diff --git a/ai-server/index.mjs b/ai-server/index.mjs
index e359516..8b6ccb9 100644
--- a/ai-server/index.mjs
+++ b/ai-server/index.mjs
@@ -269,6 +269,13 @@ function parseBody(req) {
   })
 }
 
+function checkPort(http, host, port, timeout) {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    const r = http.get(`http://${host}:${port}`, { timeout }, (res) => { res.resume(); resolve() })
+    r.on("error", reject)
+  })
+}
+
 function parseURL(req) {
   const url = new URL(req.url, `http://${req.headers.host || "localhost"}`)
   return { pathname: url.pathname, searchParams: url.searchParams }
@@ -309,27 +316,23 @@ const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
     }
 
     // GET /status — combined health of all services
-    // Used by the splash page to check if AI, Scraper, and Frontend are ready.
-    // Polls each service internally to avoid cross-origin CORS issues.
+    // Used by the splash page to check if AI and Frontend are ready.
+    // Scraper is no longer part of dev:start so it's always reported ready.
     if (req.method === "GET" && pathname === "/status") {
       const { default: http } = await import("http")
-      const results = { ai: true }
-      // Check scraper (port 3008)
+      const results = { ai: true, scraper: true }
+      // Check frontend (port 3006) — try localhost, fallback to 127.0.0.1
       try {
-        await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-          const r = http.get("http://127.0.0.1:3008/health", { timeout: 3000 }, (res) => { res.resume(); resolve() })
-          r.on("error", reject)
-        })
-        results.scraper = true
-      } catch { results.scraper = false }
-      // Check frontend (port 3006)
-      try {
-        await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-          const r = http.get("http://127.0.0.1:3006", { timeout: 3000 }, (res) => { res.resume(); resolve() })
-          r.on("error", reject)
-        })
+        await checkPort(http, "localhost", 3006, 2000)
         results.frontend = true
-      } catch { results.frontend = false }
+      } catch {
+        try {
+          await checkPort(http, "127.0.0.1", 3006, 2000)
+          results.frontend = true
+        } catch {
+          results.frontend = false
+        }
+      }
       return sendJSON(res, 200, results)
     }