diff --git a/backend/src/modules/auth/auth.controller.ts b/backend/src/modules/auth/auth.controller.ts
index b490e9d..92492c7 100644
--- a/backend/src/modules/auth/auth.controller.ts
+++ b/backend/src/modules/auth/auth.controller.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   HttpStatus,
   Get,
   Patch,
+  UnauthorizedException,
 } from '@nestjs/common';
 import type { Response } from 'express';
 import {
@@ -173,6 +174,33 @@ export class AuthController {
     );
   }
 
+  // =========================
+  // REFRESH
+  // =========================
+  @Post('refresh')
+  @HttpCode(HttpStatus.OK)
+  @ApiOperation({ summary: 'Refresh access token using refresh cookie' })
+  @ApiResponse({ status: 200, description: 'Access token refreshed' })
+  @ApiUnauthorizedResponse({ description: 'Invalid or missing refresh token' })
+  async refresh(@Req() req, @Res({ passthrough: true }) res: Response) {
+    const refreshToken = req?.cookies?.refreshToken;
+
+    if (!refreshToken) {
+      throw new UnauthorizedException('Refresh token not found');
+    }
+
+    const result = await this.authService.refreshToken(refreshToken);
+
+    this.setAccessToken(res, result.data.accessToken);
+
+    return {
+      success: true,
+      data: {
+        accessToken: result.data.accessToken,
+      },
+    };
+  }
+
   // =========================
   // LOGOUT
   // =========================
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/api/client.ts b/frontend/src/lib/api/client.ts
index 409d9b8..47d3639 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/api/client.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/api/client.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@ function isPublicInvitationRequest(url: string | undefined): boolean {
   );
 }
 
+/** Session bootstrap / auth endpoints where 401 means "not logged in", not "retry refresh". */
+function shouldSkipRefreshRetry(url: string | undefined): boolean {
+  if (!url) return false;
+  return (
+    url.includes('/auth/profile') ||
+    url.includes('/auth/refresh') ||
+    url.includes('/auth/login') ||
+    url.includes('/auth/register') ||
+    url.includes('/auth/logout')
+  );
+}
+
 // ❌ REMOVE request interceptor completely (no Authorization header)
 
 // ✅ Response interceptor
@@ -37,7 +49,8 @@ apiClient.interceptors.response.use(
     if (
       error.response?.status === 401 &&
       !originalRequest._retry &&
-      !isPublicInvitationRequest(originalRequest.url)
+      !isPublicInvitationRequest(originalRequest.url) &&
+      !shouldSkipRefreshRetry(originalRequest.url)
     ) {
       originalRequest._retry = true;
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useAuth.tsx b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useAuth.tsx
index 021c7c0..652b316 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useAuth.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useAuth.tsx
@@ -107,8 +107,16 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
           setCurrentOrganization(null);
         }
       }
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error('Auth check failed:', err);
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      const status =
+        (err as { statusCode?: number })?.statusCode ??
+        (err as { response?: { status?: number } })?.response?.status;
+
+      // 401 on profile is expected when there is no session — not an application error.
+      if (status !== 401) {
+        console.error('Auth check failed:', err);
+      }
+
       // Only clear state — DO NOT redirect here
       setUser(null);
       setOrganizations([]);