diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 9eded7f..674672f 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ushort"
-version = "0.1.1"
+version = "0.1.2"
 dependencies = [
  "ctrlc",
  "include_dir",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index ac52d24..c467e85 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ushort"
-version = "0.1.1"
+version = "0.1.2"
 edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.86"
 description = "A compact, self-contained URL shortener"
diff --git a/config.example.toml b/config.example.toml
index a5049b7..b740f77 100644
--- a/config.example.toml
+++ b/config.example.toml
@@ -16,7 +16,3 @@ max_url_length = 2048
 max_retention_days = 3650
 rate_limit_requests = 60
 rate_limit_window = 60
-
-# Keep false when the embedded frontend should be served by ushort.
-# Set true only when a separate web server serves the frontend files.
-production = false
diff --git a/deploy/docker-compose.prod.yml b/deploy/docker-compose.prod.yml
index 023db53..6bef9de 100644
--- a/deploy/docker-compose.prod.yml
+++ b/deploy/docker-compose.prod.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 services:
   ushort:
-    image: sodium/ushort:0.1.1
+    image: sodium/ushort:0.1.2
     container_name: ushort
     command: ["/app/config.toml"]
     ports:
diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index 7f10ed2..1155973 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ when a query string follows the slash.
 
 ## Health and frontend
 
-- `GET /` serves the embedded frontend when `production=false`.
+- `GET /` serves the embedded frontend.
 - `GET /api/health` returns HTTP 200:
 
 ```json
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 0946d77..46f6b3d 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -24,9 +24,10 @@ ushort legacy-config.json
 | `max_retention_days` | no | `3650` | Maximum per-URL retention value. |
 | `rate_limit_requests` | no | `60` | Requests allowed per client/window. |
 | `rate_limit_window` | no | `60` | Sliding-window length in seconds. |
-| `production` | no | `false` | Disable embedded frontend routes when a separate server provides them. |
 
 The legacy `short_length` option remains an alias for `min_short_length`.
+The removed legacy `production` key is ignored when present; ushort always
+serves its embedded frontend and static assets.
 
 ## Public URL layouts
 
diff --git a/docs/deployment.md b/docs/deployment.md
index 86599c5..e55f8e5 100644
--- a/docs/deployment.md
+++ b/docs/deployment.md
@@ -19,13 +19,12 @@ the server as `docker-compose.yml`. For repeatable releases, replace its image
 tag with the verified multi-architecture digest:
 
