diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index ca85eb228..72f8ea283 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import './index.css';
 import React, { useEffect } from 'react';
 import HomePage from './pages/HomePage';
 import { BackendHealthIndicator } from './components/BackendHealthIndicator';
-import { backendService } from './services/backendService';
 
 export default function App() {
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -11,8 +10,9 @@ export default function App() {
       try {
         // Check if we're running in Tauri environment
         if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && window.__TAURI__) {
+          const { tauriBackendService } = await import('./services/tauriBackendService');
           console.log('Running in Tauri - Starting backend on React app startup...');
-          await backendService.startBackend();
+          await tauriBackendService.startBackend();
           console.log('Backend started successfully');
         } 
       } catch (error) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useBackendHealth.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useBackendHealth.ts
index 842175382..6a8bb84dc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useBackendHealth.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useBackendHealth.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react';
-import { backendService } from '../services/backendService';
+import { makeApiUrl } from '../utils/api';
 
 export interface BackendHealthState {
   isHealthy: boolean;
@@ -24,13 +24,31 @@ export const useBackendHealth = (checkInterval: number = 2000) => {
     setAttemptCount(prev => prev + 1);
     
     try {
-      const isHealthy = await backendService.checkHealth();
+      // Direct HTTP call to backend health endpoint using api.ts
+      const healthUrl = makeApiUrl('/api/v1/info/status');
+      
+      const controller = new AbortController();
+      const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 5000); // 5 second timeout
+      
+      const response = await fetch(healthUrl, {
+        method: 'GET',
+        signal: controller.signal,
+        headers: {
+          'Accept': 'application/json',
+        },
+      });
+      
+      clearTimeout(timeoutId);
+      
+      const isHealthy = response.ok;
+      
       setHealthState({
         isHealthy,
         isChecking: false,
         lastChecked: new Date(),
         error: null,
       });
+      
       if (isHealthy) {
         setAttemptCount(0); // Reset attempt count on success
       }
@@ -39,10 +57,19 @@ export const useBackendHealth = (checkInterval: number = 2000) => {
       const timeSinceStartup = now.getTime() - startupTime.getTime();
       const isWithinStartupPeriod = timeSinceStartup < 60000; // 60 seconds
       
-      // Don't show error during initial startup period
-      const errorMessage = isWithinStartupPeriod 
-        ? 'Backend starting up...' 
-        : (error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Health check failed');
+      let errorMessage: string;
+      
+      if (error instanceof Error) {
+        if (error.name === 'AbortError') {
+          errorMessage = isWithinStartupPeriod ? 'Backend starting up...' : 'Health check timeout';
+        } else if (error.message.includes('fetch')) {
+          errorMessage = isWithinStartupPeriod ? 'Backend starting up...' : 'Cannot connect to backend';
+        } else {
+          errorMessage = isWithinStartupPeriod ? 'Backend starting up...' : error.message;
+        }
+      } else {
+        errorMessage = isWithinStartupPeriod ? 'Backend starting up...' : 'Health check failed';
+      }
       
       setHealthState({
         isHealthy: false,
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/backendService.ts b/frontend/src/services/tauriBackendService.ts
similarity index 77%
rename from frontend/src/services/backendService.ts
rename to frontend/src/services/tauriBackendService.ts
index d696cfce7..79383c300 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/backendService.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/tauriBackendService.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';
 
-export class BackendService {
-  private static instance: BackendService;
+export class TauriBackendService {
+  private static instance: TauriBackendService;
   private backendStarted = false;
 
-  static getInstance(): BackendService {
-    if (!BackendService.instance) {
-      BackendService.instance = new BackendService();
+  static getInstance(): TauriBackendService {
+    if (!TauriBackendService.instance) {
+      TauriBackendService.instance = new TauriBackendService();
     }
-    return BackendService.instance;
+    return TauriBackendService.instance;
   }
 
   async startBackend(): Promise<void> {
@@ -54,4 +54,4 @@ export class BackendService {
   }
 }
 
-export const backendService = BackendService.getInstance();
\ No newline at end of file
+export const tauriBackendService = TauriBackendService.getInstance();
\ No newline at end of file