diff --git a/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/media-proxy/overview.md b/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/media-proxy/overview.md
index 554843835..fc900b653 100644
--- a/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/media-proxy/overview.md
+++ b/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/media-proxy/overview.md
@@ -91,10 +91,12 @@ An operator can limit which web origins read media through CORS. `FLUXER_MEDIA_P
 | `report` | Every response is the same as under `off`, and each read `enforce` would refuse is logged |
 | `enforce` | A read from an origin outside the allowlist returns 403 |
 
-Under `enforce`, an `Origin` is allowed when it equals the serialised form of an entry in `FLUXER_MEDIA_PROXY_CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS` byte for byte. Anything else is refused, including `null`, a repeated `Origin` header, and a value that is not ASCII. A refused read returns 403 on every read path, and the Media Proxy reads no object and fetches no external URL for it. [Media Proxy settings](/operator/configuration/#media-proxy-settings) defines how an entry is parsed and serialised.
+Under `enforce`, an `Origin` is allowed when it equals the serialised form of an entry in `FLUXER_MEDIA_PROXY_CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS` byte for byte. The desktop app origin `fluxer-app://app` is always allowed and needs no entry. Anything else is refused, including `null`, a repeated `Origin` header, and a value that is not ASCII. A refused read returns 403 on every read path, and the Media Proxy reads no object and fetches no external URL for it. [Media Proxy settings](/operator/configuration/#media-proxy-settings) defines how an entry is parsed and serialised.
 
 A read with no `Origin` is served without `Access-Control-Allow-Origin`. A browser sends no `Origin` for an `<img>` or a `<video>` without `crossorigin`, so those elements still load. An allowed read gets its own origin back in `Access-Control-Allow-Origin` on a media representation and on a 416. No error has CORS headers.
 
+A preflight `OPTIONS` request from an allowed origin gets a 204 that allows `GET` and `HEAD` with the `Range` header. A preflight from a refused origin gets the same 403 as a read.
+
 Under `enforce`, every response to a `GET` or `HEAD` on a read path has `Vary: Accept-Encoding, Origin`, the 403 for a refused `Origin` included.
 
 `report` changes no response. The Media Proxy logs a warning with the reason `cors_origin_would_deny` for each read `enforce` would refuse.
diff --git a/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/operator/configuration.mdx b/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/operator/configuration.mdx
index d517fbf5c..d9204a553 100644
--- a/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/operator/configuration.mdx
+++ b/fluxer_docs/src/content/docs/operator/configuration.mdx
@@ -1441,7 +1441,7 @@ Default `off`. The [cross-origin read policy](/media-proxy/overview/#cross-origi
 
 #### `FLUXER_MEDIA_PROXY_CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS`
 
-Default empty. Comma-separated origins that may read media through CORS, such as `https://web.fluxer.app`. Spaces around an entry and empty entries are ignored. Each entry is parsed as a URL and must be `http` or `https` with no credentials, query, fragment, or path beyond `/`. Its host must be an IPv4 address, a bracketed IPv6 address, or a domain name whose labels are ASCII letters, digits, and hyphens after parsing. So a wildcard such as `https://*.fluxer.app`, a brace pattern, an underscore, a trailing dot on a domain name, or any non-ASCII character fails. Write an internationalised domain name in its punycode form. Any failing entry makes the process exit. An entry is compared in the form a browser sends. `https://Web.Fluxer.App:443/` matches `https://web.fluxer.app`. Required when `FLUXER_MEDIA_PROXY_CORS_MODE` is `report` or `enforce`. When the policy is `report` or `enforce`, the Media Proxy logs the parsed list once at startup. When `FLUXER_MEDIA_PROXY_MODE` is `static` or `relay`, the Media Proxy ignores it.
+Default empty. Comma-separated origins that may read media through CORS, such as `https://web.fluxer.app`. Spaces around an entry and empty entries are ignored. Each entry is parsed as a URL and must be `http` or `https` with no credentials, query, fragment, or path beyond `/`. Its host must be an IPv4 address, a bracketed IPv6 address, or a domain name whose labels are ASCII letters, digits, and hyphens after parsing. So a wildcard such as `https://*.fluxer.app`, a brace pattern, an underscore, a trailing dot on a domain name, or any non-ASCII character fails. Write an internationalised domain name in its punycode form. The one exception is the desktop app origin `fluxer-app://app`. It is accepted as an entry and is always allowed without one. Any failing entry makes the process exit. An entry is compared in the form a browser sends. `https://Web.Fluxer.App:443/` matches `https://web.fluxer.app`. Required when `FLUXER_MEDIA_PROXY_CORS_MODE` is `report` or `enforce`. When the policy is `report` or `enforce`, the Media Proxy logs the parsed list once at startup. When `FLUXER_MEDIA_PROXY_MODE` is `static` or `relay`, the Media Proxy ignores it.
 
