diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/__tests__/outbound-http.authorization.test.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/__tests__/outbound-http.authorization.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6fcaf480541
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/__tests__/outbound-http.authorization.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,206 @@
+import type { Logger } from '@n8n/backend-common';
+import type { Dispatcher } from 'undici';
+import { mock } from 'vitest-mock-extended';
+
+import type { SsrfBridge, SsrfProtectionService } from '../../ssrf';
+import { makeSsrfBridge } from '../../ssrf/__tests__/mock-ssrf-bridge';
+import { type LocalServer, startServer } from '../local-server';
+import { OutboundHttp } from '../outbound-http';
+import { createAuthorizationInterceptor, type RequestAuthorizer } from '../undici/transport';
+
+// The authorization gate is a dispatcher interceptor, like the SSRF one. This
+// file proves it at two levels:
+//   (a) a direct unit test of `createAuthorizationInterceptor`, and
+//   (b) end-to-end tests against a real local server (no mocked `fetch`), so the
+//       interceptor actually runs on the initial request and every redirect hop,
+//       and we assert the SSRF policy runs *before* the authorizer.
+
+// Drain the microtask queue so the interceptor's async `authorize().then(...)`
+// has settled before we assert.
+const flush = async () => await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));
+
+// The interceptor hands the authorizer a `URL` object (not a string), so we match
+// on its `href` rather than comparing against a raw string.
+const authorizedUrl = (href: string) => expect.objectContaining({ href }) as unknown as URL;
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// (a) createAuthorizationInterceptor — unit
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+function makeInterceptedDispatch(authorize: RequestAuthorizer) {
+	const innerDispatch = vi.fn();
+	const dispatch = createAuthorizationInterceptor(authorize)(
+		innerDispatch as unknown as Dispatcher['dispatch'],
+	);
+	return { innerDispatch, dispatch };
+}
+
+function makeHandler() {
+	return { onResponseError: vi.fn(), onError: vi.fn() } as unknown as Dispatcher.DispatchHandler & {
+		onResponseError: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+		onError: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+	};
+}
+
+function makeOpts(path: string, origin?: string) {
+	return { path, origin } as unknown as Dispatcher.DispatchOptions;
+}
+
+describe('createAuthorizationInterceptor', () => {
+	it('authorizes the reconstructed target URL and dispatches when allowed', async () => {
+		const authorize = vi.fn<RequestAuthorizer>().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+		const { innerDispatch, dispatch } = makeInterceptedDispatch(authorize);
+		const handler = makeHandler();
+
+		const ret = dispatch(makeOpts('/data', 'https://api.example.com'), handler);
+		await flush();
+
+		expect(ret).toBe(true);
+		expect(authorize).toHaveBeenCalledWith(authorizedUrl('https://api.example.com/data'));
+		expect(innerDispatch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		expect(handler.onResponseError).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+	});
+
+	it('fails the dispatch and does not dispatch when the authorizer throws', async () => {
+		const error = new Error('domain not approved');
+		const authorize = vi.fn<RequestAuthorizer>().mockRejectedValue(error);
+		const { innerDispatch, dispatch } = makeInterceptedDispatch(authorize);
+		const handler = makeHandler();
+
+		dispatch(makeOpts('/secret', 'https://blocked.example.com'), handler);
+		await flush();
+
+		expect(innerDispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(handler.onResponseError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(null, error);
+	});
+
+	it('fails closed when the target URL cannot be derived', async () => {
+		const authorize = vi.fn<RequestAuthorizer>().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+		const { innerDispatch, dispatch } = makeInterceptedDispatch(authorize);
+		const handler = makeHandler();
+
+		dispatch(makeOpts('not a url'), handler);
+		await flush();
+
+		expect(authorize).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(innerDispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(handler.onResponseError).toHaveBeenCalled();
+	});
+
+	it('falls back to onError when onResponseError is unavailable', async () => {
+		const error = new Error('domain not approved');
+		const authorize = vi.fn<RequestAuthorizer>().mockRejectedValue(error);
+		const { dispatch } = makeInterceptedDispatch(authorize);
+		const handler = { onError: vi.fn() } as unknown as Dispatcher.DispatchHandler & {
+			onError: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+		};
+
+		dispatch(makeOpts('/secret', 'https://blocked.example.com'), handler);
+		await flush();
+
+		expect(handler.onError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(error);
+	});
+});
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// (b) end-to-end — real local server, real interceptor
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+async function startRedirectServer(): Promise<LocalServer> {
+	let serverUrl = '';
+	const server = await startServer((req, res) => {
+		if (req.url === '/start') {
+			res.writeHead(302, { Location: `${serverUrl}/internal` });
+			res.end();
+			return;
+		}
+		res.writeHead(200, { 'content-type': 'text/plain' });
+		res.end(`reached:${req.url}`);
+	});
+	serverUrl = server.url;
+	return server;
+}
+
+function makeTransport(options?: Parameters<OutboundHttp['transport']>[0]) {
+	return new OutboundHttp(mock<SsrfProtectionService>(), mock<Logger>()).transport(options);
+}
+
+// Walk the `cause` chain to the deepest error message: undici wraps a
+// pre-dispatch failure as `TypeError: fetch failed` with the original error in
+// `.cause`, so the authorizer's reason lives down the chain.
