diff --git a/libs/feature/auth/src/lib/auth.service.spec.ts b/libs/feature/auth/src/lib/auth.service.spec.ts
index 7aac605..83ebee3 100644
--- a/libs/feature/auth/src/lib/auth.service.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/feature/auth/src/lib/auth.service.spec.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,18 @@ describe('AuthService', () => {
       expect(service.isLoading()).toBe(false);
     });
 
+    it('issues /me with withCredentials so the session cookie crosses the SPA→BFF origin gap', () => {
+      const { http } = setup();
+      const req = http.expectOne(ME_URL);
+      // Without this, `fetch`'s default `credentials: 'same-origin'`
+      // would suppress the session cookie on the cross-origin
+      // (localhost:4200 → localhost:3000) request and /me would
+      // always answer 401 in dev. Verified manually against the BFF
+      // log on 2026-05-12.
+      expect(req.request.withCredentials).toBe(true);
+      req.flush({ error: 'unauthenticated' }, { status: 401, statusText: 'Unauthorized' });
+    });
+
     it('transitions to anonymous on 401', async () => {
       const { service, http } = setup();
       http
diff --git a/libs/feature/auth/src/lib/auth.service.ts b/libs/feature/auth/src/lib/auth.service.ts
index cc8043a..212fe0b 100644
--- a/libs/feature/auth/src/lib/auth.service.ts
+++ b/libs/feature/auth/src/lib/auth.service.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,18 @@ export class AuthService {
    */
   async refresh(): Promise<void> {
     try {
-      const user = await firstValueFrom(this.http.get<CurrentUser>(this.meUrl));
+      // `withCredentials: true` is mandatory: the SPA at
+      // http://localhost:4200 calls the BFF at http://localhost:3000 —
+      // different origins, so `fetch`'s default `credentials:
+      // 'same-origin'` would drop the `__Host-portal_session` cookie
+      // and /me would always answer 401. Production (single origin
+      // behind the same edge) doesn't need it but it's harmless there.
+      // CORS on the BFF side already allows credentials
+      // (`apps/portal-bff/src/main.ts` → `enableCors({ credentials:
+      // true })`).
+      const user = await firstValueFrom(
+        this.http.get<CurrentUser>(this.meUrl, { withCredentials: true }),
+      );
       this._state.set({ kind: 'authenticated', user });
     } catch (err) {
       this._state.set(toErrorState(err));