diff --git a/changelog.d/fixes/7523-codex-oauth-remote-host.md b/changelog.d/fixes/7523-codex-oauth-remote-host.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f74a47b464
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/fixes/7523-codex-oauth-remote-host.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- The PKCE OAuth start (`/api/oauth/[provider]/start-callback-server`, used by Codex/Windsurf/Devin) now detects when OmniRoute is being driven from a remote host and returns a reverse-tunnel hint (`remoteHost`, `tunnelCommand`, `message`) instead of hanging silently: the callback server binds the *server's* localhost:PORT, so a browser on a different machine would redirect to its own localhost and never complete. Loopback access is unchanged (#7523).
diff --git a/src/app/api/oauth/[provider]/[action]/remoteOAuthHint.ts b/src/app/api/oauth/[provider]/[action]/remoteOAuthHint.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e95c74255b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/oauth/[provider]/[action]/remoteOAuthHint.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { isLoopbackHost } from "@/server/authz/routeGuard";
+
+export type RemoteOAuthHint =
+  | { remoteHost: false }
+  | { remoteHost: true; tunnelCommand: string; message: string };
+
+/**
+ * #7523: The PKCE callback server binds the SERVER's loopback (localhost:PORT).
+ * If the operator drives the OAuth flow from a different machine (OmniRoute on
+ * a remote host/VPS), the provider redirects the browser to the operator's OWN
+ * localhost:PORT, not the server's — the confirmation screen hangs forever.
+ * When the request's Host is non-loopback, return the reverse-tunnel hint so
+ * the UI can show it instead of a silent hang.
+ *
+ * The Host header is spoofable, so this drives only a UI hint, never an
+ * auth/security decision.
+ */
+export function buildRemoteOAuthHint(hostHeader: string | null, port: number): RemoteOAuthHint {
+  if (hostHeader == null || isLoopbackHost(hostHeader)) {
+    return { remoteHost: false };
+  }
+  return {
+    remoteHost: true,
+    tunnelCommand: `ssh -L ${port}:127.0.0.1:${port} <user>@<omniroute-host>`,
+    message:
+      `OmniRoute appears to be running on a remote host (${hostHeader}). ` +
+      `The OAuth callback returns to localhost:${port} on THIS machine, not the server, ` +
+      `so the login will hang. Open a reverse tunnel first (see tunnelCommand), then retry — ` +
+      `or use the token import flow instead.`,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/app/api/oauth/[provider]/[action]/route.ts b/src/app/api/oauth/[provider]/[action]/route.ts
index 270372eb0e..0774bd8d2c 100755
--- a/src/app/api/oauth/[provider]/[action]/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/oauth/[provider]/[action]/route.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import { isValidationFailure, validateBody } from "@/shared/validation/helpers";
 import { isAuthRequired, isAuthenticated } from "@/shared/utils/apiAuth";
 import { sanitizeErrorMessage } from "@omniroute/open-sse/utils/error";
 import { keychainImportOnlyGuard } from "./keychainImportOnly";
+import { buildRemoteOAuthHint } from "./remoteOAuthHint";
 
 // Use globalThis to persist callback server state across Next.js HMR reloads
 if (!globalThis.__codexCallbackState) {
@@ -242,7 +243,7 @@ export async function GET(
     }
 
     if (action === "start-callback-server") {
-      return await handleStartCallbackServer(provider, searchParams);
+      return await handleStartCallbackServer(provider, searchParams, request);
     }
 
     if (action === "public-link-status") {
@@ -268,7 +269,11 @@ export async function GET(
  * Codex uses fixed port 1455; Windsurf/Devin CLI use a random free port (port 0).
  * Returns the auth URL and stores codeVerifier for later exchange.
  */
-async function handleStartCallbackServer(provider: string, searchParams: URLSearchParams) {
+async function handleStartCallbackServer(
+  provider: string,
+  searchParams: URLSearchParams,
+  request?: Request
+) {
   if (!PKCE_CALLBACK_PROVIDERS.has(provider)) {
     return NextResponse.json(
       { error: `Callback server not supported for provider: ${provider}` },
@@ -323,11 +328,23 @@ async function handleStartCallbackServer(provider: string, searchParams: URLSear
       }
     }, 300000);
 