+function rootCauseMessage(error: unknown): string {
+	let current = error;
+	const seen = new Set<unknown>();
+	while (
+		current instanceof Error &&
+		current.cause !== undefined &&
+		current.cause !== null &&
+		!seen.has(current)
+	) {
+		seen.add(current);
+		current = current.cause;
+	}
+	return current instanceof Error ? current.message : String(current);
+}
+
+describe('authorization end-to-end', () => {
+	let server: LocalServer;
+
+	beforeEach(async () => {
+		server = await startRedirectServer();
+	});
+
+	afterEach(async () => {
+		await server.close();
+	});
+
+	it('authorizes the initial request and every redirect hop before fetching it', async () => {
+		const authorize = vi.fn<RequestAuthorizer>().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+		const fetchFn = makeTransport({ ssrf: 'disabled', proxy: false, authorize }).asCustomFetch();
+
+		const res = await fetchFn(`${server.url}/start`);
+
+		expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+		await expect(res.text()).resolves.toBe('reached:/internal');
+		expect(authorize).toHaveBeenCalledWith(authorizedUrl(`${server.url}/start`));
+		expect(authorize).toHaveBeenCalledWith(authorizedUrl(`${server.url}/internal`));
+		expect(server.captured).toEqual(['/start', '/internal']);
+	});
+
+	it('blocks a redirect hop the authorizer rejects, even though the initial URL is allowed', async () => {
+		const error = new Error('redirect target not approved');
+		const authorize = vi.fn<RequestAuthorizer>(async (url) => {
+			if (url.href.includes('/internal')) throw error;
+		});
+		const fetchFn = makeTransport({ ssrf: 'disabled', proxy: false, authorize }).asCustomFetch();
+
+		const rejection = await fetchFn(`${server.url}/start`).catch((e: unknown) => e);
+
+		expect(rejection).toBeInstanceOf(Error);
+		expect(rootCauseMessage(rejection)).toBe(error.message);
+		expect(server.captured).toContain('/start');
+		expect(server.captured).not.toContain('/internal');
+	});
+
+	it('runs the SSRF policy before the authorizer: an SSRF-blocked hop is never authorized', async () => {
+		const ssrfError = new Error('SSRF: blocked /internal');
+		const bridge: SsrfBridge = makeSsrfBridge({
+			validateUrl: vi.fn(async (url: string | URL) => {
+				const href = typeof url === 'string' ? url : url.href;
+				return href.includes('/internal')
+					? { ok: false as const, error: ssrfError }
+					: { ok: true as const, result: undefined };
+			}),
+		});
+		const authorize = vi.fn<RequestAuthorizer>().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+		const fetchFn = makeTransport({ ssrf: bridge, proxy: false, authorize }).asCustomFetch();
+
+		await expect(fetchFn(`${server.url}/start`)).rejects.toThrow();
+
+		// The initial hop passed SSRF, so it was authorized; the redirect target was
+		// SSRF-blocked first, so the authorizer was never consulted for it.
+		expect(authorize).toHaveBeenCalledWith(authorizedUrl(`${server.url}/start`));
+		expect(authorize).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(authorizedUrl(`${server.url}/internal`));
+		expect(server.captured).not.toContain('/internal');
+	});
+});
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/__tests__/transport-timeouts.test.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/__tests__/transport-timeouts.test.ts
index bcfa923845b..9d35692c1ea 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/__tests__/transport-timeouts.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/__tests__/transport-timeouts.test.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ describe('transport timeouts', () => {
 	it('builds a dispatcher without timeouts when none are provided', () => {
 		// Smoke check that the optional argument path stays valid.
 		expect(() => buildDispatcher(false, 'disabled')).not.toThrow();
-		expect(() => buildDispatcher('env', 'disabled', { bodyTimeout: 1000 })).not.toThrow();
+		expect(() =>
+			buildDispatcher('env', 'disabled', { timeouts: { bodyTimeout: 1000 } }),
+		).not.toThrow();
 	});
 });
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/invoke.test.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/invoke.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..16915e659da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/invoke.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+import { AiConfig } from '@n8n/config';
+import { Container } from '@n8n/di';
+import nock from 'nock';
+
+import { configureGlobalAxiosDefaults } from '../config';
+import { invokeAxios } from '../invoke';
+
+// Sets axios defaults and registers the vendor-header interceptor.
+configureGlobalAxiosDefaults();
+
+describe('invokeAxios', () => {
+	const baseUrl = 'https://example.de';
+
+	beforeEach(() => {
+		nock.cleanAll();
+		vi.clearAllMocks();
+	});
+
+	it('should throw error for non-401 status codes', async () => {
+		nock(baseUrl).get('/test').reply(500, {});
+
+		await expect(invokeAxios({ url: `${baseUrl}/test` })).rejects.toThrow(
+			'Request failed with status code 500',
+		);
+	});
+
+	it('should throw error on 401 without digest auth challenge', async () => {
+		nock(baseUrl).get('/test').reply(401, {});
+
+		await expect(
+			invokeAxios(
+				{
+					url: `${baseUrl}/test`,
+				},
+				false,
+			),
+		).rejects.toThrow('Request failed with status code 401');
+	});
+
+	it('should make successful requests', async () => {
+		nock(baseUrl).get('/test').reply(200, { success: true });
+
+		const response = await invokeAxios({
+			url: `${baseUrl}/test`,
+		});
+
+		expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+		expect(response.data).toEqual({ success: true });
+	});
+
+	it('should handle digest auth when receiving 401 with nonce', async () => {
+		nock(baseUrl)
+			.get('/test')
+			.matchHeader('authorization', 'Basic dXNlcjpwYXNz')
+			.once()
+			.reply(401, {}, { 'www-authenticate': 'Digest realm="test", nonce="abc123", qop="auth"' });
+
+		nock(baseUrl)
+			.get('/test')
+			.matchHeader(
+				'authorization',
+				/^Digest username="user",realm="test",nonce="abc123",uri="\/test",qop="auth",algorithm="MD5",response="[0-9a-f]{32}"/,
+			)
+			.reply(200, { success: true });
+
+		const response = await invokeAxios(
+			{
+				url: `${baseUrl}/test`,
+				auth: {
+					username: 'user',
+					password: 'pass',
+				},
+			},
+			false,
+		);
+
+		expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+		expect(response.data).toEqual({ success: true });
+	});
+
+	it('should include vendor headers in requests to OpenAi', async () => {
+		const { openAiDefaultHeaders } = Container.get(AiConfig);
+		nock('https://api.openai.com', {
+			reqheaders: openAiDefaultHeaders,
+		})
+			.get('/chat')
+			.reply(200, { success: true });
+
+		const response = await invokeAxios({
+			url: 'https://api.openai.com/chat',
+		});
+
+		expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+		expect(response.data).toEqual({ success: true });
+	});
+});
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/request.test.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/request.test.ts
index b1ae4a61894..86882cd75da 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/request.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/request.test.ts
@@ -8,100 +8,13 @@ import { mock } from 'vitest-mock-extended';
 
 import type { SsrfBridge } from '../../../ssrf';
 import { configureGlobalAxiosDefaults } from '../config';
-import { convertN8nRequestToAxios, httpRequest, invokeAxios, removeEmptyBody } from '../request';
+import { convertN8nRequestToAxios, httpRequest, removeEmptyBody } from '../request';
 
 // Sets axios defaults and registers the vendor-header interceptor.
