diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index 0b63a66..4547830 100644
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -249,6 +249,22 @@ function publicPlayer(player) {
   };
 }
 
+function getPublicOrigin(req) {
+  const forwardedProto = String(req.get("x-forwarded-proto") || "").split(",")[0].trim();
+  const proto = forwardedProto || req.protocol || "http";
+  const forwardedHost = String(req.get("x-forwarded-host") || "").split(",")[0].trim();
+  const host = forwardedHost || req.get("host") || "";
+  return host ? `${proto}://${host}` : "";
+}
+
+function absoluteUrl(req, value) {
+  const url = String(value || "").trim();
+  if (!url || /^https?:\/\//i.test(url)) return url;
+  if (!url.startsWith("/")) return url;
+  const origin = getPublicOrigin(req);
+  return origin ? `${origin}${url}` : url;
+}
+
 function getPlayerSession(req) {
   const token = parseCookies(req)[playerSessionCookie];
   if (!token) return null;
@@ -410,6 +426,10 @@ function getProtectedDownloadUrl(item) {
   return resolveDownloadUrl(item) ? `/api/software/${encodeURIComponent(item.id)}/download` : "";
 }
 
+function getUpdateDownloadUrl(item) {
+  return resolveDownloadUrl(item) ? `/api/software/${encodeURIComponent(item.id)}/update-download` : "";
+}
+
 function getReleaseNotes(item, manifest) {
   return manifest.release_notes || manifest.releaseNotes || manifest.changelog || item.changelog || "";
 }
@@ -453,11 +473,12 @@ function applyVersionManifest(item, sourceManifest, mode = "auto") {
   return item;
 }
 
-function buildVersionManifest(item) {
+function buildVersionManifest(item, req) {
   const sourceManifest = item.versionManifest && typeof item.versionManifest === "object" ? item.versionManifest : {};
   const latestVersion = getLatestVersion(item);
-  const downloadUrl = getProtectedDownloadUrl(item);
+  const downloadUrl = absoluteUrl(req, getUpdateDownloadUrl(item));
   const versionManifestUrl = `/api/software/${encodeURIComponent(item.id)}/version.json`;
+  const updateUrl = absoluteUrl(req, versionManifestUrl);
   const releaseNotes = getReleaseNotes(item, sourceManifest);
   const minimumVersion = sourceManifest.min_supported_version || sourceManifest.minSupportedVersion || sourceManifest.minimumVersion || sourceManifest.minVersion || "";
 
@@ -473,8 +494,8 @@ function buildVersionManifest(item) {
     size: sourceManifest.size || item.size || "",
     sizeBytes: sourceManifest.sizeBytes ?? item.sizeBytes ?? 0,
     sha256: sourceManifest.sha256 || item.sha256 || "",
-    updateUrl: versionManifestUrl,
-    update_url: versionManifestUrl,
+    updateUrl,
+    update_url: updateUrl,
     downloadUrl,
     download_url: downloadUrl,
     fullInstallerUrl: downloadUrl,
@@ -485,13 +506,13 @@ function buildVersionManifest(item) {
     min_supported_version: minimumVersion,
     deltaUpdates: sourceManifest.deltaUpdates || sourceManifest.delta_updates || {},
     delta_updates: sourceManifest.delta_updates || sourceManifest.deltaUpdates || {},
-    checkUpdateUrl: `/api/software/${encodeURIComponent(item.id)}/check-update`,
-    versionManifestUrl,
+    checkUpdateUrl: absoluteUrl(req, `/api/software/${encodeURIComponent(item.id)}/check-update`),
+    versionManifestUrl: updateUrl,
   };
 }
 
-function buildUpdateCheck(item, currentVersion) {
-  const manifest = buildVersionManifest(item);
+function buildUpdateCheck(item, currentVersion, req) {
+  const manifest = buildVersionManifest(item, req);
   const latestVersion = manifest.version;
   const comparison = compareVersions(currentVersion, latestVersion);
   const minimumVersion = manifest.min_supported_version || manifest.minSupportedVersion || manifest.minimumVersion || manifest.minVersion || "";
@@ -697,7 +718,7 @@ app.get("/api/software/:id/latest", async (req, res, next) => {
       res.status(404).json({ error: "Software not found" });
       return;
     }
-    const manifest = buildVersionManifest(item);
+    const manifest = buildVersionManifest(item, req);
     res.json({
       id: item.id,
       name: item.name,
@@ -731,7 +752,7 @@ app.get("/api/software/:id/version.json", async (req, res, next) => {
       res.status(404).json({ error: "Software not found" });
       return;
     }
-    res.json(buildVersionManifest(item));
+    res.json(buildVersionManifest(item, req));
   } catch (error) {
     next(error);
   }
@@ -751,7 +772,7 @@ app.get("/api/software/:id/check-update", async (req, res, next) => {
       res.status(404).json({ error: "Software not found" });
       return;
     }
-    res.json(buildUpdateCheck(item, currentVersion));
+    res.json(buildUpdateCheck(item, currentVersion, req));
   } catch (error) {
     next(error);
   }
@@ -771,13 +792,13 @@ app.post("/api/software/:id/check-update", async (req, res, next) => {
       res.status(404).json({ error: "Software not found" });
       return;
     }
-    res.json(buildUpdateCheck(item, currentVersion));
+    res.json(buildUpdateCheck(item, currentVersion, req));
   } catch (error) {
     next(error);
   }
 });
 
-app.get("/api/software/:id/download", requirePlayer, async (req, res, next) => {
+async function sendSoftwareDownload(req, res, next) {
   try {
     const store = await readStore();
     const item = store.items.find((entry) => entry.id === req.params.id && entry.active !== false);
@@ -810,7 +831,10 @@ app.get("/api/software/:id/download", requirePlayer, async (req, res, next) => {
   } catch (error) {
     next(error);
   }
-});
+}
+
+app.get("/api/software/:id/update-download", sendSoftwareDownload);
+app.get("/api/software/:id/download", requirePlayer, sendSoftwareDownload);
 
 app.get("/api/admin/software", requirePlayer, requireAdmin, async (req, res, next) => {
   try {