 Compose forwards it from `.env`, and defaults it to the public origin, built from `FLUXER_PUBLIC_ORIGIN`, or from `FLUXER_PUBLIC_SCHEME`, `FLUXER_DOMAIN`, and `FLUXER_PUBLIC_PORT`. That origin is the only entry, so the web app the instance serves reads its own media. The hosted web client and the desktop app run on `https://web.fluxer.app`. To let them read this instance's media through CORS, set the list in `.env` to the public origin and `https://web.fluxer.app`, such as `https://chat.example.com,https://web.fluxer.app`. A value set in `.env` replaces the Compose value, so it must name the public origin too.
 
diff --git a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/config/parse.rs b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/config/parse.rs
index b11b5298e..c4ab237c7 100644
--- a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/config/parse.rs
+++ b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/config/parse.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
 
 use super::{BucketStyle, DeploymentMode, PolicyMode, StorageBackend};
-use crate::secret::SecretBytes;
+use crate::{constants::DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN, secret::SecretBytes};
 use base64::{Engine as _, engine::general_purpose};
 use http::HeaderValue;
 
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ fn parse_origin(entry: &str) -> Option<HeaderValue> {
     if !entry.is_ascii() {
         return None;
     }
+    if entry == DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN {
+        return Some(HeaderValue::from_static(DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN));
+    }
     let url = url::Url::parse(entry).ok()?;
     let bare = matches!(url.scheme(), "http" | "https")
         && url.host().is_some_and(is_origin_host)
diff --git a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/config/tests/cors.rs b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/config/tests/cors.rs
index 1dee2e946..194346688 100644
--- a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/config/tests/cors.rs
+++ b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/config/tests/cors.rs
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ fn allowed_origins_are_normalised_to_their_browser_serialisation() {
         ("https://web.fluxer.app/", vec!["https://web.fluxer.app"]),
         ("https://web.fluxer.app:443", vec!["https://web.fluxer.app"]),
         ("http://localhost:8088", vec!["http://localhost:8088"]),
+        ("fluxer-app://app", vec!["fluxer-app://app"]),
+        (
+            "https://web.fluxer.app,fluxer-app://app,fluxer-app://app",
+            vec!["https://web.fluxer.app", "fluxer-app://app"],
+        ),
         ("http://127.0.0.1:8088", vec!["http://127.0.0.1:8088"]),
         ("http://[::1]:8088", vec!["http://[::1]:8088"]),
         (
@@ -94,7 +99,11 @@ fn rejects_an_allowed_origin_that_is_not_a_bare_http_origin() {
         "web.fluxer.app",
         "ftp://web.fluxer.app",
         "file:///tmp/x",
-        "fluxer-app://app",
+        "fluxer-app://app/",
+        "fluxer-app://evil",
+        "fluxer-app://app:443",
+        "FLUXER-APP://APP",
+        "other-app://app",
         "https://user@web.fluxer.app",
         "https://user:pw@web.fluxer.app",
         "https://web.fluxer.app/app",
diff --git a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/constants.rs b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/constants.rs
index 620514f42..4cae34525 100644
--- a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/constants.rs
+++ b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/constants.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
 
 pub const MAX_MEDIA_PROXY_BYTES: usize = 500 * 1024 * 1024;
+pub const DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN: &str = "fluxer-app://app";
 
 pub const OUTBOUND_USER_AGENT: &str =
     "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Fluxerbot/1.0; +https://fluxer.app)";
diff --git a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/server/cors.rs b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/server/cors.rs
index 54dd4f336..c4c0ed918 100644
--- a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/server/cors.rs
+++ b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/server/cors.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,22 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
 
-use crate::{request_log, server::response::error::text_with_source};
+use crate::{
+    constants::DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN, http_headers, request_log,
+    server::response::error::text_with_source,
+};
 use axum::{
+    body::Body,
     http::{HeaderMap, HeaderValue, Method, StatusCode, header},
     response::Response,
 };
 