 configureGlobalAxiosDefaults();
 
 const TEST_CA_CERT = '-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----\nTEST\n-----END CERTIFICATE-----';
 
-describe('invokeAxios', () => {
-	const baseUrl = 'https://example.de';
-
-	beforeEach(() => {
-		nock.cleanAll();
-		vi.clearAllMocks();
-	});
-
-	it('should throw error for non-401 status codes', async () => {
-		nock(baseUrl).get('/test').reply(500, {});
-
-		await expect(invokeAxios({ url: `${baseUrl}/test` })).rejects.toThrow(
-			'Request failed with status code 500',
-		);
-	});
-
-	it('should throw error on 401 without digest auth challenge', async () => {
-		nock(baseUrl).get('/test').reply(401, {});
-
-		await expect(
-			invokeAxios(
-				{
-					url: `${baseUrl}/test`,
-				},
-				{ sendImmediately: false },
-			),
-		).rejects.toThrow('Request failed with status code 401');
-	});
-
-	it('should make successful requests', async () => {
-		nock(baseUrl).get('/test').reply(200, { success: true });
-
-		const response = await invokeAxios({
-			url: `${baseUrl}/test`,
-		});
-
-		expect(response.status).toBe(200);
-		expect(response.data).toEqual({ success: true });
-	});
-
-	it('should handle digest auth when receiving 401 with nonce', async () => {
-		nock(baseUrl)
-			.get('/test')
-			.matchHeader('authorization', 'Basic dXNlcjpwYXNz')
-			.once()
-			.reply(401, {}, { 'www-authenticate': 'Digest realm="test", nonce="abc123", qop="auth"' });
-
-		nock(baseUrl)
-			.get('/test')
-			.matchHeader(
-				'authorization',
-				/^Digest username="user",realm="test",nonce="abc123",uri="\/test",qop="auth",algorithm="MD5",response="[0-9a-f]{32}"/,
-			)
-			.reply(200, { success: true });
-
-		const response = await invokeAxios(
-			{
-				url: `${baseUrl}/test`,
-				auth: {
-					username: 'user',
-					password: 'pass',
-				},
-			},
-			{ sendImmediately: false },
-		);
-
-		expect(response.status).toBe(200);
-		expect(response.data).toEqual({ success: true });
-	});
-
-	it('should include vendor headers in requests to OpenAi', async () => {
-		const { openAiDefaultHeaders } = Container.get(AiConfig);
-		nock('https://api.openai.com', {
-			reqheaders: openAiDefaultHeaders,
-		})
-			.get('/chat')
-			.reply(200, { success: true });
-
-		const response = await invokeAxios({
-			url: 'https://api.openai.com/chat',
-		});
-
-		expect(response.status).toBe(200);
-		expect(response.data).toEqual({ success: true });
-	});
-});
-
 describe('removeEmptyBody', () => {
 	test.each(['GET', 'HEAD', 'OPTIONS'] as IHttpRequestMethods[])(
 		'Should remove empty body for %s',
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/ssrf-redirect.test.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/ssrf-redirect.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fc730c9e19a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/ssrf-redirect.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,316 @@
+import type { Logger } from '@n8n/backend-common';
+import { mock } from 'vitest-mock-extended';
+
+import type { SsrfBridge } from '../../../ssrf';
+import { makeSsrfBridge } from '../../../ssrf/__tests__/mock-ssrf-bridge';
+import { executeLegacyRequest } from '../../legacy-request';
+import { type LocalServer, startServer } from '../../local-server';
+import { configureGlobalAxiosDefaults } from '../config';
+import { httpRequest } from '../request';
+
+// When a proxy may carry the request, axios' synchronous redirect following
+// cannot validate a hostname target, so `httpRequest` follows redirects itself
+// and runs the SSRF target check on every hop. These tests drive the real path
+// against a local server: a proxy env var is set so the manual follower engages,
+// while `NO_PROXY` keeps the loopback connection direct (no real proxy needed).
+
+configureGlobalAxiosDefaults();
+
+const PROXY_ENV_KEYS = ['HTTP_PROXY', 'HTTPS_PROXY', 'NO_PROXY'] as const;
+
+async function startRedirectServer(): Promise<LocalServer> {
+	let serverUrl = '';
+	const server = await startServer((req, res) => {
+		if (req.url === '/start') {
+			res.writeHead(302, { Location: `${serverUrl}/internal` });
+			res.end();
+			return;
+		}
+		if (req.url === '/multiple-choices') {
+			// A 3xx outside the classic set (300) that still carries a Location to follow.
