diff --git a/commands/api.js b/commands/api.js
index d642d12..aecba0e 100644
--- a/commands/api.js
+++ b/commands/api.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import devtools from '../lib/devtools.js';
 import * as acorn from "acorn";
 import fs from "fs";
 import cors from "cors";
+import { base_host } from "../client/config.js";
 import { createHttpTerminator } from 'http-terminator';
 
 const app = express();
@@ -96,6 +97,21 @@ export const main = async (opts) => {
   if(opts.DANGER_ADMIN) {
     const { media_servers } = await import("../lib/config.js");
     app.use(cors({origin: media_servers}));
+
+    // this is necessary to deal with Node 18 defaulting to IPv6 for "localhost"
+    app.use((req, res, next) => {
+      const full_host = `${req.protocol}://${req.get('host')}`;
+
+      if(full_host !== base_host) {
+        const redirect_to = new URL(req.url, base_host);
+
+        log.error(`Your client/config.js:base_host is ${base_host} but you are accessing the site at ${full_host}. Redirecting to ${redirect_to} so cookies will function!`);
+
+        res.redirect(redirect_to);
+      } else {
+        next();
+      }
+    })
   }
 
   if(opts.debugHeaders) {