diff --git a/backend/server/auth/msal_auth.py b/backend/server/auth/msal_auth.py
index 933cda5..44e8746 100644
--- a/backend/server/auth/msal_auth.py
+++ b/backend/server/auth/msal_auth.py
@@ -1,18 +1,33 @@
 """
 MSAL / Azure AD token validator (SPA PKCE flow).
 Backend only validates incoming Bearer JWTs — no server-side MSAL client needed.
+Frontend sends the MSAL idToken (aud = clientId) for user identification.
 """
 
 import logging
-import time
 from typing import Optional, Dict, Any
 
 import jwt
+from jwt import PyJWKClient
 
 from ..config_runtime import server_config
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# JWKS client caches keys after first fetch
+_jwks_client: Optional[PyJWKClient] = None
+
+
+def _get_jwks_client() -> PyJWKClient:
+    global _jwks_client
+    if _jwks_client is None:
+        jwks_uri = (
+            f"https://login.microsoftonline.com/"
+            f"{server_config.MSAL_TENANT_ID}/discovery/v2.0/keys"
+        )
+        _jwks_client = PyJWKClient(jwks_uri, cache_keys=True)
+    return _jwks_client
+
 
 class MSALAuthenticator:
     def __init__(self):
@@ -31,29 +46,30 @@ class MSALAuthenticator:
             return None
 
         try:
-            # Decode without signature verification (PKCE SPA tokens may use
-            # audience = client_id; full sig verification requires fetching JWKS).
-            unverified = jwt.decode(
+            jwks_client = _get_jwks_client()
+            signing_key = jwks_client.get_signing_key_from_jwt(access_token)
+            claims = jwt.decode(
                 access_token,
-                options={"verify_signature": False, "verify_aud": False},
+                signing_key.key,
+                algorithms=["RS256"],
+                audience=server_config.MSAL_CLIENT_ID,
+                issuer=f"https://login.microsoftonline.com/{server_config.MSAL_TENANT_ID}/v2.0",
             )
 
-            user_id = unverified.get('oid')
+            user_id = claims.get('oid')
             if not user_id:
                 logger.warning("Token missing 'oid' claim")
                 return None
 
-            exp = unverified.get('exp', 0)
-            if exp < time.time():
-                logger.warning("Token expired")
-                return None
-
             return {
                 'oid': user_id,
-                'preferred_username': unverified.get('preferred_username') or unverified.get('upn', ''),
-                'name': unverified.get('name', ''),
+                'preferred_username': claims.get('preferred_username') or claims.get('upn', ''),
+                'name': claims.get('name', ''),
             }
 
+        except jwt.ExpiredSignatureError:
+            logger.warning("Token expired")
+            return None
         except jwt.InvalidTokenError as e:
             logger.warning(f"Invalid JWT: {e}")
             return None
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index eb34b10..d07cdc5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -22,11 +22,16 @@ function AuthGate({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
     if (inProgress !== InteractionStatus.None) return
 
     const acquire = async () => {
-      // Dev mode: skip MSAL, just call /auth/me directly
-      if (import.meta.env.DEV || accounts.length === 0) {
+      // Dev mode: skip MSAL, just call /auth/me directly (backend uses DEV_MODE)
+      if (import.meta.env.DEV) {
         if (!user) fetchMe()
         return
       }
+      // Not yet authenticated — redirect to Azure AD login
+      if (accounts.length === 0) {
+        instance.loginRedirect({ scopes: ['openid', 'profile', 'email'] })
+        return
+      }
       try {
         const result = await instance.acquireTokenSilent({
           account: accounts[0],