+			res.writeHead(300, { Location: `${serverUrl}/internal` });
+			res.end();
+			return;
+		}
+		if (req.url === '/not-modified') {
+			// A 3xx without a Location: not a redirect, must surface to the caller's status policy.
+			res.writeHead(304);
+			res.end();
+			return;
+		}
+		if (req.url === '/bad-location') {
+			// A redirect to a Location the server got wrong: not a resolvable URL.
+			res.writeHead(302, { Location: 'http://' });
+			res.end();
+			return;
+		}
+		res.writeHead(200, { 'content-type': 'text/plain' });
+		res.end(`reached:${req.url}`);
+	});
+	serverUrl = server.url;
+	return server;
+}
+
+function makeBridge(blockedPath: string): { bridge: SsrfBridge; error: Error } {
+	const error = new Error(`blocked ${blockedPath}`);
+	const bridge = makeSsrfBridge({
+		validateUrl: vi.fn(async (url: string | URL) => {
+			const href = typeof url === 'string' ? url : url.href;
+			return href.includes(blockedPath)
+				? { ok: false as const, error }
+				: { ok: true as const, result: undefined };
+		}),
+	});
+	return { bridge, error };
+}
+
+describe('httpRequest manual redirect following with SSRF + proxy', () => {
+	let server: LocalServer;
+	const savedEnv: Record<string, string | undefined> = {};
+
+	beforeEach(async () => {
+		for (const key of PROXY_ENV_KEYS) {
+			savedEnv[key] = process.env[key];
+		}
+		// A proxy is configured (engages the manual follower), but loopback is
+		// exempt so the request connects directly to the local server.
+		process.env.HTTP_PROXY = 'http://127.0.0.1:1';
+		process.env.HTTPS_PROXY = 'http://127.0.0.1:1';
+		process.env.NO_PROXY = '127.0.0.1,localhost';
+
+		server = await startRedirectServer();
+	});
+
+	afterEach(async () => {
+		for (const key of PROXY_ENV_KEYS) {
+			if (savedEnv[key] === undefined) {
+				delete process.env[key];
+			} else {
+				process.env[key] = savedEnv[key];
+			}
+		}
+		await server.close();
+	});
+
+	it('validates the redirect target and blocks it even though the initial URL is allowed', async () => {
+		const { bridge } = makeBridge('/internal');
+
+		await expect(
+			httpRequest({ method: 'GET', url: `${server.url}/start` }, bridge),
+		).rejects.toThrow('/internal');
+
+		expect(bridge.validateUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			expect.objectContaining({ href: `${server.url}/start` }),
+		);
+		expect(bridge.validateUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			expect.objectContaining({ href: `${server.url}/internal` }),
+		);
+		expect(server.captured).toContain('/start');
+		expect(server.captured).not.toContain('/internal');
+	});
+
+	it('follows the redirect when every hop passes validation', async () => {
+		const { bridge } = makeBridge('/never-matches');
+
+		const response = await httpRequest({ method: 'GET', url: `${server.url}/start` }, bridge);
+
+		expect(response).toBe('reached:/internal');
+		expect(bridge.validateUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			expect.objectContaining({ href: `${server.url}/internal` }),
+		);
+		expect(server.captured).toEqual(['/start', '/internal']);
+	});
+
+	it('follows a 3xx outside the classic set when it carries a Location', async () => {
+		const { bridge } = makeBridge('/never-matches');
+
+		const response = await httpRequest(
+			{ method: 'GET', url: `${server.url}/multiple-choices` },
+			bridge,
+		);
+
+		expect(response).toBe('reached:/internal');
+		expect(bridge.validateUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			expect.objectContaining({ href: `${server.url}/internal` }),
+		);
+		expect(server.captured).toEqual(['/multiple-choices', '/internal']);
+	});
+
+	it('surfaces a 3xx without a Location through the caller status policy instead of following it', async () => {
+		const { bridge } = makeBridge('/never-matches');
+
+		await expect(
+			httpRequest({ method: 'GET', url: `${server.url}/not-modified` }, bridge),
+		).rejects.toThrow('status code 304');
+
+		expect(server.captured).toEqual(['/not-modified']);
+	});
+
+	it('blocks the initial request before any hop when its URL is rejected', async () => {
+		const { bridge } = makeBridge('/start');
+
+		await expect(
+			httpRequest({ method: 'GET', url: `${server.url}/start` }, bridge),
+		).rejects.toThrow('/start');
+
+		expect(server.captured).toEqual([]);
+	});
+
+	it('throws a clear error when the server returns a malformed redirect location', async () => {
+		const { bridge } = makeBridge('/never-matches');
+
+		await expect(
+			httpRequest({ method: 'GET', url: `${server.url}/bad-location` }, bridge),
+		).rejects.toThrow('Invalid redirect location received from server');
+
+		expect(server.captured).toEqual(['/bad-location']);
+	});
+
+	it('returns the redirect response without following when redirects are disabled', async () => {
+		const { bridge } = makeBridge('/internal');
+
+		const response = await httpRequest(
+			{
+				method: 'GET',
+				url: `${server.url}/start`,
+				disableFollowRedirect: true,
+				returnFullResponse: true,
+				ignoreHttpStatusErrors: true,
+			},
+			bridge,
+		);
+
+		expect(response.statusCode).toBe(302);
+		expect(bridge.validateUrl).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			expect.objectContaining({ href: `${server.url}/internal` }),
+		);
+		expect(server.captured).toEqual(['/start']);
+	});
+
+	describe('legacy request path', () => {
