diff --git a/.env b/.env
index c789158..b7f9167 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
 VITE_API_BASE=http://backend:8000
-VITE_WIZARD_PORT=8080
diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index 335f93e..7b5b05f 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ import SupportDetailPage from '@/pages/SupportDetailPage'
 import MeetingDetailPage from '@/pages/MeetingDetailPage'
 import axios from 'axios'
 
-const WIZARD_PORT = Number(import.meta.env.VITE_WIZARD_PORT) || 18080
-const WIZARD_BASE = `http://127.0.0.1:${WIZARD_PORT}`
+const getStoredWizardPort = (): number | null => {
+  const stored = Number(localStorage.getItem('HF_WIZARD_PORT'))
+  return stored && stored > 0 ? stored : null
+}
 
 const getApiBase = () => {
   return localStorage.getItem('HF_BACKEND_BASE_URL') ?? undefined
@@ -55,24 +57,26 @@ export default function App() {
       // Backend unreachable — fall through to wizard check
     }
 
-    // Fallback: try the wizard directly (needed during initial setup before backend starts)
-    try {
-      const res = await axios.get(`${WIZARD_BASE}/api/v1/config/harborforge.json`, {
-        timeout: 5000,
-      })
-      const cfg = res.data || {}
-      if (cfg.backend_url) {
-        localStorage.setItem('HF_BACKEND_BASE_URL', cfg.backend_url)
+    // Fallback: if a wizard port was previously saved during setup, try it directly
+    const storedPort = getStoredWizardPort()
+    if (storedPort) {
+      try {
+        const res = await axios.get(`http://127.0.0.1:${storedPort}/api/v1/config/harborforge.json`, {
+          timeout: 5000,
+        })
+        const cfg = res.data || {}
+        if (cfg.backend_url) {
+          localStorage.setItem('HF_BACKEND_BASE_URL', cfg.backend_url)
+        }
+        if (cfg.initialized === true) {
+          setAppState('ready')
+          return
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // ignore — fall through to setup
       }
-      if (cfg.initialized === true) {
-        setAppState('ready')
-      } else {
-        setAppState('setup')
-      }
-    } catch {
-      // Neither backend nor wizard reachable → setup needed
-      setAppState('setup')
     }
+    setAppState('setup')
   }
 
   if (appState === 'checking') {
@@ -80,7 +84,7 @@ export default function App() {
   }
 
   if (appState === 'setup') {
-    return <SetupWizardPage wizardBase={WIZARD_BASE} onComplete={checkInitialized} />
+    return <SetupWizardPage initialWizardPort={getStoredWizardPort()} onComplete={checkInitialized} />
   }
 
   if (loading) return <div className="loading">Loading...</div>
diff --git a/src/pages/SetupWizardPage.tsx b/src/pages/SetupWizardPage.tsx
index 3e9bc47..1cf9542 100644
--- a/src/pages/SetupWizardPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/SetupWizardPage.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { useState } from 'react'
 import axios from 'axios'
 
 interface Props {
-  wizardBase: string
+  initialWizardPort: number | null
   onComplete: () => void
 }
 
@@ -11,55 +11,53 @@ interface SetupForm {
   admin_password: string
   admin_email: string
   admin_full_name: string
-  db_host: string
-  db_port: number
-  db_user: string
-  db_password: string
-  db_database: string
   backend_base_url: string
   project_name: string
   project_description: string
 }
 
-const STEPS = ['Welcome', 'Database', 'Admin', 'Backend', 'Finish']
+const STEPS = ['Wizard', 'Admin', 'Backend', 'Finish']
 
-export default function SetupWizardPage({ wizardBase, onComplete }: Props) {
+export default function SetupWizardPage({ initialWizardPort, onComplete }: Props) {
   const [step, setStep] = useState(0)
   const [error, setError] = useState('')
   const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false)
-  const [wizardOk, setWizardOk] = useState<boolean | null>(null)
+  const [connecting, setConnecting] = useState(false)
+  const [wizardPortInput, setWizardPortInput] = useState<string>(
+    initialWizardPort ? String(initialWizardPort) : ''
+  )
+  const [wizardBase, setWizardBase] = useState<string>('')
   const [form, setForm] = useState<SetupForm>({
     admin_username: 'admin',
     admin_password: '',
     admin_email: '',
     admin_full_name: 'Admin',
-    db_host: 'mysql',
-    db_port: 3306,
-    db_user: 'harborforge',
-    db_password: 'harborforge_pass',
-    db_database: 'harborforge',
-    backend_base_url: 'http://backend:8000',
+    backend_base_url: '',
     project_name: '',
     project_description: '',
   })
 
-  const wizardApi = axios.create({
-    baseURL: wizardBase,
-    timeout: 5000,
-  })
-
   const set = (key: keyof SetupForm, value: string | number) =>
     setForm((f) => ({ ...f, [key]: value }))
 
   const checkWizard = async () => {
     setError('')
+    const port = Number(wizardPortInput)
+    if (!port || port <= 0 || port > 65535) {
+      setError('Please enter a valid wizard port (1-65535).')
+      return
+    }
+    const base = `http://127.0.0.1:${port}`
+    setConnecting(true)
     try {
-      await wizardApi.get('/health')
-      setWizardOk(true)
+      await axios.get(`${base}/health`, { timeout: 5000 })
+      setWizardBase(base)
+      localStorage.setItem('HF_WIZARD_PORT', String(port))
       setStep(1)
     } catch {
-      setWizardOk(false)
-      setError(`Unable to connect to AbstractWizard (${wizardBase}).\nPlease ensure the SSH tunnel is configured:\nssh -L <wizard_port>:127.0.0.1:<wizard_port> user@server`)
+      setError(`Unable to connect to AbstractWizard at ${base}.\nMake sure the SSH tunnel is up:\nssh -L ${port}:127.0.0.1:${port} user@server`)
+    } finally {
+      setConnecting(false)
     }
   }
 
@@ -75,25 +73,19 @@ export default function SetupWizardPage({ wizardBase, onComplete }: Props) {
           email: form.admin_email,
           full_name: form.admin_full_name,
         },
-        database: {
-          host: form.db_host,
-          port: form.db_port,
-          user: form.db_user,
-          password: form.db_password,
-          database: form.db_database,
-        },
         backend_url: form.backend_base_url || undefined,
       }
 
-      await wizardApi.put('/api/v1/config/harborforge.json', config, {
+      await axios.put(`${wizardBase}/api/v1/config/harborforge.json`, config, {
         headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        timeout: 5000,
       })
 
       if (form.backend_base_url) {
         localStorage.setItem('HF_BACKEND_BASE_URL', form.backend_base_url)
       }
 
-      setStep(4)
+      setStep(3)
     } catch (err: any) {
       setError(`Failed to save configuration: ${err.message}`)
     } finally {
@@ -117,45 +109,38 @@ export default function SetupWizardPage({ wizardBase, onComplete }: Props) {
 
         {error && <div className="setup-error">{error}</div>}
 
-        {/* Step 0: Welcome */}
+        {/* Step 0: Wizard connection */}
         {step === 0 && (
           <div className="setup-step-content">
-            <h2>Welcome to HarborForge</h2>
-            <p>Agent/Human collaborative task management platform</p>
+            <h2>Connect to AbstractWizard</h2>
+            <p className="text-dim">Enter the local port that forwards to AbstractWizard, then test the connection.</p>
             <div className="setup-info">
-              <p>⚠️ The setup wizard connects to AbstractWizard via SSH tunnel. Ensure the port is forwarded:</p>
+              <p>⚠️ AbstractWizard is reached over an SSH tunnel. Forward the port first:</p>
               <code>ssh -L &lt;wizard_port&gt;:127.0.0.1:&lt;wizard_port&gt; user@your-server</code>
             </div>
-            <button className="btn-primary" onClick={checkWizard}>
-              Connect to Wizard
-            </button>
-            {wizardOk === false && (
-              <p className="setup-hint">Connection failed. Check the SSH tunnel.</p>
-            )}
-          </div>
-        )}
-
-        {/* Step 1: Database */}
-        {step === 1 && (
-          <div className="setup-step-content">
-            <h2>Database configuration</h2>
-            <p className="text-dim">Configure MySQL connection (docker-compose defaults are fine if using the bundled MySQL).</p>
             <div className="setup-form">
-              <label>Host <input value={form.db_host} onChange={(e) => set('db_host', e.target.value)} /></label>
-              <label>Port <input type="number" value={form.db_port} onChange={(e) => set('db_port', Number(e.target.value))} /></label>
-              <label>Username <input value={form.db_user} onChange={(e) => set('db_user', e.target.value)} /></label>
-              <label>Password <input type="password" value={form.db_password} onChange={(e) => set('db_password', e.target.value)} /></label>
-              <label>Database <input value={form.db_database} onChange={(e) => set('db_database', e.target.value)} /></label>
+              <label>
+                Wizard port
+                <input
+                  type="number"
+                  value={wizardPortInput}
+                  min={1}
+                  max={65535}
+                  onChange={(e) => setWizardPortInput(e.target.value)}
+                  placeholder="e.g. 8080"
+                />
+              </label>
             </div>
             <div className="setup-nav">
-              <button className="btn-back" onClick={() => setStep(0)}>Back</button>
-              <button className="btn-primary" onClick={() => setStep(2)}>Next</button>
+              <button className="btn-primary" onClick={checkWizard} disabled={connecting}>
+                {connecting ? 'Connecting...' : 'Test connection & continue'}
+              </button>
             </div>
           </div>
         )}
 
-        {/* Step 2: Admin */}
-        {step === 2 && (
+        {/* Step 1: Admin */}
+        {step === 1 && (
           <div className="setup-step-content">
             <h2>Admin account</h2>
             <p className="text-dim">Create the first admin user</p>
@@ -166,26 +151,26 @@ export default function SetupWizardPage({ wizardBase, onComplete }: Props) {
               <label>Full name <input value={form.admin_full_name} onChange={(e) => set('admin_full_name', e.target.value)} /></label>
             </div>
             <div className="setup-nav">
-              <button className="btn-back" onClick={() => setStep(1)}>Back</button>
+              <button className="btn-back" onClick={() => setStep(0)}>Back</button>
               <button className="btn-primary" onClick={() => {
                 if (!form.admin_password) { setError('Please set an admin password'); return }
                 setError('')
-                setStep(3)
+                setStep(2)
               }}>Next</button>
             </div>
           </div>
         )}
 
-        {/* Step 3: Backend */}
-        {step === 3 && (
+        {/* Step 2: Backend */}
+        {step === 2 && (
           <div className="setup-step-content">
             <h2>Backend URL</h2>
-            <p className="text-dim">Configure the HarborForge backend API URL</p>
+            <p className="text-dim">Configure the HarborForge backend API URL (leave blank to use the frontend default).</p>
             <div className="setup-form">
               <label>Backend Base URL <input value={form.backend_base_url} onChange={(e) => set('backend_base_url', e.target.value)} placeholder="http://backend:8000" /></label>
             </div>
             <div className="setup-nav">
-              <button className="btn-back" onClick={() => setStep(2)}>Back</button>
+              <button className="btn-back" onClick={() => setStep(1)}>Back</button>
               <button className="btn-primary" onClick={saveConfig} disabled={saving}>
                 {saving ? 'Saving...' : 'Finish setup'}
               </button>
@@ -193,8 +178,8 @@ export default function SetupWizardPage({ wizardBase, onComplete }: Props) {
           </div>
         )}
 
-        {/* Step 4: Done */}
-        {step === 4 && (
+        {/* Step 3: Done */}
+        {step === 3 && (
           <div className="setup-step-content">
             <div className="setup-done">
               <h2>✅ Setup complete!</h2>
diff --git a/src/vite-env.d.ts b/src/vite-env.d.ts
index dd6f269..7019602 100644
--- a/src/vite-env.d.ts
+++ b/src/vite-env.d.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 interface ImportMetaEnv {
   readonly VITE_API_BASE: string
-  readonly VITE_WIZARD_PORT: string
 }
 
 interface ImportMeta {