diff --git a/src/app/api/referrals/code/route.test.ts b/src/app/api/referrals/code/route.test.ts
index 3a7524e4..a3ceda46 100644
--- a/src/app/api/referrals/code/route.test.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/referrals/code/route.test.ts
@@ -7,13 +7,35 @@ vi.mock("@/lib/auth/get-user", () => ({
   getAuthContext: (...args: unknown[]) => mockGetAuthContext(...args),
 }));
 
-function makeRequest() {
-  return new NextRequest("http://localhost/api/referrals/code", { method: "GET" });
+function makeRequest(origin = "http://localhost") {
+  return new NextRequest(`${origin}/api/referrals/code`, { method: "GET" });
+}
+
+function mockProfile(profile: { referral_code: string | null; username: string }) {
+  const mockSupabase = {
+    from: () => ({
+      select: () => ({
+        eq: () => ({
+          single: () =>
+            Promise.resolve({
+              data: profile,
+              error: null,
+            }),
+        }),
+      }),
+    }),
+  };
+
+  mockGetAuthContext.mockResolvedValue({
+    user: { id: "user1" },
+    supabase: mockSupabase,
+  });
 }
 
 describe("GET /api/referrals/code", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs();
   });
 
   it("should return 401 when not authenticated", async () => {
@@ -23,30 +45,24 @@ describe("GET /api/referrals/code", () => {
   });
 
   it("should return referral code and link", async () => {
-    const mockSupabase = {
-      from: () => ({
-        select: () => ({
-          eq: () => ({
-            single: () =>
-              Promise.resolve({
-                data: { referral_code: "johndoe", username: "johndoe" },
-                error: null,
-              }),
-          }),
-        }),
-      }),
-    };
-
-    mockGetAuthContext.mockResolvedValue({
-      user: { id: "user1" },
-      supabase: mockSupabase,
-    });
+    mockProfile({ referral_code: "johndoe", username: "johndoe" });
 
-    const res = await GET(makeRequest());
+    const res = await GET(makeRequest("https://preview.ugig.example"));
     expect(res.status).toBe(200);
     const body = await res.json();
     expect(body.code).toBe("johndoe");
-    expect(body.link).toBe("https://ugig.net/?ref=johndoe");
+    expect(body.link).toBe("https://preview.ugig.example/?ref=johndoe");
+  });
+
+  it("should prefer configured app URL and encode referral code", async () => {
+    vi.stubEnv("NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL", "https://staging.ugig.example/");
+    mockProfile({ referral_code: "code/with space", username: "johndoe" });
+
+    const res = await GET(makeRequest("https://preview.ugig.example"));
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    const body = await res.json();
+    expect(body.code).toBe("code/with space");
+    expect(body.link).toBe("https://staging.ugig.example/?ref=code%2Fwith%20space");
   });
 
   it("should return 404 when profile not found", async () => {
@@ -54,8 +70,7 @@ describe("GET /api/referrals/code", () => {
       from: () => ({
         select: () => ({
           eq: () => ({
-            single: () =>
-              Promise.resolve({ data: null, error: { message: "Not found" } }),
+            single: () => Promise.resolve({ data: null, error: { message: "Not found" } }),
           }),
         }),
       }),
diff --git a/src/app/api/referrals/code/route.ts b/src/app/api/referrals/code/route.ts
index 53bfc186..21cb78f5 100644
--- a/src/app/api/referrals/code/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/referrals/code/route.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";
 import { getAuthContext } from "@/lib/auth/get-user";
 
+function getReferralBaseUrl(request: NextRequest) {
+  return (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL?.trim() || request.nextUrl.origin).replace(/\/+$/, "");
+}
+
 // GET /api/referrals/code - Get my referral link/code
 export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
   try {
@@ -22,15 +26,13 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
     }
 
     const code = profile.referral_code || profile.username;
+    const baseUrl = getReferralBaseUrl(request);
 
     return NextResponse.json({
       code,
-      link: `https://ugig.net/?ref=${code}`,
+      link: `${baseUrl}/?ref=${encodeURIComponent(code)}`,
     });
   } catch {
-    return NextResponse.json(
-      { error: "An unexpected error occurred" },
-      { status: 500 }
-    );
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: "An unexpected error occurred" }, { status: 500 });
   }
 }