diff --git a/web/app.js b/web/app.js
index 5a53217..b862074 100644
--- a/web/app.js
+++ b/web/app.js
@@ -4,9 +4,20 @@ import { scanQRFromCamera } from "./scanner.js";
 
 const { createApp, ref, reactive, onMounted, watch } = Vue;
 
+function normalizeInitialApiBase() {
+  const saved = localStorage.getItem("geo_api_base") || "";
+  const host = window.location.hostname.toLowerCase();
+  if (saved) {
+    const pointsToLocalhost = /^https?:\/\/(localhost|127\.0\.0\.1)(:\d+)?(\/|$)/i.test(saved);
+    const runningHosted = host !== "localhost" && host !== "127.0.0.1";
+    if (!(runningHosted && pointsToLocalhost)) return saved;
+  }
+  return window.location.origin;
+}
+
 createApp({
   setup() {
-    const apiBase = ref(localStorage.getItem("geo_api_base") || "https://tenerife.baby");
+    const apiBase = ref(normalizeInitialApiBase());
     const state = reactive({
       publicKey: "",
       privateKey: "",
diff --git a/web/leaflet-demo.js b/web/leaflet-demo.js
index 18f034d..2399700 100644
--- a/web/leaflet-demo.js
+++ b/web/leaflet-demo.js
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ function currentApiBase() {
   return apiBaseEl.value.trim().replace(/\/+$/g, "");
 }
 
+function shouldUseHostedDefault(savedBase) {
+  const host = window.location.hostname.toLowerCase();
+  if (host === "localhost" || host === "127.0.0.1") return false;
+  return /^https?:\/\/(localhost|127\.0\.0\.1)(:\d+)?(\/|$)/i.test(savedBase || "");
+}
+
 function extFromFilename(name) {
   const idx = name.lastIndexOf(".");
   if (idx <= 0) return "";
@@ -331,9 +337,13 @@ document.getElementById("uploadAsset").onclick = async () => {
 };
 
 const savedBase = localStorage.getItem("geo_api_base");
-if (savedBase) {
+if (savedBase && !shouldUseHostedDefault(savedBase)) {
   apiBaseEl.value = savedBase;
   setClientBase(savedBase);
+} else {
+  const defaultBase = window.location.origin;
+  apiBaseEl.value = defaultBase;
+  setClientBase(defaultBase);
 }
 
 renderSharedAssetFromQuery();
diff --git a/web/maplibre-demo.js b/web/maplibre-demo.js
index d47a780..da84e45 100644
--- a/web/maplibre-demo.js
+++ b/web/maplibre-demo.js
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ function currentApiBase() {
   return apiBaseEl.value.trim().replace(/\/+$/g, "");
 }
 
+function shouldUseHostedDefault(savedBase) {
+  const host = window.location.hostname.toLowerCase();
+  if (host === "localhost" || host === "127.0.0.1") return false;
+  return /^https?:\/\/(localhost|127\.0\.0\.1)(:\d+)?(\/|$)/i.test(savedBase || "");
+}
+
 function extFromFilename(name) {
   const idx = name.lastIndexOf(".");
   if (idx <= 0) return "";
@@ -644,7 +650,7 @@ map.on("click", (event) => {
 });
 
 const savedBase = localStorage.getItem("geo_api_base");
-if (savedBase) {
+if (savedBase && !shouldUseHostedDefault(savedBase)) {
   apiBaseEl.value = savedBase;
   setClientBase(savedBase);
 } else {