diff --git a/middleware.ts b/middleware.ts
index 30baafd..6b07ae1 100644
--- a/middleware.ts
+++ b/middleware.ts
@@ -12,12 +12,17 @@ export async function middleware(req: NextRequest) {
   console.log("Middleware: Token found, validating...");
 
   try {
-    // Use our internal API route that handles the auth check server-side
-    // This avoids SSL issues as it's a same-origin request
+    // Get the origin but handle localhost differently to avoid SSL issues
     const origin = req.nextUrl.origin;
-    const authCheckUrl = `${origin}/api/auth/check`;
     
-    console.log(`Middleware: Using internal auth check URL: ${authCheckUrl}`);
+    // Construct the auth check URL based on environment
+    // For localhost, explicitly use HTTP instead of HTTPS
+    const isLocalhost = origin.includes('localhost') || origin.includes('127.0.0.1');
+    const protocol = isLocalhost ? 'http' : 'https';
+    const host = req.nextUrl.host;
+    const authCheckUrl = `${protocol}://${host}/api/auth/check`;
+    
+    console.log(`Using internal auth check URL: ${authCheckUrl}`);
     
     const res = await fetch(authCheckUrl, {
       method: "GET",
@@ -38,7 +43,7 @@ export async function middleware(req: NextRequest) {
 
     console.log("Middleware: Auth check successful, proceeding to dashboard");
   } catch (error) {
-    console.error("Middleware: Authentication validation failed:", error);
+    console.error("Authentication validation failed:", error);
     return NextResponse.redirect(new URL("/auth/login", req.url));
   }