diff --git a/frontend/src/index.jsx b/frontend/src/index.jsx
index de9559e..97de002 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/index.jsx
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ const runtimeApiBase =
     ? window.__PAPERCRATE_API_BASE_URL
     : '';
 
-const API_ROOT = (runtimeApiBase || process.env.API_BASE_URL || '').replace(/\/$/, '');
+const DEFAULT_DEV_API = 'http://127.0.0.1:3000';
+
+const API_ROOT = (runtimeApiBase || process.env.API_BASE_URL || DEFAULT_DEV_API).replace(/\/$/, '');
 
 const api = axios.create({
   baseURL: API_ROOT ? `${API_ROOT}/api` : '/api',
diff --git a/frontend/webpack.config.js b/frontend/webpack.config.js
index 69d0143..644afdd 100644
--- a/frontend/webpack.config.js
+++ b/frontend/webpack.config.js
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ const env = dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, '.env.local') }).parse
 
 const DEFAULT_DEV_API = 'http://127.0.0.1:3000';
 
-const API_BASE_URL = env.API_BASE_URL || process.env.API_BASE_URL || '';
-const devServerApiTarget = API_BASE_URL || DEFAULT_DEV_API;
+const API_BASE_URL = env.API_BASE_URL || process.env.API_BASE_URL || DEFAULT_DEV_API;
 
 module.exports = {
   entry: './src/index.jsx',
@@ -49,13 +48,6 @@ module.exports = {
     port: 5173,
     historyApiFallback: true,
     open: true,
-    proxy: [
-      {
-        context: ['/api'],
-        target: devServerApiTarget,
-        changeOrigin: true,
-      },
-    ],
   },
   devtool: 'source-map',
   resolve: {