diff --git a/cauldron/config.py b/cauldron/config.py
index edd4141..83c6344 100644
--- a/cauldron/config.py
+++ b/cauldron/config.py
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ class Config:
     bind_host: str
     bind_port: int
 
-    mealie_base_url: str
+    mealie_api_url: str    # internal URL cauldron uses for HTTP calls (LAN-internal)
+    mealie_public_url: str # external URL shown to users for token-mint UI
     mealie_api_token: str  # system token (Cobb's "Cauldron" token, used for admin batch ops)
 
     clawdforge_url: str
@@ -41,7 +42,12 @@ def load() -> Config:
         secret_key=os.environ["SECRET_KEY"],
         bind_host=os.environ.get("BIND_HOST", "0.0.0.0"),
         bind_port=int(os.environ.get("BIND_PORT", "7790")),
-        mealie_base_url=os.environ["MEALIE_BASE_URL"].rstrip("/"),
+        mealie_api_url=os.environ.get(
+            "MEALIE_API_URL", os.environ["MEALIE_BASE_URL"]
+        ).rstrip("/"),
+        mealie_public_url=os.environ.get(
+            "MEALIE_PUBLIC_URL", os.environ["MEALIE_BASE_URL"]
+        ).rstrip("/"),
         mealie_api_token=os.environ["MEALIE_API_TOKEN"],
         clawdforge_url=os.environ["CLAWDFORGE_URL"].rstrip("/"),
         clawdforge_token=os.environ["CLAWDFORGE_TOKEN"],
diff --git a/cauldron/mealie.py b/cauldron/mealie.py
index 1f32fa3..ff036e3 100644
--- a/cauldron/mealie.py
+++ b/cauldron/mealie.py
@@ -35,19 +35,28 @@ class Mealie:
     # --- low-level ----------------------------------------------------------
 
     def _get(self, path: str, **params) -> dict:
-        r = self.session.get(f"{self.base_url}{path}", params=params, timeout=30)
+        try:
+            r = self.session.get(f"{self.base_url}{path}", params=params, timeout=30)
+        except requests.RequestException as e:
+            raise MealieError(f"GET {path} transport: {e}") from e
         if r.status_code >= 400:
             raise MealieError(f"GET {path} -> {r.status_code}: {r.text[:300]}")
         return r.json()
 
     def _put(self, path: str, body: dict) -> dict:
-        r = self.session.put(f"{self.base_url}{path}", json=body, timeout=30)
+        try:
+            r = self.session.put(f"{self.base_url}{path}", json=body, timeout=30)
+        except requests.RequestException as e:
+            raise MealieError(f"PUT {path} transport: {e}") from e
         if r.status_code >= 400:
             raise MealieError(f"PUT {path} -> {r.status_code}: {r.text[:300]}")
         return r.json()
 
     def _post(self, path: str, body: dict) -> dict:
-        r = self.session.post(f"{self.base_url}{path}", json=body, timeout=30)
+        try:
+            r = self.session.post(f"{self.base_url}{path}", json=body, timeout=30)
+        except requests.RequestException as e:
+            raise MealieError(f"POST {path} transport: {e}") from e
         if r.status_code >= 400:
             raise MealieError(f"POST {path} -> {r.status_code}: {r.text[:300]}")
         return r.json()
diff --git a/cauldron/server.py b/cauldron/server.py
index 96c8a5a..e99d052 100644
--- a/cauldron/server.py
+++ b/cauldron/server.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ forge = Forge(
     default_timeout=cfg.default_timeout_secs,
 )
 # System-tier Mealie client (Cobb's "Cauldron" token; admin batch ops only)
-system_mealie = Mealie(base_url=cfg.mealie_base_url, api_token=cfg.mealie_api_token)
+system_mealie = Mealie(base_url=cfg.mealie_api_url, api_token=cfg.mealie_api_token)
 system_sterilizer = Sterilizer(mealie=system_mealie, forge=forge, model=cfg.default_model)
 
 
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def create_app() -> Flask:
             tok = crypto.decrypt(blob)
         except Exception:
             return None
-        return Mealie(base_url=cfg.mealie_base_url, api_token=tok)
+        return Mealie(base_url=cfg.mealie_api_url, api_token=tok)
 
     # ---------- public ---------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def create_app() -> Flask:
         return render_template_string(
             CONNECT_TEMPLATE,
             user=u,
-            mealie_url=cfg.mealie_base_url,
+            mealie_url=cfg.mealie_public_url,
             css=_PALETTE_CSS,
         )
 
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ def create_app() -> Flask:
             return ("empty token", 400)
 
         # Validate against Mealie before storing — don't persist a bad token
-        test = Mealie(base_url=cfg.mealie_base_url, api_token=token)
+        test = Mealie(base_url=cfg.mealie_api_url, api_token=token)
         try:
             test.who_am_i()
         except MealieError as e: