diff --git a/apps/machine/src/services/lightning.ts b/apps/machine/src/services/lightning.ts
index 039cf01..1f5f6fc 100644
--- a/apps/machine/src/services/lightning.ts
+++ b/apps/machine/src/services/lightning.ts
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@ async function loadLightningConfig(): Promise<LightningConfig> {
 // Config is loaded async now - will be set in initializeLightningServices
 let CONFIG: LightningConfig
 
-/** Dev-only relay used when neither env nor the pairing supplies one. */
-const DEV_DEFAULT_RELAY = 'ws://localhost:7777'
+/** Dev-only relay used when neither env nor the pairing supplies one. Matches
+ * the dev stack — LNbits's bundled nostrrelay (no separate strfry container). */
+const DEV_DEFAULT_RELAY = 'ws://localhost:5001/nostrrelay/test'
 
 /** Safety timeout in ms (15 minutes) — absolute maximum LNURL session lifetime.
  * Sessions are normally cleaned up by the state machine on idle transition.