ b/apps/web/vite.config.ts
@@ -7,14 +7,17 @@ import { defineConfig } from "vite-plus";
 export default defineConfig({
   envDir: path.resolve(import.meta.dirname, "../.."),
   plugins: [tailwindcss(), reactRouter()],
-  ssr: {
-    noExternal: true,
-  },
   resolve: {
     dedupe: ["convex", "react", "react-dom"],
     tsconfigPaths: true,
   },
   server: {
     allowedHosts: true,
+    proxy: {
+      "/api/auth": {
+        changeOrigin: true,
+        target: "https://befitting-dalmatian-161.convex.site",
+      },
+    },
   },
 });
diff --git a/docs/auth-proxy.md b/docs/auth-proxy.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8c5edb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/auth-proxy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+# Auth Proxy — Production Ingress Requirement
+
+The application uses **same-origin authentication**: the browser and React Router SSR both hit
+`/api/auth/*` on the public application domain. This keeps cookies first-party, avoids
+cross-origin credentials, and gives development and production the same API surface.
+
+## Required production route
+
+At the public application domain, route:
+
+| Prefix | Target |
+|---|---|
+| `/api/auth/*` | Convex HTTP site |
+| `/*` | React Router frontend |
+
+### Caddy
+
+```caddy
+zopu.example.com {
+    handle /api/auth/* {
+        reverse_proxy https://befitting-dalmatian-161.convex.site {
+            header_up Host befitting-dalmatian-161.convex.site
+        }
+    }
+
+    handle {
+        reverse_proxy frontend:3000
+    }
+}
+```
+
+### Dokploy / Traefik
+
+Create a higher-priority path router for `/api/auth` that forwards to the external Convex
+site URL. Ensure it:
+
+- Preserves the original browser `Cookie` header
+- Passes `Set-Cookie` responses back (rewrite domain if Convex emits an explicit one)
+- Preserves the original method and body
+- Forwards `X-Forwarded-Host` and `X-Forwarded-Proto`
+- Passes the full path unchanged (e.g. `/api/auth/convex/token`)
+- Does not cache auth responses
+- Allows OAuth callback routes under the same prefix
+
+## Convex environment
+
+The Convex deployment `SITE_URL` must match the public origin users visit, not the Convex
+site URL:
+
+```bash
+# Production
+npx convex env set SITE_URL 'https://zopu.example.com'
+
+# Local
+npx convex env set SITE_URL 'http://100.101.157.28:5173'
+
+# Staging
+npx convex env set SITE_URL 'https://zopu.cheaptricks.puter.wtf'
+```
+
+This value populates Better Auth's `trustedOrigins`. The Convex deployment also uses
+`CONVEX_SITE_URL` as the internal `baseURL` for route registration; that value is the HTTP
+site URL (e.g. `https://befitting-dalmatian-161.convex.site`).
+
+## Why same-origin
+
+1. **First-party cookies.** No `SameSite=None`, no third-party cookie restrictions.
+2. **SSR consistency.** The React Router server uses the same auth surface the browser
+   sees; no cross-host credential translation.
+3. **No CORS complexity.** The browser talks only to its own origin.
+4. **The reverse proxy handles the cross-host hop server-side.**
+
+## Related
+
+- [Better Auth: Trusted Origins](https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/blob/main/docs/content/docs/reference/security.mdx)
+- `apps/web/vite.config.ts` — Vite dev proxy (`/api/auth` → Convex site)
+- `packages/auth/src/web/auth-client.ts` — `window.location.origin`
+- `apps/web/src/lib/auth.server.ts` — SSR token loader via request origin
diff --git a/packages/backend/convex/auth.ts b/packages/backend/convex/auth.ts
index bf9ae7f..391b9e8 100644
--- a/packages/backend/convex/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/convex/auth.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export const authComponent = createClient<DataModel>(components.betterAuth);
 
 const createAuth = (ctx: GenericCtx<DataModel>) =>
   betterAuth({
+    advanced: { useSecureCookies: siteUrl.startsWith("https://") },
     baseURL: env.CONVEX_SITE_URL,
     database: authComponent.adapter(ctx),
     emailAndPassword: {