diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b947077..5c0fd7d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 node_modules/
 dist/
+renderer/
diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index ae83aa3..fb84a13 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ const path = require('path')
 
 const isDev = !!process.env.FABRIC_DESKTOP_URL
 const DEFAULT_DEV_URL = 'http://localhost:5173'
-const DEFAULT_PROD_ENTRY = path.join(__dirname, 'offline.html')
+// Self-contained: load the bundled frontend if present, else the placeholder.
+const BUNDLED_ENTRY = path.join(__dirname, 'renderer', 'index.html')
+const DEFAULT_PROD_ENTRY = fs.existsSync(BUNDLED_ENTRY)
+  ? BUNDLED_ENTRY
+  : path.join(__dirname, 'offline.html')
 
 let mainWindow = null
 let tray = null
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index efec69d..3c9167e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@
   "scripts": {
     "start": "electron .",
     "start:dev": "FABRIC_DESKTOP_URL=http://localhost:5173 electron .",
-    "pack": "electron-builder --dir",
-    "dist": "electron-builder",
-    "dist:linux": "electron-builder --linux AppImage deb tar.gz",
-    "dist:mac": "electron-builder --mac dmg zip",
-    "dist:win": "electron-builder --win nsis zip"
+    "build:renderer": "node scripts/build-renderer.mjs",
+    "pack": "npm run build:renderer && electron-builder --dir",
+    "dist": "npm run build:renderer && electron-builder",
+    "dist:linux": "npm run build:renderer && electron-builder --linux AppImage deb tar.gz",
+    "dist:mac": "npm run build:renderer && electron-builder --mac dmg zip",
+    "dist:win": "npm run build:renderer && electron-builder --win nsis zip"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "electron": "^37.2.1",
@@ -34,7 +35,8 @@
       "preload.js",
       "offline.html",
       "package.json",
-      "assets/**"
+      "assets/**",
+      "renderer/**"
     ],
     "asar": true,
     "icon": "build/icon.png",
diff --git a/scripts/build-renderer.mjs b/scripts/build-renderer.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1ad1fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build-renderer.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+/**
+ * Build the Fabric web frontend with a relative asset base and copy the
+ * static bundle into Fabric.Desktop/renderer/ so the packaged Electron app
+ * is self-contained (loaded via file://, no separate web server needed).
+ *
+ * Fabric.Frontend is the sibling submodule under the parent Fabric repo.
+ */
+import { execSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import fs from 'node:fs'
+import path from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+
+const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))
+const DESKTOP = path.resolve(__dirname, '..')
+const FRONTEND = path.resolve(DESKTOP, '..', 'Fabric.Frontend')
+const SRC = path.join(FRONTEND, 'dist-desktop')
+const DEST = path.join(DESKTOP, 'renderer')
+
+if (!fs.existsSync(FRONTEND)) {
+  console.error(`[build-renderer] Fabric.Frontend not found at ${FRONTEND}`)
+  process.exit(1)
+}
+
+console.log('[build-renderer] building frontend (relative base)…')
+execSync('npm install --no-audit --no-fund', { cwd: FRONTEND, stdio: 'inherit' })
+execSync('npm run build:desktop', { cwd: FRONTEND, stdio: 'inherit' })
+
+if (!fs.existsSync(path.join(SRC, 'index.html'))) {
+  console.error(`[build-renderer] expected ${SRC}/index.html after build`)
+  process.exit(1)
+}
+
+fs.rmSync(DEST, { recursive: true, force: true })
+fs.cpSync(SRC, DEST, { recursive: true })
+console.log(`[build-renderer] copied ${SRC} -> ${DEST}`)