 ```yaml
-image: docker.io/sodium/ushort:0.1.1@sha256:<verified-index-digest>
+image: docker.io/sodium/ushort:0.1.2@sha256:<verified-index-digest>
 ```
 
-Set `db_path = "data/urlshort.db"` and normally keep `production = false` so
-the executable serves its embedded frontend. Keep `config.toml` owned by the
-container identity (`1001:1001`) with mode `0400`; the `data` directory must be
-writable by the same identity.
+Set `db_path = "data/urlshort.db"`. The executable always serves its embedded
+frontend. Keep `config.toml` owned by the container identity (`1001:1001`) with
+mode `0400`; the `data` directory must be writable by the same identity.
 
 ## Start and validate
 
diff --git a/docs/frontend.md b/docs/frontend.md
index bb1e7f3..4592abb 100644
--- a/docs/frontend.md
+++ b/docs/frontend.md
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ actions, API-key administration, sorting, pagination, theme selection, and
 locally hosted fonts. Relative asset URLs and the browser-derived API prefix
 allow the same files to work at either a subdomain root or a nested path.
 
-Set `production = false` for the normal self-contained deployment. Setting it
-to `true` disables the embedded frontend routes for installations that serve
-those files separately.
+The frontend and static assets are always available. The former `production`
+toggle was removed because disabling embedded assets conflicts with ushort's
+self-contained deployment model. Old configuration files containing that key
+remain loadable; its value is ignored.
 
 The nginx examples apply `no-store` to the HTML entry point and `no-cache` to
 static assets. Embedded static requests do not consume the API rate-limit
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 118e7ee..fbad276 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ struct RawConfig {
     max_retention_days: i64,
     rate_limit_requests: usize,
     rate_limit_window: u64,
-    production: bool,
 }
 
 impl Default for RawConfig {
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@ impl Default for RawConfig {
             max_retention_days: 3650,
             rate_limit_requests: 60,
             rate_limit_window: 60,
-            production: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -68,7 +66,6 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub max_retention_days: i64,
     pub rate_limit_requests: usize,
     pub rate_limit_window: u64,
-    pub production: bool,
     pub base_path: String,
 }
 
@@ -152,7 +149,6 @@ impl Config {
             max_retention_days: raw.max_retention_days,
             rate_limit_requests: raw.rate_limit_requests,
             rate_limit_window: raw.rate_limit_window,
-            production: raw.production,
             base_path,
         })
     }
@@ -372,10 +368,7 @@ impl App {
 
         let raw_path = target_path(&request.target);
         let bare_base = !self.config.base_path.is_empty() && raw_path == self.config.base_path;
-        if matches!(request.method.as_str(), "GET" | "HEAD")
-            && !self.config.production
-            && !bare_base
-        {
+        if matches!(request.method.as_str(), "GET" | "HEAD") && !bare_base {
             if let Some(path) = local_path(raw_path, &self.config.base_path) {
                 match path.as_str() {
                     "/" | "/static" => return self.serve_static("index.html"),
@@ -432,32 +425,14 @@ impl App {
 
     fn handle_get(&self, path: &str, request: &RequestData) -> ResponseData {
         match path {
-            "/" => {
-                if self.config.production {
-                    health_response()
-                } else {
-                    self.serve_static("index.html")
-                }
-            }
+            "/" => self.serve_static("index.html"),
             "/api/health" => health_response(),
             "/api/shorten" => self.handle_shorten(request),
             "/api/urls" => self.handle_list_urls(request),
             "/api/lookup" => self.handle_lookup(request),
-            "/static" => {
-                if self.config.production {
-                    ResponseData::empty(404)
-                } else {
-                    self.serve_static("index.html")
-                }
-            }
+            "/static" => self.serve_static("index.html"),
             _ if path.starts_with("/api/urls/") => self.handle_get_url(&path["/api/urls/".len()..]),
-            _ if path.starts_with("/static/") => {
-                if self.config.production {
-                    ResponseData::empty(404)
-                } else {
-                    self.serve_static(&path["/static/".len()..])
-                }
-            }
+            _ if path.starts_with("/static/") => self.serve_static(&path["/static/".len()..]),
             _ => self.handle_redirect(path.trim_start_matches('/')),
         }
     }
@@ -1477,19 +1452,32 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn production_flag_keeps_legacy_backend_static_behavior() {
-        let path = temp_path("production");
-        let mut cfg = config(path.clone());
-        cfg.production = true;
-        let app = App::new(cfg).unwrap();
+    fn deprecated_production_key_is_ignored_and_frontend_remains_enabled() {
+        let path = temp_path("deprecated-production");
+        let config_path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "ushort-deprecated-production-{}-{}.toml",
+            std::process::id(),
+            rand::random::<u64>()
+        ));
+        fs::write(
+            &config_path,
+            format!(
+                "base_url = \"https://example.test/s\"\n\
+                 api_key = \"secret\"\n\
+                 db_path = \"{}\"\n\
+                 production = true\n",
+                path.display()
+            ),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        let app = App::new(Config::load(&config_path).unwrap()).unwrap();
         let root = app.handle(RequestData::new("GET", "/s/"));
-        assert_eq!(
-            root.body,
-            br#"{"status": "ok", "service": "url-shortener"}"#
-        );
+        assert_eq!(root.status, 200);
+        assert_eq!(root.body, include_bytes!("../static/index.html"));
         let asset = app.handle(RequestData::new("GET", "/s/static/app.js"));
-        assert_eq!(asset.status, 404);
-        assert!(asset.body.is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(asset.status, 200);
+        assert_eq!(asset.body, include_bytes!("../static/app.js"));
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(config_path);
         let _ = fs::remove_file(path);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 22698c7..b72602e 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ fn main() {
         "Rate limit     : {} req/{}s per IP",
         app.config.rate_limit_requests, app.config.rate_limit_window
     );
-    eprintln!("Production     : {}", app.config.production);
-
     for mut request in server.incoming_requests() {
         let maximum_body = app.max_request_body_bytes();
         let declared_too_large = request