diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 987711f..a636bcf 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -66,13 +66,30 @@ app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));
 app.use(bodyParser.json());
 app.use(express.static("public"));
 app.use(fileUpload());
+
+// In production we sit behind an HTTPS-terminating proxy (Cloudflare/nginx) that
+// forwards plain HTTP to Node, so trust its X-Forwarded-Proto header — otherwise
+// Express thinks every request is HTTP and a Secure cookie would never be sent.
+// Locally there's no proxy and no HTTPS, so Secure must stay off or login breaks.
+const isProd = process.env.NODE_ENV === "production";
+if (isProd) app.set("trust proxy", 1);
+
 app.use(
   session({
     store: new SQLiteStore({ client: db, expired: { clear: true } }),
     secret: SESSION_SECRET,
     resave: false,
     saveUninitialized: true,
-    cookie: { secure: false },
+    // Persistent login: without a maxAge this is a session cookie and iOS/PWAs
+    // drop it on their own schedule, logging people out at random. Browsers cap
+    // persistent cookies to ~400 days, so we set a long window and roll it
+    // forward on every request — visit within 400 days and you stay logged in.
+    rolling: true,
+    cookie: {
+      secure: isProd, // HTTPS-only in prod; off locally so http://localhost works
+      sameSite: "lax",
+      maxAge: 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 400,
+    },
   }),
 );
 
diff --git a/update-deployed.sh b/update-deployed.sh
index 96c371e..c35dd27 100755
--- a/update-deployed.sh
+++ b/update-deployed.sh
@@ -106,6 +106,22 @@ else
   echo "SESSION_SECRET already present in $APP_DIR/.env"
 fi
 
+# Production runs behind HTTPS; NODE_ENV=production flips on Secure cookies and
+# trust-proxy in index.js. Set it idempotently so every deploy guarantees it.
+if ! grep -Eq '^NODE_ENV=production$' .env; then
+  if grep -Eq '^NODE_ENV=' .env; then
+    ENV_TMP="$(mktemp)"
+    awk '/^NODE_ENV=/ { print "NODE_ENV=production"; next } { print }' .env >"$ENV_TMP"
+    cat "$ENV_TMP" >.env
+    rm -f "$ENV_TMP"
+  else
+    printf '\nNODE_ENV=production\n' >>.env
+  fi
+  echo "Set NODE_ENV=production in $APP_DIR/.env"
+else
+  echo "NODE_ENV=production already present in $APP_DIR/.env"
+fi
+
 PM2_TARGET=""
 if command -v pm2 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   PM2_TARGET="$(pm2 jlist 2>/dev/null | APP_DIR="$APP_DIR" node -e '