diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c21493d..dcb6509 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ pip install -r requirements.txt
 
 # Start the backend server
 python main.py
+
+# Or run on a different port
+PORT=8001 python main.py
 ```
 
 ```bash
@@ -118,6 +121,9 @@ python main.py
 cd examples/fastapi-example/frontend
 npm install
 npm run dev
+
+# If the backend is on a different port, set BACKEND_PORT
+BACKEND_PORT=8001 npm run dev
 ```
 
 Then open http://localhost:5173 to see the demo.
diff --git a/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/package-lock.json b/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/package-lock.json
index 45a9864..cc82983 100644
--- a/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/package-lock.json
+++ b/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/package-lock.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
         "react-dom": "^18.2.0"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
+        "@types/node": "^20.0.0",
         "@types/react": "^18.2.0",
         "@types/react-dom": "^18.2.0",
         "@vitejs/plugin-react": "^4.0.0",
@@ -1109,6 +1110,16 @@
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT"
     },
+    "node_modules/@types/node": {
+      "version": "20.19.27",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-20.19.27.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-N2clP5pJhB2YnZJ3PIHFk5RkygRX5WO/5f0WC08tp0wd+sv0rsJk3MqWn3CbNmT2J505a5336jaQj4ph1AdMug==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "undici-types": "~6.21.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@types/prop-types": {
       "version": "15.7.15",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/prop-types/-/prop-types-15.7.15.tgz",
@@ -1579,6 +1590,13 @@
         "node": ">=14.17"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/undici-types": {
+      "version": "6.21.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/undici-types/-/undici-types-6.21.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-iwDZqg0QAGrg9Rav5H4n0M64c3mkR59cJ6wQp+7C4nI0gsmExaedaYLNO44eT4AtBBwjbTiGPMlt2Md0T9H9JQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/update-browserslist-db": {
       "version": "1.2.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/update-browserslist-db/-/update-browserslist-db-1.2.3.tgz",
diff --git a/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/package.json b/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/package.json
index 2f67832..bc30bf8 100644
--- a/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/package.json
+++ b/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/package.json
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     "react-dom": "^18.2.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@types/node": "^20.0.0",
     "@types/react": "^18.2.0",
     "@types/react-dom": "^18.2.0",
     "@vitejs/plugin-react": "^4.0.0",
diff --git a/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/vite.config.ts b/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/vite.config.ts
index fa9a78e..4c2f6ca 100644
--- a/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/vite.config.ts
+++ b/examples/fastapi-example/frontend/vite.config.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,32 @@
-import { defineConfig } from "vite";
+import { defineConfig, loadEnv } from "vite";
 import react from "@vitejs/plugin-react";
 import path from "path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "url";
 
-export default defineConfig({
-  plugins: [react()],
-  resolve: {
-    alias: {
-      "@llmpane/react": path.resolve(__dirname, "../../../packages/llmpane-react/src"),
+const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+
+export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => {
+  const env = loadEnv(mode, process.cwd(), "");
+  const backendPort = env.BACKEND_PORT || "8000";
+
+  return {
+    plugins: [react()],
+    resolve: {
+      alias: {
+        "@llmpane/react": path.resolve(__dirname, "../../../packages/llmpane-react/src"),
+      },
     },
-  },
-  server: {
-    proxy: {
-      "/api": {
-        target: "http://localhost:8000",
-        changeOrigin: true,
+    server: {
+      proxy: {
+        "/api": {
+          target: `http://localhost:${backendPort}`,
+          changeOrigin: true,
+        },
       },
     },
-  },
-  build: {
-    outDir: "../static",
-    emptyOutDir: true,
-  },
+    build: {
+      outDir: "../static",
+      emptyOutDir: true,
+    },
+  };
 });
diff --git a/examples/fastapi-example/main.py b/examples/fastapi-example/main.py
index d0eb097..b1dcfb9 100644
--- a/examples/fastapi-example/main.py
+++ b/examples/fastapi-example/main.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import asyncio
 import json
+import os
 import random
 import uuid
 from collections.abc import AsyncGenerator
@@ -257,4 +258,5 @@ async def serve_index():
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import uvicorn
 
-    uvicorn.run(app, host="0.0.0.0", port=8000)
+    port = int(os.environ.get("PORT", 8000))
+    uvicorn.run(app, host="0.0.0.0", port=port)