diff --git a/server/config.ts b/server/config.ts
index 66cb80ce..228072fb 100644
--- a/server/config.ts
+++ b/server/config.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const environmentSchema = z.object({
         prefer_wildcard_cert: z.boolean().optional(),
     }),
     gerbil: z.object({
-        start_port: z.number().positive().gt(0),
+        start_port: portSchema,
         base_endpoint: z.string(),
         subnet_group: z.string(),
         block_size: z.number().positive().gt(0),
@@ -120,16 +120,9 @@ if (!parsedConfig.success) {
     throw new Error(`Invalid configuration file: ${errors}`);
 }
 
-process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_EXTERNAL_API_BASE_URL = new URL(
-    "/api/v1",
-    parsedConfig.data.app.base_url
-).href;
-process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_INTERNAL_API_BASE_URL = new URL(
-    "/api/v1",
-    `http://${parsedConfig.data.server.internal_hostname}:${parsedConfig.data.server.external_port}`
-).href;
-process.env.PUBLIC_FLAGS_EMAIL_VERIFICATION_REQUIRED = parsedConfig.data
-    .flags?.require_email_verification
+process.env.SERVER_EXTERNAL_PORT = parsedConfig.data.server.external_port.toString();
+process.env.FLAGS_EMAIL_VERIFICATION_REQUIRED = parsedConfig.data.flags
+    ?.require_email_verification
     ? "true"
     : "false";
 
diff --git a/src/api/index.ts b/src/api/index.ts
index 073dc2f5..4da1a36e 100644
--- a/src/api/index.ts
+++ b/src/api/index.ts
@@ -1,20 +1,21 @@
 import axios from "axios";
 
-// let origin;
-// if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
-//     origin = window.location.origin;
-// }
+let origin;
+if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
+    origin = window.location.origin;
+}
 
 export const api = axios.create({
-    baseURL: `http://localhost:3000/api/v1`,
+    baseURL: `${origin}/api/v1`,
     timeout: 10000,
     headers: {
         "Content-Type": "application/json",
     },
 });
 
+// we can pull from env var here becuase it is only used in the server
 export const internal = axios.create({
-    baseURL: `http://localhost:3000/api/v1`,
+    baseURL: `http://localhost:${process.env.SERVER_EXTERNAL_PORT}/api/v1`,
     timeout: 10000,
     headers: {
         "Content-Type": "application/json",