+		it('validates the redirect target and blocks it', async () => {
+			const { bridge } = makeBridge('/internal');
+
+			await expect(
+				executeLegacyRequest({ uri: `${server.url}/start` }, bridge, mock<Logger>()),
+			).rejects.toThrow('/internal');
+
+			expect(bridge.validateUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+				expect.objectContaining({ href: `${server.url}/internal` }),
+			);
+			expect(server.captured).toContain('/start');
+			expect(server.captured).not.toContain('/internal');
+		});
+
+		it('follows the redirect when every hop passes validation', async () => {
+			const { bridge } = makeBridge('/never-matches');
+
+			const body = await executeLegacyRequest(
+				{ uri: `${server.url}/start` },
+				bridge,
+				mock<Logger>(),
+			);
+
+			expect(body).toBe('reached:/internal');
+			expect(server.captured).toEqual(['/start', '/internal']);
+		});
+	});
+
+	describe('credential headers across redirects', () => {
+		let origin: LocalServer;
+		let crossOrigin: LocalServer;
+		let received: Record<string, string | string[] | undefined> = {};
+
+		const credentialHeaders = {
+			Authorization: 'Bearer secret',
+			'Proxy-Authorization': 'Basic proxy-secret',
+			Cookie: 'session=secret',
+			'X-Keep': 'keep-me',
+		};
+
+		beforeEach(async () => {
+			received = {};
+			crossOrigin = await startServer((req, res) => {
+				received = req.headers;
+				res.writeHead(200, { 'content-type': 'text/plain' });
+				res.end('reached');
+			});
+
+			let originUrl = '';
+			origin = await startServer((req, res) => {
+				if (req.url === '/cross') {
+					res.writeHead(302, { Location: `${crossOrigin.url}/dest` });
+					res.end();
+					return;
+				}
+				if (req.url === '/same') {
+					res.writeHead(302, { Location: `${originUrl}/landing` });
+					res.end();
+					return;
+				}
+				received = req.headers;
+				res.writeHead(200, { 'content-type': 'text/plain' });
+				res.end('reached');
+			});
+			originUrl = origin.url;
+		});
+
+		afterEach(async () => {
+			await Promise.all([origin.close(), crossOrigin.close()]);
+		});
+
+		it('drops Authorization, Proxy-Authorization, and Cookie on a cross-origin redirect', async () => {
+			const { bridge } = makeBridge('/never-matches');
+
+			await httpRequest(
+				{
+					method: 'GET',
+					url: `${origin.url}/cross`,
+					headers: { ...credentialHeaders },
+					sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect: false,
+				},
+				bridge,
+			);
+
+			expect(received.authorization).toBeUndefined();
+			expect(received['proxy-authorization']).toBeUndefined();
+			expect(received.cookie).toBeUndefined();
+			// Non-credential headers still carry over.
+			expect(received['x-keep']).toBe('keep-me');
+		});
+
+		it('keeps credential headers on a same-origin redirect', async () => {
+			const { bridge } = makeBridge('/never-matches');
+
+			await httpRequest(
+				{
+					method: 'GET',
+					url: `${origin.url}/same`,
+					headers: { ...credentialHeaders },
+					sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect: false,
+				},
+				bridge,
+			);
+
+			expect(received.authorization).toBe('Bearer secret');
+			expect(received['proxy-authorization']).toBe('Basic proxy-secret');
+			expect(received.cookie).toBe('session=secret');
+		});
+
+		it('keeps Proxy-Authorization cross-origin when credentials are explicitly allowed', async () => {
+			const { bridge } = makeBridge('/never-matches');
+
+			await httpRequest(
+				{
+					method: 'GET',
+					url: `${origin.url}/cross`,
+					headers: { ...credentialHeaders },
+					sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect: true,
+				},
+				bridge,
+			);
+
+			expect(received['proxy-authorization']).toBe('Basic proxy-secret');
+		});
+	});
+});
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/utils.test.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/utils.test.ts
index 154ef300081..533487b3803 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/utils.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/__tests__/utils.test.ts
@@ -7,14 +7,18 @@ import { mock } from 'vitest-mock-extended';
 import { makeSsrfBridge } from '../../../ssrf/__tests__/mock-ssrf-bridge';
 import { buildNodeAgents } from '../../node-agents';
 import {
+	buildAgentOptions,
 	buildTargetUrl,
 	createFormDataObject,
 	digestAuthAxiosConfig,
 	generateContentLengthHeader,
 	getBeforeRedirectFn,
 	getHostFromRequestObject,
+	getRedirectLocation,
 	getUrlFromProxyConfig,
 	isIgnoreStatusErrorConfig,
+	isProxyPotentiallyActive,
+	isRedirectStatus,
 	searchForHeader,
 	setAxiosAgents,
 	tryParseUrl,
@@ -28,8 +32,8 @@ vi.mock('../../node-agents', () => ({
 		httpAgent: { type: 'http', ...opts },
 		httpsAgent: { type: 'https', ...opts },
 	})),
-	isSupportedProxyUrl: (value: string) =>
-		value.startsWith('http://') || value.startsWith('https://'),
+	isSupportedProxyUrl: (value: string | null | undefined) =>
+		typeof value === 'string' && (value.startsWith('http://') || value.startsWith('https://')),
 }));
 
 describe('isIgnoreStatusErrorConfig', () => {
@@ -528,3 +532,116 @@ describe('setAxiosAgents', () => {
 		expect(logger.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining('socks5://proxy:1080'));
 	});
 });
+
+describe('isRedirectStatus', () => {
+	// Mirrors follow-redirects: any 3xx is in range (the `Location` check happens at the follow site).
