diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index 6e9511e..4eec05b 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ from pathlib import Path
 DATA_DIR = Path(os.environ.get("DATA_DIR", "/data"))
 CONFIG_FILE = DATA_DIR / "config.json"
 
+# Optional internal URL for Docker-to-Docker API calls (avoids Cloudflare hairpin).
+# The user-facing mealie_url is still used for browser links.
+MEALIE_INTERNAL_URL = os.environ.get("MEALIE_INTERNAL_URL", "").strip().rstrip("/")
+
 _DEFAULTS = {
     "mealie_url": "",
     "mealie_api_key": "",
diff --git a/app/main.py b/app/main.py
index f619083..3915719 100644
--- a/app/main.py
+++ b/app/main.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def settings_test():
     if not url or not key:
         return jsonify({"ok": False, "error": "Nincs megadva Mealie URL vagy API kulcs."})
     try:
-        client = MealieClient(url, key)
+        client = MealieClient(url, key, api_url=config.MEALIE_INTERNAL_URL)
         info = client.test_connection()
         return jsonify({"ok": True, "data": info})
     except Exception as exc:
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ def send_to_mealie():
         return jsonify({"ok": False, "error": "Érvénytelen kérés."})
 
     try:
-        client = MealieClient(cfg["mealie_url"], cfg["mealie_api_key"])
+        client = MealieClient(cfg["mealie_url"], cfg["mealie_api_key"],
+                              api_url=config.MEALIE_INTERNAL_URL)
         slug = client.create_recipe(payload)
         recipe_url = f"{cfg['mealie_url']}/g/home/r/{slug}"
         return jsonify({"ok": True, "slug": slug, "url": recipe_url})
diff --git a/app/mealie.py b/app/mealie.py
index 7088005..0f691f3 100644
--- a/app/mealie.py
+++ b/app/mealie.py
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ import requests
 class MealieClient:
     """Thin wrapper around the Mealie REST API."""
 
-    def __init__(self, base_url: str, api_key: str):
+    def __init__(self, base_url: str, api_key: str, api_url: str = ""):
         self.base_url = base_url.rstrip("/")
+        self.api_url = api_url.rstrip("/") if api_url else self.base_url
         self.session = requests.Session()
         self.session.headers.update({
             "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ class MealieClient:
 
     def test_connection(self) -> dict:
         """Return Mealie app info or raise on failure."""
-        r = self.session.get(f"{self.base_url}/api/app/about", timeout=10)
+        r = self.session.get(f"{self.api_url}/api/app/about", timeout=10)
         r.raise_for_status()
         return r.json()
 
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ class MealieClient:
         """
         # Step 1: create stub
         r = self.session.post(
-            f"{self.base_url}/api/recipes",
+            f"{self.api_url}/api/recipes",
             json={"name": recipe["title"]},
             timeout=15,
         )
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ class MealieClient:
         # Step 2: build full payload and PATCH
         payload = self._build_payload(recipe)
         r = self.session.patch(
-            f"{self.base_url}/api/recipes/{slug}",
+            f"{self.api_url}/api/recipes/{slug}",
             json=payload,
             timeout=15,
         )
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ class MealieClient:
             "image": (f"recipe.{ext}", io.BytesIO(img_resp.content), content_type),
         }
         r = self.session.put(
-            f"{self.base_url}/api/recipes/{slug}/image",
+            f"{self.api_url}/api/recipes/{slug}/image",
             files=files,
             timeout=30,
         )