 const VARY_ON_ORIGIN: &str = "Accept-Encoding, Origin";
+const VARY_ON_PREFLIGHT: &str =
+    "Origin, Access-Control-Request-Method, Access-Control-Request-Headers";
+const PREFLIGHT_ALLOW_METHODS: &str = "GET, HEAD, OPTIONS";
+const PREFLIGHT_ALLOW_HEADERS: &str = "Range";
+const PREFLIGHT_MAX_AGE_SECONDS: &str = "600";
+const ANY_ORIGIN: &str = "*";
 const ORIGIN_LOG_BYTES_MAX: usize = 256;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
@@ -24,6 +34,9 @@ pub(in crate::server) fn check_origin(allowed: &[HeaderValue], request: &HeaderM
     if origins.next().is_some() {
         return OriginCheck::Refused;
     }
+    if origin.as_bytes() == DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN.as_bytes() {
+        return OriginCheck::Allowed(HeaderValue::from_static(DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN));
+    }
     allowed
         .iter()
         .find(|candidate| candidate.as_bytes() == origin.as_bytes())
@@ -45,6 +58,38 @@ pub(in crate::server) fn refused_response(request: &HeaderMap) -> Response {
     response
 }
 
+pub(in crate::server) fn is_preflight(method: &Method, request: &HeaderMap) -> bool {
+    method == Method::OPTIONS
+        && request.contains_key(header::ORIGIN)
+        && request.contains_key(header::ACCESS_CONTROL_REQUEST_METHOD)
+}
+
+pub(in crate::server) fn preflight_response(check: &OriginCheck) -> Response {
+    let mut response = Response::new(Body::empty());
+    *response.status_mut() = StatusCode::NO_CONTENT;
+    let headers = response.headers_mut();
+    http_headers::add_security_headers(headers);
+    let allow_origin = match check {
+        OriginCheck::Allowed(origin) => origin.clone(),
+        OriginCheck::Absent | OriginCheck::Refused => HeaderValue::from_static(ANY_ORIGIN),
+    };
+    headers.insert(header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_ORIGIN, allow_origin);
+    headers.insert(
+        header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_METHODS,
+        HeaderValue::from_static(PREFLIGHT_ALLOW_METHODS),
+    );
+    headers.insert(
+        header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_HEADERS,
+        HeaderValue::from_static(PREFLIGHT_ALLOW_HEADERS),
+    );
+    headers.insert(
+        header::ACCESS_CONTROL_MAX_AGE,
+        HeaderValue::from_static(PREFLIGHT_MAX_AGE_SECONDS),
+    );
+    headers.insert(header::VARY, HeaderValue::from_static(VARY_ON_PREFLIGHT));
+    response
+}
+
 pub(in crate::server) fn log_would_refuse(method: &Method, path: &str, request: &HeaderMap) {
     tracing::warn!(
         reason = "cors_origin_would_deny",
diff --git a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/server/routes/dispatch.rs b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/server/routes/dispatch.rs
index cb9a45078..abf3bf508 100644
--- a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/server/routes/dispatch.rs
+++ b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/server/routes/dispatch.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ pub(in crate::server) async fn catch_all(
     request: Request<Body>,
 ) -> Response {
     let method = request.method().clone();
+    if app.cfg.mode != DeploymentMode::Relay && cors::is_preflight(&method, request.headers()) {
+        return preflight(&app, request.uri().path(), request.headers());
+    }
     if method != Method::GET && method != Method::HEAD {
         return text(StatusCode::METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED, "Method Not Allowed");
     }
@@ -89,6 +92,21 @@ pub(in crate::server) async fn catch_all(
     response
 }
 
