diff --git a/frontend/src/services/api.ts b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
index 88dd027d..f659b25f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
@@ -88,13 +88,15 @@ const getAuthToken = (): string | null => {
     }
     
     // Fallback to localStorage (for cases where store hasn't initialized yet)
-    const authStorage = localStorage.getItem('auth-store');
+    // CRITICAL: Use 'auth-storage' to match authStore persist config
+    const authStorage = localStorage.getItem('auth-storage');
     if (authStorage) {
       const parsed = JSON.parse(authStorage);
       return parsed?.state?.token || null;
     }
   } catch (e) {
     // Ignore parsing errors
+    console.warn('Failed to get auth token:', e);
   }
   return null;
 };
@@ -109,13 +111,15 @@ const getRefreshToken = (): string | null => {
     }
     
     // Fallback to localStorage (for cases where store hasn't initialized yet)
-    const authStorage = localStorage.getItem('auth-store');
+    // CRITICAL: Use 'auth-storage' to match authStore persist config
+    const authStorage = localStorage.getItem('auth-storage');
     if (authStorage) {
       const parsed = JSON.parse(authStorage);
       return parsed?.state?.refreshToken || null;
     }
   } catch (e) {
     // Ignore parsing errors
+    console.warn('Failed to get refresh token:', e);
   }
   return null;
 };
@@ -160,16 +164,15 @@ export async function fetchAPI(endpoint: string, options?: RequestInit & { timeo
         const errorData = text ? JSON.parse(text) : null;
         const errorMessage = errorData?.detail || errorData?.message || errorData?.error || response.statusText;
         
-        // Check if it's an authentication credentials error
+        // Check if it's an authentication credentials error (NOT permission/plan errors)
         if (errorMessage?.includes?.('Authentication credentials') || 
-            errorMessage?.includes?.('not authenticated') ||
-            errorMessage?.includes?.('Invalid token') ||
-            errorMessage?.includes?.('Token has expired')) {
+            errorMessage?.includes?.('not authenticated')) {
           
-          // CRITICAL: Authentication token is invalid/missing - force logout
+          // CRITICAL: Only force logout if we're actually authenticated but token is missing/invalid
+          // Don't logout for permission errors or plan issues
           const authState = useAuthStore.getState();
           if (authState?.isAuthenticated || authState?.token) {
-            console.warn('Authentication token invalid - forcing logout');
+            console.warn('Authentication credentials missing - forcing logout');
             const { logout } = useAuthStore.getState();
             logout();
             
@@ -186,7 +189,7 @@ export async function fetchAPI(endpoint: string, options?: RequestInit & { timeo
           throw err;
         }
         
-        // Not an auth error - could be permissions/plan issue
+        // Not an auth error - could be permissions/plan issue - don't force logout
         let err: any = new Error(errorMessage);
         err.status = 403;
         err.data = errorData;
@@ -235,8 +238,13 @@ export async function fetchAPI(endpoint: string, options?: RequestInit & { timeo
             const refreshData = await refreshResponse.json();
             const accessToken = refreshData.data?.access || refreshData.access;
             if (refreshData.success && accessToken) {
-              // Update token in store
+              // Update token in Zustand store AND localStorage
               try {
+                // Update Zustand store directly
+                const { setToken } = useAuthStore.getState();
+                setToken(accessToken);
+                
+                // Also update localStorage for immediate availability
                 const authStorage = localStorage.getItem('auth-storage');
                 if (authStorage) {
                   const parsed = JSON.parse(authStorage);
@@ -244,7 +252,7 @@ export async function fetchAPI(endpoint: string, options?: RequestInit & { timeo
                   localStorage.setItem('auth-storage', JSON.stringify(parsed));
                 }
               } catch (e) {
-                // Ignore storage errors
+                console.warn('Failed to update token after refresh:', e);
               }
 
               // Retry original request with new token