+    // #7523: the PKCE callback server listens on the SERVER's loopback
+    // (localhost:PORT). When the operator drives the OAuth flow from a
+    // *different* machine (OmniRoute running on a remote host/VPS), the
+    // provider redirects the browser to the operator's own localhost:PORT,
+    // not the server's — so the final confirmation screen hangs forever.
+    // Detect a non-loopback Host and surface the reverse-tunnel instruction
+    // (or steer to the paste/import flow) instead of a silent hang.
+    const hostHeader =
+      request?.headers.get("x-forwarded-host") || request?.headers.get("host") || null;
+    const remoteHint = buildRemoteOAuthHint(hostHeader, port);
+
     return NextResponse.json({
       authUrl: authData.authUrl,
       codeVerifier: authData.codeVerifier,
       redirectUri,
       serverPort: port,
+      ...remoteHint,
     });
   } catch (error) {
     console.error("OAuth start-callback-server error:", error);
diff --git a/tests/unit/codex-oauth-remote-host-hint-7523.test.ts b/tests/unit/codex-oauth-remote-host-hint-7523.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d907077916
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/codex-oauth-remote-host-hint-7523.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// Regression test for #7523: the Codex (and Windsurf/Devin) PKCE OAuth callback
+// server binds the SERVER's loopback (localhost:PORT). When OmniRoute runs on a
+// remote host (e.g. the VPS) and the operator drives the browser from a different
+// machine, the provider redirects to the operator's OWN localhost:PORT — the
+// login confirmation screen hangs forever with no explanation.
+//
+// buildRemoteOAuthHint() detects a non-loopback Host and surfaces the
+// reverse-tunnel instruction so the start-callback-server response carries it
+// (the UI shows it instead of a silent hang). Loopback access is unaffected.
+
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import { buildRemoteOAuthHint } from "../../src/app/api/oauth/[provider]/[action]/remoteOAuthHint.ts";
+
+test("loopback Host → no remote hint (local access is unaffected)", () => {
+  for (const host of ["localhost", "localhost:20128", "127.0.0.1:20128", "[::1]:20128", "::1"]) {
+    const hint = buildRemoteOAuthHint(host, 1455);
+    assert.equal(hint.remoteHost, false, `expected no hint for loopback host ${host}`);
+  }
+});
+
+test("null Host → no remote hint (fail-open: never block a local flow on a missing header)", () => {
+  const hint = buildRemoteOAuthHint(null, 1455);
+  assert.equal(hint.remoteHost, false);
+});
+
+test("remote Host → returns the reverse-tunnel hint with the exact callback port", () => {
+  const hint = buildRemoteOAuthHint("192.168.0.15:20128", 1455);
+  assert.equal(hint.remoteHost, true);
+  assert.ok(hint.remoteHost === true); // narrow the union
+  // The tunnel must forward the SAME port the callback server bound, both sides.
+  assert.equal(hint.tunnelCommand, "ssh -L 1455:127.0.0.1:1455 <user>@<omniroute-host>");
+  assert.match(hint.message, /remote host \(192\.168\.0\.15:20128\)/);
+  assert.match(hint.message, /hang/i);
+});
+
+test("remote Host honours a random callback port (Windsurf/Devin OS-assigned port)", () => {
+  const hint = buildRemoteOAuthHint("omniroute.example.com", 54321);
+  assert.ok(hint.remoteHost === true);
+  assert.equal(hint.tunnelCommand, "ssh -L 54321:127.0.0.1:54321 <user>@<omniroute-host>");
+});