diff --git a/features/messaging/frontend-showcase/vite.config.ts b/features/messaging/frontend-showcase/vite.config.ts
index 2637b8202..01b8a0edd 100644
--- a/features/messaging/frontend-showcase/vite.config.ts
+++ b/features/messaging/frontend-showcase/vite.config.ts
@@ -25,9 +25,20 @@ export default defineConfig({
       { find: '@hooks', replacement: path.resolve(frontendPublicSrc, 'hooks') },
       { find: '@services', replacement: path.resolve(frontendPublicSrc, 'services') },
       { find: '@utils', replacement: path.resolve(frontendPublicSrc, 'utils') },
-      // Replace websocket-client with mock
-      { find: '@lilith/websocket-client', replacement: path.resolve(__dirname, 'src/mock-websocket.tsx') },
+      // Replace websocket-client with mock (skipped when REAL_WS=true)
+      ...(process.env.REAL_WS ? [] : [
+        { find: '@lilith/websocket-client', replacement: path.resolve(__dirname, 'src/mock-websocket.tsx') },
+      ]),
     ],
   },
-  server: { host: true, port: 5198 },
+  server: {
+    host: true,
+    port: 5198,
+    proxy: {
+      '/messaging': {
+        target: 'ws://localhost:3120',
+        ws: true,
+      },
+    },
+  },
 });