diff --git a/Support/REVERSE-PROXY.md b/Support/REVERSE-PROXY.md
index acf8e488..45f77fb4 100644
--- a/Support/REVERSE-PROXY.md
+++ b/Support/REVERSE-PROXY.md
@@ -114,6 +114,18 @@ Pick one:
   [oauth2-proxy](https://oauth2-proxy.github.io/oauth2-proxy/). These sit in front
   of SoulSync and force a login (with 2FA) before any request reaches it. Best
   option for internet exposure.
+
+  SoulSync can **trust the proxy's authenticated-user header** so the launch PIN is
+  skipped once the proxy has logged you in. Set the header name in `config.json`:
+
+  ```json
+  { "security": { "auth_proxy_header": "Remote-User" } }
+  ```
+
+  > ⚠️ **Only enable this behind a proxy you control that STRIPS any client-supplied
+  > copy of that header.** Otherwise a direct visitor could send `Remote-User: admin`
+  > and walk straight in. It's **off by default** — an unset header name means
+  > SoulSync ignores the header entirely (a spoofed one does nothing).
 - **HTTP Basic Auth** — quick and simple (nginx `auth_basic` / Caddy `basicauth`).
   Better than nothing; weaker than an auth proxy.
 - **SoulSync launch PIN** — set an admin PIN in Settings. Enforced server-side, so
diff --git a/core/security/auth_proxy.py b/core/security/auth_proxy.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f59c6824
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/security/auth_proxy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+"""Trust an authenticated-user header from a forward-auth proxy.
+
+When SoulSync sits behind an auth proxy (Authelia / Authentik / oauth2-proxy), the
+proxy authenticates the user and passes their identity in a header (commonly
+``Remote-User``). With ``security.auth_proxy_header`` set to that header name,
+SoulSync treats a request carrying it as already-authenticated and lets it past the
+launch lock — the proxy is the gatekeeper.
+
+OFF by default (empty header name) → a strict no-op; the launch PIN behaves exactly
+as before.
+
+⚠️  SECURITY: only enable this behind a proxy you control that STRIPS any
+client-supplied copy of the header. Otherwise a direct client could send
+``Remote-User: admin`` and walk straight in. This is why it's opt-in and never on
+by default.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Callable, Optional
+
+
+def trusted_proxy_user(get_header: Callable[[str], Optional[str]],
+                       header_name: str) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Return the authenticated username from the configured proxy header, or None.
+
+    ``get_header`` is a ``request.headers.get``-style callable. ``header_name`` is
+    the configured header (e.g. ``Remote-User``); empty/None disables the feature
+    (always returns None), so a non-proxy install is unaffected.
+    """
+    if not header_name:
+        return None
+    try:
+        value = (get_header(header_name) or "").strip()
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+    return value or None
+
+
+__all__ = ["trusted_proxy_user"]
diff --git a/tests/test_auth_proxy.py b/tests/test_auth_proxy.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2883bf73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_auth_proxy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+"""Forward-auth proxy header trust (Tier 3): OFF by default → no-op; when the
+operator configures a header, a request carrying it is treated as authenticated."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from core.security.auth_proxy import trusted_proxy_user
+
+
+def _headers(d):
+    return lambda name: d.get(name)
+
+
+def test_off_when_no_header_configured():
+    # empty header name → feature disabled → always None (direct install unaffected)
+    assert trusted_proxy_user(_headers({'Remote-User': 'alice'}), '') is None
+    assert trusted_proxy_user(_headers({'Remote-User': 'alice'}), None) is None
+
+
+def test_returns_user_when_header_present():
+    assert trusted_proxy_user(_headers({'Remote-User': 'alice'}), 'Remote-User') == 'alice'
+
+
+def test_none_when_configured_header_absent_or_blank():
+    assert trusted_proxy_user(_headers({}), 'Remote-User') is None
+    assert trusted_proxy_user(_headers({'Remote-User': '   '}), 'Remote-User') is None
+
+
+def test_get_header_exception_is_safe():
+    def boom(_name):
+        raise RuntimeError('header lookup blew up')
+    assert trusted_proxy_user(boom, 'Remote-User') is None
diff --git a/tests/test_credentials_endpoints.py b/tests/test_credentials_endpoints.py
index 1da0a4f6..7cfebc6f 100644
--- a/tests/test_credentials_endpoints.py
+++ b/tests/test_credentials_endpoints.py
@@ -379,3 +379,35 @@ def test_verify_launch_pin_rate_limited_after_flood(client):
         with db._get_connection() as conn:
             conn.execute("UPDATE profiles SET pin_hash = NULL WHERE id = 1")
             conn.commit()
+
+
+def test_auth_proxy_header_satisfies_launch_lock(client, monkeypatch):
+    # Lock on + Remote-User trusted → a request with the header passes the gate.
+    real_get = web_server.config_manager.get
+    def fake_get(key, default=None):
+        if key == 'security.require_pin_on_launch':
+            return True
+        if key == 'security.auth_proxy_header':
+            return 'Remote-User'
+        return real_get(key, default)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(web_server.config_manager, 'get', fake_get)
+
+    assert client.get('/api/profiles/me/connections').status_code == 401            # no header → locked
+    assert client.get('/api/profiles/me/connections',
+                      headers={'Remote-User': 'alice'}).status_code == 200          # trusted → in
+
+
+def test_spoofed_auth_proxy_header_ignored_when_feature_off(client, monkeypatch):
+    # THE safety pin: feature OFF (default) → a client-sent Remote-User must NOT
+    # bypass the lock. Only an operator who explicitly configured it gets the trust.
+    real_get = web_server.config_manager.get
+    def fake_get(key, default=None):
+        if key == 'security.require_pin_on_launch':
+            return True
+        if key == 'security.auth_proxy_header':
+            return ''   # OFF (default)
+        return real_get(key, default)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(web_server.config_manager, 'get', fake_get)
+
+    assert client.get('/api/profiles/me/connections',
+                      headers={'Remote-User': 'admin'}).status_code == 401          # spoof ignored → still locked
diff --git a/web_server.py b/web_server.py
index 4a4ea709..c85c46f4 100644
--- a/web_server.py
+++ b/web_server.py
@@ -421,10 +421,21 @@ def _enforce_launch_pin():
     if not require_pin:
         return
     from core.security.launch_lock import request_is_locked, is_html_navigation
+    # An auth proxy (Authelia/Authentik/oauth2-proxy) that already authenticated the
+    # user counts as verified — opt-in via security.auth_proxy_header, OFF (empty)
+    # by default so a direct install is unaffected.
+    from core.security.auth_proxy import trusted_proxy_user
+    try:
+        _proxy_header = config_manager.get('security.auth_proxy_header', '') or ''
+    except Exception:
+        _proxy_header = ''
+    _verified = bool(session.get('launch_pin_verified', False)) or bool(
+        trusted_proxy_user(request.headers.get, _proxy_header)
+    )
     if request_is_locked(
         request.path, request.method,
         require_pin=require_pin,
-        pin_verified=bool(session.get('launch_pin_verified', False)),
+        pin_verified=_verified,
     ):
         # A browser navigating to a sub-page (deep link / refresh) should land
         # on the lock screen, not raw JSON — bounce it to the root, which serves