+	it.each([300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 307, 308, 399])(
+		'treats %i as in the 3xx range',
+		(status) => {
+			expect(isRedirectStatus(status)).toBe(true);
+		},
+	);
+
+	it.each([200, 204, 299, 400, 500])('treats %i as not a redirect', (status) => {
+		expect(isRedirectStatus(status)).toBe(false);
+	});
+});
+
+describe('getRedirectLocation', () => {
+	it('returns the Location header when present', () => {
+		const response = {
+			headers: { location: 'https://example.com/next' },
+		} as unknown as AxiosResponse;
+		expect(getRedirectLocation(response)).toBe('https://example.com/next');
+	});
+
+	it('returns undefined when the Location header is absent', () => {
+		const response = { headers: {} } as unknown as AxiosResponse;
+		expect(getRedirectLocation(response)).toBeUndefined();
+	});
+
+	it('returns undefined when the Location header is not a string', () => {
+		const response = { headers: { location: ['a', 'b'] } } as unknown as AxiosResponse;
+		expect(getRedirectLocation(response)).toBeUndefined();
+	});
+});
+
+describe('isProxyPotentiallyActive', () => {
+	const isProxyVar = (key: string) => /proxy/i.test(key);
+	const originalProxyEnv = Object.fromEntries(
+		Object.entries(process.env).filter(([key]) => isProxyVar(key)),
+	);
+
+	const stripProxyEnv = () => {
+		for (const key of Object.keys(process.env)) {
+			if (isProxyVar(key)) delete process.env[key];
+		}
+	};
+
+	beforeEach(stripProxyEnv);
+
+	afterEach(() => {
+		stripProxyEnv();
+		Object.assign(process.env, originalProxyEnv);
+	});
+
+	it('is true for an explicit proxy object regardless of the environment', () => {
+		expect(isProxyPotentiallyActive({ host: 'proxy', port: 8080 })).toBe(true);
+	});
+
+	it('is true for an explicit supported proxy URL', () => {
+		expect(isProxyPotentiallyActive('http://proxy:8080')).toBe(true);
+	});
+
+	it('falls back to the environment for an unsupported proxy URL', () => {
+		expect(isProxyPotentiallyActive('socks5://proxy:1080')).toBe(false);
+		process.env.HTTPS_PROXY = 'http://env-proxy:3128';
+		expect(isProxyPotentiallyActive('socks5://proxy:1080')).toBe(true);
+	});
+
+	it('is true when a proxy environment variable is set and no explicit proxy is given', () => {
+		process.env.HTTP_PROXY = 'http://env-proxy:3128';
+		expect(isProxyPotentiallyActive()).toBe(true);
+	});
+
+	it('ignores empty proxy environment variables', () => {
+		process.env.HTTP_PROXY = '';
+		expect(isProxyPotentiallyActive()).toBe(false);
+	});
+
+	it('falls through an empty variable to a later set one', () => {
+		process.env.HTTP_PROXY = '';
+		process.env.HTTPS_PROXY = 'http://env-proxy:3128';
+		expect(isProxyPotentiallyActive()).toBe(true);
+	});
+
+	it('is false with neither an explicit proxy nor environment configuration', () => {
+		expect(isProxyPotentiallyActive()).toBe(false);
+	});
+});
+
+describe('buildAgentOptions', () => {
+	it('sets servername from the request host', () => {
+		const options = buildAgentOptions({ method: 'GET', url: 'https://api.example.com/v1' });
+		expect(options.servername).toBe('api.example.com');
+	});
+
+	it('disables certificate validation when skipSslCertificateValidation is set', () => {
+		const options = buildAgentOptions({
+			method: 'GET',
+			url: 'https://api.example.com',
+			skipSslCertificateValidation: true,
+		});
+		expect(options.rejectUnauthorized).toBe(false);
+	});
+
+	it('passes through provided agentOptions', () => {
+		const options = buildAgentOptions({
+			method: 'GET',
+			url: 'https://api.example.com',
+			agentOptions: { keepAlive: true },
+		});
+		expect(options.keepAlive).toBe(true);
+		expect(options.servername).toBe('api.example.com');
+	});
+});
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/invoke.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/invoke.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b4d38b7aa5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/invoke.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import type { AxiosRequestConfig } from 'axios';
+import axios from 'axios';
+
+import { digestAuthAxiosConfig } from './utils';
+
+export async function invokeAxios(axiosConfig: AxiosRequestConfig, authSendImmediately?: boolean) {
+	try {
+		return await axios(axiosConfig);
+	} catch (error) {
+		if (authSendImmediately !== false || !(error instanceof axios.AxiosError)) {
+			throw error;
+		}
+		// for digest-auth
+		const { response } = error;
+		const wwwAuthenticate: unknown = response?.headers['www-authenticate'];
+		if (
+			response?.status !== 401 ||
+			typeof wwwAuthenticate !== 'string' ||
+			!wwwAuthenticate.includes('nonce')
+		) {
+			throw error;
+		}
+		const { auth } = axiosConfig;
+		delete axiosConfig.auth;
+		axiosConfig = digestAuthAxiosConfig(axiosConfig, response, auth);
+		return await axios(axiosConfig);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/legacy.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/legacy.ts
index 24bad5fb7e3..c9a41d73a93 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/legacy.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/legacy.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,26 @@ import {
 } from './utils';
 import type { SsrfBridge } from '../../ssrf';
 
+/**
+ * Builds the per-request Node agent options for a legacy `IRequestOptions`,
+ * including the relaxed TLS settings the legacy path applies when `rejectUnauthorized` is `false`.
+ * Shared with the manual redirect follower so both derive agents the same way.
+ *
+ * @deprecated Backs the deprecated `request` helpers.
