diff --git a/backend/.env.example b/backend/.env.example
index 71c20bf..867c39a 100644
--- a/backend/.env.example
+++ b/backend/.env.example
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 PORT=8000
 NODE_ENV=production
 DATABASE_URL=file:/app/prisma/dev.db
-FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:6767
+FRONTEND_URL=https://draw.louiscreates.com
+API_BASE_PATH=/api
 # Keep disabled unless traffic always comes through a trusted reverse proxy.
 TRUST_PROXY=false
 AUTH_MODE=local
diff --git a/backend/src/config.ts b/backend/src/config.ts
index 99d395c..ddb60f7 100644
--- a/backend/src/config.ts
+++ b/backend/src/config.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ interface Config {
   nodeEnv: string;
   databaseUrl?: string;
   frontendUrl?: string;
+  apiBasePath: string;
   authMode: AuthMode;
   jwtSecret: string;
   jwtAccessExpiresIn: string;
@@ -82,6 +83,22 @@ const parseFrontendUrl = (raw: string | undefined): string | undefined => {
   return normalized.length > 0 ? normalized : undefined;
 };
 
+const parseApiBasePath = (raw: string | undefined): string => {
+  const fallback = "/api";
+  if (!raw || raw.trim().length === 0) return fallback;
+
+  const trimmed = raw.trim();
+  if (trimmed === "/") return "/";
+
+  const withLeadingSlash = trimmed.startsWith("/") ? trimmed : `/${trimmed}`;
+  const withoutTrailingSlash =
+    withLeadingSlash.length > 1 && withLeadingSlash.endsWith("/")
+      ? withLeadingSlash.slice(0, -1)
+      : withLeadingSlash;
+
+  return withoutTrailingSlash.length > 0 ? withoutTrailingSlash : fallback;
+};
+
 const resolveDatabaseUrl = (rawUrl?: string) => {
   const backendRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, "../");
   const defaultDbPath = path.resolve(backendRoot, "prisma/dev.db");
@@ -189,6 +206,7 @@ export const config: Config = {
   nodeEnv: getOptionalEnv("NODE_ENV", "development"),
   databaseUrl: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
   frontendUrl: parseFrontendUrl(process.env.FRONTEND_URL),
+  apiBasePath: parseApiBasePath(process.env.API_BASE_PATH),
   authMode: resolvedAuthMode,
   jwtSecret: resolveJwtSecret(getOptionalEnv("NODE_ENV", "development")),
   jwtAccessExpiresIn: getOptionalEnv("JWT_ACCESS_EXPIRES_IN", "15m"),
diff --git a/backend/src/index.ts b/backend/src/index.ts
index 23da4ba..b0aabfc 100644
--- a/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ const normalizeOrigins = (rawOrigins?: string | null): string[] => {
 
 const allowedOrigins = normalizeOrigins(config.frontendUrl);
 console.log("Allowed origins:", allowedOrigins);
+console.log("API base path:", config.apiBasePath);
 
 const isDev = (process.env.NODE_ENV || "development") !== "production";
 const isLocalDevOrigin = (origin: string): boolean => {
@@ -132,6 +133,10 @@ if (trustProxyValue === true) {
 
 const httpServer = createServer(app);
 const io = new Server(httpServer, {
+  path:
+    config.apiBasePath === "/"
+      ? "/socket.io"
+      : `${config.apiBasePath}/socket.io`,
   cors: {
     origin: (origin, cb) => cb(null, isAllowedOrigin(origin ?? undefined)),
     credentials: true,
@@ -329,15 +334,18 @@ const generalRateLimiter = rateLimit({
 
 app.use(generalRateLimiter);
 
+const apiApp = express();
+app.use(config.apiBasePath, apiApp);
+
 registerCsrfProtection({
-  app,
+  app: apiApp,
   isAllowedOrigin,
   maxRequestsPerWindow: config.csrfMaxRequests,
   enableDebugLogging: process.env.DEBUG_CSRF === "true",
 });
 
 // Authentication routes (no CSRF required, uses JWT)
-app.use("/auth", authRouter);
+apiApp.use("/auth", authRouter);
 
 // Files field can contain arbitrary file metadata, so we use unknown and validate structure
 const filesFieldSchema = z
@@ -556,13 +564,13 @@ registerSocketHandlers({
   jwtSecret: config.jwtSecret,
 });
 
-app.get("/health", (req, res) => {
+apiApp.get("/health", (req, res) => {
   res.status(200).json({ status: "ok" });
 });
 
 // Health check endpoint doesn't require auth
 
-registerDashboardRoutes(app, {
+registerDashboardRoutes(apiApp, {
   prisma,
   requireAuth,
   asyncHandler,
@@ -584,7 +592,7 @@ registerDashboardRoutes(app, {
 });
 
 registerImportExportRoutes({
-  app,
+  app: apiApp,
   prisma,
   requireAuth,
   asyncHandler,
@@ -622,5 +630,8 @@ if (isMain) {
     console.log(`Server running on port ${PORT}`);
     console.log(`Environment: ${config.nodeEnv}`);
     console.log(`Frontend URL: ${config.frontendUrl}`);
+    console.log(
+      `API endpoints: ${config.apiBasePath === "/" ? "/" : `${config.apiBasePath}/`}*`
+    );
   });
 }