diff --git a/patchnotes-web/src/auth/stytch.ts b/patchnotes-web/src/auth/stytch.ts
index 460d7a72..3f4532c0 100644
--- a/patchnotes-web/src/auth/stytch.ts
+++ b/patchnotes-web/src/auth/stytch.ts
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ if (import.meta.env.DEV) {
 }
 
 export function getStytchLoginConfig(returnUrl?: string) {
-  const base = `${window.location.origin}/authenticate`
-  const redirectURL = returnUrl
-    ? `${base}?returnUrl=${encodeURIComponent(returnUrl)}`
-    : base
+  if (returnUrl) {
+    localStorage.setItem('stytch_return_url', returnUrl)
+  }
+  const redirectURL = `${window.location.origin}/authenticate`
 
   return {
     products,
diff --git a/patchnotes-web/src/pages/Authenticate.tsx b/patchnotes-web/src/pages/Authenticate.tsx
index 1f1dd9fe..99386683 100644
--- a/patchnotes-web/src/pages/Authenticate.tsx
+++ b/patchnotes-web/src/pages/Authenticate.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ export function Authenticate() {
 
   const { token, tokenType, returnUrl } = useMemo(() => {
     const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search)
-    const raw = params.get('returnUrl')
+    // Check localStorage first, then fall back to query param for backwards compat
+    const stored = localStorage.getItem('stytch_return_url')
+    localStorage.removeItem('stytch_return_url')
+    const raw = stored ?? params.get('returnUrl')
     return {
       token: params.get('token'),
       tokenType: params.get('stytch_token_type'),