diff --git a/next.config.ts b/next.config.ts
index eb5a171..f96b171 100644
--- a/next.config.ts
+++ b/next.config.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 import type { NextConfig } from "next";
 
+// Use NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL for local dev (http://localhost:8000),
+// fall back to the Docker-internal service name for containerised deployments.
+const API_BASE = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL || "http://backend:8000";
+
 const nextConfig: NextConfig = {
   output: "standalone",
   async rewrites() {
     return [
       {
         source: "/api/:path*",
-        destination: "http://backend:8000/api/:path*",
+        destination: `${API_BASE}/api/:path*`,
       },
     ];
   },
diff --git a/src/app/signup/page.tsx b/src/app/signup/page.tsx
index da4ec26..16f1a5b 100644
--- a/src/app/signup/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/signup/page.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { Logo } from "@/components/Logo"
 export default function SignupPage() {
   const [step, setStep] = useState(1)
   const [showPassword, setShowPassword] = useState(false)
-  const [showOTP, setShowOTP] = useState(false)
+  // const [showOTP, setShowOTP] = useState(false) // OTP flow disabled for now
   const [email, setEmail] = useState("")
   const [password, setPassword] = useState("")
   const [isSubmitted, setIsSubmitted] = useState(false)
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ export default function SignupPage() {
   const [phone, setPhone] = useState("")
   const [termsAccepted, setTermsAccepted] = useState(false)
   
-  const isStep1Valid = firstName.trim() !== "" && lastName.trim() !== "" && email.trim() !== "" && phone.length === 10 && termsAccepted
+  // Validation temporarily relaxed: phone length check and OTP verification removed for now.
+  // Original: firstName.trim() !== "" && lastName.trim() !== "" && email.trim() !== "" && phone.length === 10 && termsAccepted
+  const isStep1Valid = firstName.trim() !== "" && lastName.trim() !== "" && email.trim() !== "" && termsAccepted
   
   const router = useRouter()
 
@@ -154,12 +156,15 @@ export default function SignupPage() {
                         placeholder="9876543210" 
                         className="flex-1 bg-background border border-border rounded-xl px-4 py-3 text-sm focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-primary focus:border-transparent transition-all"
                       />
+                      {/* OTP flow temporarily disabled
                       {!showOTP && (
                         <Button variant="secondary" onClick={() => setShowOTP(true)} className="h-[46px] rounded-xl font-bold">Send OTP</Button>
                       )}
+                      */}
                     </div>
                   </div>
 
+                  {/* OTP verification section temporarily disabled
                   {showOTP && (
                     <div className="space-y-2 animate-in slide-in-from-top-2">
                       <label className="text-sm font-bold text-foreground flex justify-between">
@@ -173,6 +178,7 @@ export default function SignupPage() {
                       </div>
                     </div>
                   )}
+                  */}
 
                   <div className="space-y-2">
                     <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
@@ -194,7 +200,7 @@ export default function SignupPage() {
                   <div className="flex items-start gap-2 pt-2">
                     <input type="checkbox" id="terms" checked={termsAccepted} onChange={(e) => setTermsAccepted(e.target.checked)} className="mt-1 w-4 h-4 rounded border-border bg-background focus:ring-primary focus:ring-2 cursor-pointer" />
                     <label htmlFor="terms" className="text-xs text-muted-foreground leading-relaxed">
-                      I agree to the <Link href="/terms-and-conditions" className="text-primary hover:underline">Terms & Conditions</Link> and <Link href="/privacy-policy" className="text-primary hover:underline">Privacy Policy</Link>.
+                      I agree to the <Link href="/terms-and-conditions" className="text-primary hover:underline">Terms &amp; Conditions</Link> and <Link href="/privacy-policy" className="text-primary hover:underline">Privacy Policy</Link>.
                     </label>
                   </div>
                 </div>