diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index bec0d82..f0bde46 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@
 # Public base URL of this app (used for absolute links / callbacks).
 NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=http://localhost:3000
 # Documented target (docs/08); no call site found reading it in this pass.
-NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=https://api.0pt.app
+# NOTE: api.0pt.app is a dead hostname (falls through to wildcard Vercel ->
+# DEPLOYMENT_NOT_FOUND). The app serves its own /api routes on the site
+# origin, so the honest base URL is the live origin itself.
+NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=https://0pt.app
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Database (Postgres) -- wired in code today: lib/db.ts, app/api/health