+ */
+export function buildLegacyAgentOptions(requestObject: IRequestOptions): AgentOptions {
+	const host = getHostFromRequestObject(requestObject);
+	const agentOptions: AgentOptions = { ...requestObject.agentOptions };
+	if (host) {
+		agentOptions.servername = host;
+	}
+	if (requestObject.rejectUnauthorized === false) {
+		agentOptions.rejectUnauthorized = false;
+		agentOptions.secureOptions = crypto.constants.SSL_OP_LEGACY_SERVER_CONNECT;
+	}
+	return agentOptions;
+}
+
 /**
  * This function is a temporary implementation that translates all http requests
  * done via the request library to axios directly.
@@ -254,15 +274,7 @@ export async function buildAxiosConfigFromLegacyRequest(
 		axiosConfig.maxRedirects = 0;
 	}
 
-	const host = getHostFromRequestObject(requestObject);
-	const agentOptions: AgentOptions = { ...requestObject.agentOptions };
-	if (host) {
-		agentOptions.servername = host;
-	}
-	if (requestObject.rejectUnauthorized === false) {
-		agentOptions.rejectUnauthorized = false;
-		agentOptions.secureOptions = crypto.constants.SSL_OP_LEGACY_SERVER_CONNECT;
-	}
+	const agentOptions: AgentOptions = buildLegacyAgentOptions(requestObject);
 
 	if (requestObject.timeout !== undefined) {
 		axiosConfig.timeout = requestObject.timeout;
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/redirect.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/redirect.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9986c1ba369
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/redirect.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,274 @@
+import { AxiosError, type AxiosRequestConfig, type AxiosResponse } from 'axios';
+import type { AgentOptions } from 'https';
+import type { IHttpRequestOptions } from 'n8n-workflow';
+import { OperationalError } from 'n8n-workflow';
+
+import { invokeAxios } from './invoke';
+import {
+	buildTargetUrl,
+	getRedirectLocation,
+	getUrlFromProxyConfig,
+	isProxyPotentiallyActive,
+	isRedirectStatus,
+	resolveProxyOption,
+	throwIfDomainNotAllowed,
+	tryParseUrl,
+	validateUrlSsrf,
+} from './utils';
+import type { SsrfBridge } from '../../ssrf';
+import { buildNodeAgents } from '../node-agents';
+
+/**
+ * Default redirect cap, matching the limit axios applies through `follow-redirects`.
+ * Used when a request enables redirect following without naming an explicit limit.
+ */
+const MAX_REDIRECTS_DEFAULT = 21;
+
+/**
+ * Inputs the manual redirect follower needs to re-derive each hop the way axios would,
+ * while validating the target of every hop against the SSRF policy.
+ */
+export interface SsrfRedirectPolicy {
+	ssrf: SsrfBridge;
+	proxyConfig?: IHttpRequestOptions['proxy'] | string;
+	agentOptions: AgentOptions;
+	allowedDomains?: string;
+	sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect: boolean;
+	authSendImmediately?: boolean;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether redirects must be followed manually instead of by axios.
+ *
+ * axios follows redirects synchronously via `follow-redirects`,
+ * so a redirect target can only be validated synchronously there,
+ * which cannot resolve a hostname.
+ * When a proxy may carry the request the connection-time DNS check does not see the final target either,
+ * so we take over redirect following to run the same async target validation as the initial request on every hop.
+ */
+export function shouldFollowRedirectsManually(
+	axiosConfig: AxiosRequestConfig,
+	proxyConfig: IHttpRequestOptions['proxy'] | string | undefined,
+	ssrfBridge?: SsrfBridge,
+): ssrfBridge is SsrfBridge {
+	if (!ssrfBridge) {
+		return false;
+	}
+	const maxRedirects = axiosConfig.maxRedirects ?? MAX_REDIRECTS_DEFAULT;
+	if (maxRedirects === 0) {
+		return false;
+	}
+	return isProxyPotentiallyActive(proxyConfig);
+}
+
+/**
+ * @returns the absolute origin of a URL, falling back to the raw string.
+ */
+function safeOrigin(url: string): string {
+	return tryParseUrl(url)?.origin ?? url;
+}
+
+/** Whether two URLs live on different origins (scheme + host + port). */
+function isCrossOrigin(fromUrl: string, toUrl: string): boolean {
+	return safeOrigin(fromUrl) !== safeOrigin(toUrl);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether a redirect must rewrite the request into a body-less GET.
+ * Mirrors `follow-redirects`: 303 downgrades any non-GET/HEAD; 301/302 downgrade a POST.
+ */
+function redirectDowngradesToGet(method: string, status: number): boolean {
+	const normalized = method.toUpperCase();
+	const isGetOrHead = normalized === 'GET' || normalized === 'HEAD';
+	return (
+		(status === 303 && !isGetOrHead) ||
+		((status === 301 || status === 302) && normalized === 'POST')
+	);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Header names that must not carry over to the next hop:
+ * - `Host`: always — the transport recomputes it for the new target
+ * - `Content-*`: only when the body is dropped on a GET downgrade, so its descriptors go too
+ * - `Authorization`/`Proxy-Authorization`/`Cookie`: credentials, dropped on a cross-origin hop unless explicitly allowed
+ */
+function headerPatternsToDropOnRedirect(
+	downgradeToGet: boolean,
+	stripCredentials: boolean,
+): RegExp[] {
+	return [
+		/^host$/i,
+		...(downgradeToGet ? [/^content-/i] : []),
+		...(stripCredentials ? [/^authorization$/i, /^proxy-authorization$/i, /^cookie$/i] : []),
+	];
+}
+
+/** @returns a copy of `headers` without the entries whose name matches any pattern. */
+function omitHeaders(
+	headers: AxiosRequestConfig['headers'],
+	patterns: RegExp[],
+): AxiosRequestConfig['headers'] {
+	return Object.fromEntries(
+		Object.entries(headers ?? {}).filter(
+			([name]) => !patterns.some((pattern) => pattern.test(name)),
+		),
+	);
+}
+
+/** Fresh agents bound to the next target's host, re-running the SSRF policy on the new connection. */
+function buildRedirectHopAgents(
+	nextUrl: string,
+	policy: SsrfRedirectPolicy,
+): Pick<AxiosRequestConfig, 'httpAgent' | 'httpsAgent'> {
+	const host = tryParseUrl(nextUrl)?.hostname;
+	const customProxyUrl = policy.proxyConfig ? getUrlFromProxyConfig(policy.proxyConfig) : null;
+	const proxy = resolveProxyOption(customProxyUrl);
+	return buildNodeAgents(proxy, policy.ssrf, {
+		...policy.agentOptions,
+		...(host ? { servername: host } : {}),
+	});
+}
+
+/**
+ * Frees an intermediate streamed response body before following the next hop.