+fn preflight(app: &AppState, path: &str, headers: &HeaderMap) -> Response {
+    if app.cfg.cors.mode == PolicyMode::Off {
+        return cors::preflight_response(&OriginCheck::Absent);
+    }
+    let check = cors::check_origin(&app.cfg.cors.allowed_origins, headers);
+    if check != OriginCheck::Refused {
+        return cors::preflight_response(&check);
+    }
+    if app.cfg.cors.mode == PolicyMode::Enforce {
+        return cors::refused_response(headers);
+    }
+    cors::log_would_refuse(&Method::OPTIONS, path, headers);
+    cors::preflight_response(&check)
+}
+
 async fn serve_public_read(app: &Arc<AppState>, read: PublicRead<'_>) -> Response {
     let PublicRead {
         method,
@@ -189,7 +207,7 @@ fn without_signature_parameters(params: &HashMap<String, String>) -> HashMap<Str
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
-    use crate::config::Config;
+    use crate::{config::Config, constants::DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN};
     use axum::{
         body::to_bytes,
         http::{HeaderValue, header},
@@ -852,6 +870,140 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    fn preflight_request(path: &str, origin: &str, requested: Option<&str>) -> Request<Body> {
+        let mut builder = Request::builder()
+            .method(Method::OPTIONS)
+            .uri(path)
+            .header(header::ORIGIN, origin);
+        if let Some(requested) = requested {
+            builder = builder.header(header::ACCESS_CONTROL_REQUEST_METHOD, requested);
+        }
+        builder.body(Body::empty()).expect("preflight request")
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn enforce_serves_the_desktop_app_origin_without_configuring_it() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().expect("storage root");
+        let root = tmp.path().canonicalize().expect("canonical storage root");
+        let root = root.as_path();
+        write_stored_representations(root);
+        let app = dispatch_app("mp", root, ENFORCE);
+        for method in [Method::GET, Method::HEAD] {
+            let response = dispatch_request(
+                &app,
+                read_request(
+                    method.clone(),
+                    THEME_PATH,
+                    &[DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN.as_bytes()],
+                    None,
+                ),
+            )
+            .await;
+            assert_eq!(StatusCode::OK, response.status(), "{method}");
+            assert_eq!(
+                Some(DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN.to_owned()),
+                header_value(&response, header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_ORIGIN),
+                "{method}"
+            );
+            assert_eq!(vec![ORIGIN_VARY.to_owned()], vary_values(&response));
+        }
+        for lookalike in [
+            "fluxer-app://app/",
+            "fluxer-app://evil",
+            "fluxer-app://app.evil.example",
+            "fluxer-app://app:443",
+            "FLUXER-APP://APP",
+            "fluxer-app:app",
+        ] {
+            let response = dispatch_request(
+                &app,
+                read_request(Method::GET, THEME_PATH, &[lookalike.as_bytes()], None),
+            )
+            .await;
+            assert_eq!(StatusCode::FORBIDDEN, response.status(), "{lookalike}");
+            assert_eq!(
+                None,
+                header_value(&response, header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_ORIGIN),
+                "{lookalike}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn preflight_answers_allowed_origins_and_refuses_the_rest() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().expect("storage root");
+        let root = tmp.path().canonicalize().expect("canonical storage root");
+        let root = root.as_path();
+        let enforce = dispatch_app("mp", root, ENFORCE);
+        for origin in [WEB, DESKTOP_APP_ORIGIN] {
+            for requested in ["GET", "HEAD"] {
+                let response = dispatch_request(
+                    &enforce,
+                    preflight_request(THEME_PATH, origin, Some(requested)),
+                )
+                .await;
+                let label = format!("{origin} {requested}");
+                assert_eq!(StatusCode::NO_CONTENT, response.status(), "{label}");
+                assert_eq!(
+                    Some(origin.to_owned()),
+                    header_value(&response, header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_ORIGIN),
+                    "{label}"
+                );
+                assert_eq!(
+                    Some("GET, HEAD, OPTIONS".to_owned()),
+                    header_value(&response, header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_METHODS),
+                    "{label}"
+                );
+                assert_eq!(
+                    Some("Range".to_owned()),
+                    header_value(&response, header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_HEADERS),
+                    "{label}"
+                );
+                assert_eq!(
+                    vec![
+                        "Origin, Access-Control-Request-Method, Access-Control-Request-Headers"
+                            .to_owned()
+                    ],
+                    vary_values(&response),
+                    "{label}"
+                );
+                assert!(body_of(response).await.is_empty(), "{label}");
+            }
+        }
+
+        let refused =
+            dispatch_request(&enforce, preflight_request(THEME_PATH, EVIL, Some("GET"))).await;
+        assert_eq!(StatusCode::FORBIDDEN, refused.status());
+        assert_eq!(
+            None,
+            header_value(&refused, header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_ORIGIN)
+        );
+
+        let not_a_preflight =
+            dispatch_request(&enforce, preflight_request(THEME_PATH, WEB, None)).await;
+        assert_eq!(StatusCode::METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED, not_a_preflight.status());
+
+        for (mode, extra) in [("mp", &[][..]), ("mp", REPORT), ("static", &[][..])] {
+            let app = dispatch_app(mode, root, extra);
+            let response =
+                dispatch_request(&app, preflight_request(THEME_PATH, EVIL, Some("GET"))).await;
+            assert_eq!(StatusCode::NO_CONTENT, response.status(), "{mode}");
+            assert_eq!(
+                Some("*".to_owned()),
+                header_value(&response, header::ACCESS_CONTROL_ALLOW_ORIGIN),
+                "{mode}"
+            );
+        }
+
+        let relay = dispatch_app("relay", root, &[]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            StatusCode::METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED,
+            dispatch_request(&relay, preflight_request(THEME_PATH, WEB, Some("GET")))
+                .await
+                .status()
+        );
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn enforce_applies_to_upload_mode_reads() {
         let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().expect("storage root");