diff --git a/server/index.ts b/server/index.ts
index 68787f6..4caf8bc 100644
--- a/server/index.ts
+++ b/server/index.ts
@@ -738,11 +738,30 @@ async function process3DGenJob(job: Gen3DJob) {
 	const MODEL = "fal-ai/hunyuan3d-v21";
 
 	try {
-		// 1. Submit to fal.ai queue
+		// 1. Read staged image from disk and convert to data URI for reliable fal.ai delivery
+		let imageInput = job.imageUrl;
+		const stagedMatch = job.imageUrl.match(/\/(?:api\/files|data\/files)\/generated\/([^?#]+)/);
+		if (stagedMatch) {
+			try {
+				const dir = resolve(process.env.FILES_DIR || "./data/files", "generated");
+				const file = Bun.file(resolve(dir, stagedMatch[1]));
+				if (await file.exists()) {
+					const buf = Buffer.from(await file.arrayBuffer());
+					const ext = stagedMatch[1].split(".").pop()?.toLowerCase() || "jpg";
+					const mime = ext === "png" ? "image/png" : ext === "webp" ? "image/webp" : "image/jpeg";
+					imageInput = `data:${mime};base64,${buf.toString("base64")}`;
+					console.log(`[3d-gen] Using data URI (${Math.round(buf.length / 1024)}KB) instead of URL`);
+				}
+			} catch (e: any) {
+				console.warn(`[3d-gen] Data URI fallback failed, using URL:`, e.message);
+			}
+		}
+
+		// 2. Submit to fal.ai queue
 		const submitRes = await fetch(`https://queue.fal.run/${MODEL}`, {
 			method: "POST",
 			headers: falHeaders,
-			body: JSON.stringify({ input_image_url: job.imageUrl, textured_mesh: true, octree_resolution: 256 }),
+			body: JSON.stringify({ input_image_url: imageInput, textured_mesh: true, octree_resolution: 256 }),
 		});
 		if (!submitRes.ok) {
 			const errText = await submitRes.text();
@@ -763,8 +782,8 @@ async function process3DGenJob(job: Gen3DJob) {
 		}
 		const { request_id } = await submitRes.json() as { request_id: string };
 
-		// 2. Poll for completion (up to 5 min)
-		const deadline = Date.now() + 300_000;
+		// 3. Poll for completion (up to 8 min — Hunyuan3D with textures can take 3-5 min)
+		const deadline = Date.now() + 480_000;
 		let completed = false;
 		while (Date.now() < deadline) {
 			await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3000));
@@ -789,7 +808,7 @@ async function process3DGenJob(job: Gen3DJob) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		// 3. Fetch result (retry once after 3s on transient failure)
+		// 4. Fetch result (retry once after 3s on transient failure)
 		let resultRes = await fetch(
 			`https://queue.fal.run/${MODEL}/requests/${request_id}`,
 			{ headers: falHeaders },
@@ -807,8 +826,16 @@ async function process3DGenJob(job: Gen3DJob) {
 		if (!resultRes.ok) {
 			const errBody = await resultRes.text().catch(() => "");
 			console.error(`[3d-gen] Result fetch failed after retry (status=${resultRes.status}):`, errBody);
+			let detail = "Failed to retrieve 3D model";
+			try {
+				const parsed = JSON.parse(errBody);
+				if (parsed.detail) {
+					detail = Array.isArray(parsed.detail) ? parsed.detail[0]?.msg || detail
+						: typeof parsed.detail === "string" ? parsed.detail : detail;
+				}
+			} catch {}
 			job.status = "failed";
-			job.error = "Failed to retrieve 3D model";
+			job.error = detail;
 			job.completedAt = Date.now();
 			return;
 		}
@@ -824,7 +851,7 @@ async function process3DGenJob(job: Gen3DJob) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		// 4. Download and save
+		// 5. Download and save
 		const modelRes = await fetch(modelUrl);
 		if (!modelRes.ok) {
 			job.status = "failed";
@@ -1207,8 +1234,8 @@ const PUBLIC_ORIGIN = process.env.PUBLIC_ORIGIN || "https://rspace.online";
 /** Build public URL using the request's Host header so subdomains (jeff.rspace.online) work */
 function publicUrl(c: any, path: string): string {
 	const host = c.req.header("host") || new URL(PUBLIC_ORIGIN).host;
-	const proto = c.req.header("x-forwarded-proto") || "https";
-	return `${proto}://${host}${path}`;
+	// Always use https — site is behind Cloudflare/Traefik, x-forwarded-proto may be "http" internally
+	return `https://${host}${path}`;
 }
 
 app.post("/api/image-stage", async (c) => {