diff --git a/backend/app.js b/backend/app.js
index a0c6a52..2b23b46 100644
--- a/backend/app.js
+++ b/backend/app.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import healthRoutes from './routes/healthRoutes.js';
 import assessmentRoutes from './routes/assessmentRoutes.js';
 import complianceRoutes from './routes/complianceRoutes.js';
 import questionnaireRoutes from './routes/questionnaireRoutes.js';
+import questionnairePublicRoutes from './routes/questionnairePublicRoutes.js';
 import organizationRoutes from './routes/organizationRoutes.js';
 import billingRoutes from './routes/billingRoutes.js';
 import { handleStripeWebhook } from './controllers/billingController.js';
@@ -239,9 +240,14 @@ app.use('/api/v1/auth', authRoutes);
 app.use('/api/v1/organizations', organizationRoutes);
 app.use('/api/v1/billing', billingRoutes);
 
+// Unguarded: public vendor questionnaire form (token-gated, not workspace auth).
+// Mounted ahead of requireActivePlan so a visitor's own session cookie (e.g. the
+// workspace owner previewing their own link from a paused-plan org) can't 402
+// a route a vendor with no Retrieva account must be able to reach.
+app.use('/api/v1/questionnaires', questionnairePublicRoutes);
+
 // Paid routes — optionalAuth sets req.user when a token is present so the
-// plan guard can check it; public sub-routes (e.g. questionnaire respond)
-// have no token and pass through to the router's own authenticate.
+// plan guard can check it.
 // authenticate is idempotent so the router's router.use(authenticate) is a
 // no-op when req.user is already set by optionalAuth.
 // B2: setTenantContext (after auth) makes the active workspace available to the
diff --git a/backend/routes/questionnairePublicRoutes.js b/backend/routes/questionnairePublicRoutes.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a30004
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/routes/questionnairePublicRoutes.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { Router } from 'express';
+import { getPublicForm, submitResponse } from '../controllers/questionnaireController.js';
+import { validateBody, validateParams } from '../middleware/validate.js';
+import { submitQuestionnaireResponseSchema, tokenParamsSchema } from '../validators/schemas.js';
+
+const router = Router();
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Public routes — no authentication, no plan gate (token-based access only).
+// Mounted unguarded in app.js so a visitor's own session cookie (e.g. the
+// workspace owner previewing their own link) can't trigger requireActivePlan
+// for a route a vendor with no Retrieva account must be able to reach.
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/**
+ * @route  GET /api/v1/questionnaires/respond/:token
+ * @desc   Load the public vendor questionnaire form
+ * @access Public (token-gated)
+ */
+router.get('/respond/:token', validateParams(tokenParamsSchema), getPublicForm);
+
+/**
+ * @route  POST /api/v1/questionnaires/respond/:token
+ * @desc   Save partial or final vendor response
+ * @access Public (token-gated)
+ */
+router.post(
+  '/respond/:token',
+  validateParams(tokenParamsSchema),
+  validateBody(submitQuestionnaireResponseSchema),
+  submitResponse
+);
+
+export default router;
diff --git a/backend/routes/questionnaireRoutes.js b/backend/routes/questionnaireRoutes.js
index b9c7ef8..0e0226a 100644
--- a/backend/routes/questionnaireRoutes.js
+++ b/backend/routes/questionnaireRoutes.js
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ import {
   getQuestionnaire,
   deleteQuestionnaire,
   sendQuestionnaire,
-  getPublicForm,
-  submitResponse,
 } from '../controllers/questionnaireController.js';
 import { authenticate } from '../middleware/auth.js';
 import { requireWorkspaceAccess } from '../middleware/workspaceAuth.js';
@@ -14,39 +12,16 @@ import { validateBody, validateParams, validateQuery } from '../middleware/valid
 import {
   createQuestionnaireSchema,
   sendQuestionnaireSchema,
-  submitQuestionnaireResponseSchema,
   idParamsSchema,
-  tokenParamsSchema,
   listQuestionnairesQuerySchema,
 } from '../validators/schemas.js';
 
 const router = Router();
 
-// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Public routes — no authentication required (token-based access only)
-// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-/**
- * @route  GET /api/v1/questionnaires/respond/:token
- * @desc   Load the public vendor questionnaire form
- * @access Public (token-gated)
- */
-router.get('/respond/:token', validateParams(tokenParamsSchema), getPublicForm);
-
-/**
- * @route  POST /api/v1/questionnaires/respond/:token
- * @desc   Save partial or final vendor response
- * @access Public (token-gated)
- */
-router.post(
-  '/respond/:token',
-  validateParams(tokenParamsSchema),
-  validateBody(submitQuestionnaireResponseSchema),
-  submitResponse
-);
-
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Authenticated routes — require JWT + workspace membership
+// Public /respond/:token routes live in questionnairePublicRoutes.js, mounted
+// unguarded in app.js (ahead of requireActivePlan).
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 /**
diff --git a/frontend/src/features/questionnaires/api/questionnaires.ts b/frontend/src/features/questionnaires/api/questionnaires.ts
index ee4ecf0..5cae5b7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/features/questionnaires/api/questionnaires.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/features/questionnaires/api/questionnaires.ts
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ export interface CreateQuestionnaireDto {
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 const publicApiBaseURL =
-  (typeof process !== 'undefined' && process.env?.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL
+  typeof process !== 'undefined' && process.env?.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL
     ? process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL
-    : '') + '/api/v1';
+    : '/api/v1';
 
 const publicClient = axios.create({
   baseURL: publicApiBaseURL,