diff --git a/frontend/nginx.conf b/frontend/nginx.conf
index 3599995..4a71603 100644
--- a/frontend/nginx.conf
+++ b/frontend/nginx.conf
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@ server {
     }
 
     # Proxy API calls to the backend container
+    # Use Docker's internal DNS resolver so upstream resolves at request time
+    resolver 127.0.0.11 valid=10s;
+    set $api http://api:3001;
     location /api/ {
-        proxy_pass         http://api:3001/;
+        proxy_pass         $api/;
         proxy_set_header   Host              $host;
         proxy_set_header   X-Real-IP         $remote_addr;
         proxy_set_header   X-Forwarded-For   $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;