+ */
+function discardResponseBody(response: AxiosResponse): void {
+	const data: unknown = response.data;
+	if (
+		data !== null &&
+		typeof data === 'object' &&
+		typeof (data as { destroy?: unknown }).destroy === 'function'
+	) {
+		(data as { destroy: () => void }).destroy();
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Builds the next-hop axios config, mirroring how `follow-redirects` rewrites a
+ * request across a redirect: method/body downgrade, credential stripping on
+ * cross-origin hops, and fresh agents bound to the new target's host.
+ */
+function buildRedirectHopConfig(
+	prevConfig: AxiosRequestConfig,
+	status: number,
+	originalUrl: string,
+	nextUrl: string,
+	policy: SsrfRedirectPolicy,
+): AxiosRequestConfig {
+	const downgradeToGet = redirectDowngradesToGet(prevConfig.method ?? 'GET', status);
+	const stripCredentials =
+		isCrossOrigin(originalUrl, nextUrl) && !policy.sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect;
+
+	return {
+		...prevConfig,
+		url: nextUrl,
+		// nextUrl is absolute and carries its own query string, so neither must carry over.
+		baseURL: undefined,
+		params: undefined,
+		// A GET downgrade drops the body, so its method and payload reset.
+		...(downgradeToGet ? { method: 'GET', data: undefined } : {}),
+		// Credentials must not follow a cross-origin hop unless explicitly allowed.
+		...(stripCredentials ? { auth: undefined } : {}),
+		headers: omitHeaders(
+			prevConfig.headers,
+			headerPatternsToDropOnRedirect(downgradeToGet, stripCredentials),
+		),
+		...buildRedirectHopAgents(nextUrl, policy),
+	};
+}
+
+/**
+ * Enforces the caller's status policy on a terminal response, throwing the same `AxiosError` axios would.
+ */
+function throwIfStatusRejected(
+	response: AxiosResponse,
+	validateStatus: (status: number) => boolean,
+): void {
+	if (!validateStatus(response.status)) {
+		// Same code axios derives in `settle`: 4xx -> ERR_BAD_REQUEST, 5xx -> ERR_BAD_RESPONSE, else undefined.
+		const code = [AxiosError.ERR_BAD_REQUEST, AxiosError.ERR_BAD_RESPONSE][
+			Math.floor(response.status / 100) - 4
+		];
+		throw new AxiosError(
+			`Request failed with status code ${response.status}`,
+			code,
+			response.config,
+			response.request,
+			response,
+		);
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Resolves a redirect `Location` against the current URL.
+ * @throws OperationalError when the server returns a malformed Location that cannot be resolved.
+ */
+function resolveRedirectUrl(location: string, currentUrl: string): string {
+	try {
+		return new URL(location, currentUrl).href;
+	} catch {
+		throw new OperationalError(`Invalid redirect location received from server: ${location}`);
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Follows redirects manually, validating the target of every hop against the SSRF policy (DNS + IP),
+ * so a redirect cannot reach a target the initial pre-flight check never saw,
+ * including hostname targets carried by a proxy.
+ */
+export async function followSsrfRedirects(
+	initialConfig: AxiosRequestConfig,
+	policy: SsrfRedirectPolicy,
+): Promise<AxiosResponse> {
+	const maxRedirects = initialConfig.maxRedirects ?? MAX_REDIRECTS_DEFAULT;
+	const originalUrl =
+		buildTargetUrl(initialConfig.url, initialConfig.baseURL) ?? initialConfig.url ?? '';
+	const baseValidateStatus =
+		initialConfig.validateStatus ?? ((status: number) => status >= 200 && status < 300);
+
+	// Each hop is a single request: disable axios' own following, let our custom
+	// agents do the proxying (so axios' built-in proxy does not wrap it again),
+	// and pass every 3xx through so we can inspect it for a `Location` to follow.
+	// The caller's status policy still applies to the final, non-redirect response
+	// (a non-3xx via axios here, a 3xx-without-Location via `throwIfStatusRejected`).
+	const prepareHop = (config: AxiosRequestConfig): AxiosRequestConfig => ({
+		...config,
+		maxRedirects: 0,
+		proxy: false,
+		validateStatus: (status: number) =>
+			isRedirectStatus(status) ? true : baseValidateStatus(status),
+	});
+
+	let config = prepareHop(initialConfig);
+	let currentUrl = originalUrl;
+
+	for (let redirectCount = 0; ; redirectCount++) {
+		const response = await invokeAxios(config, policy.authSendImmediately);
+		const location = getRedirectLocation(response);
+
+		if (!isRedirectStatus(response.status) || !location) {
+			if (isRedirectStatus(response.status)) {
+				throwIfStatusRejected(response, baseValidateStatus);
+			}
+			return response;
+		}
+
+		// This response is a redirect we will not return.
+		// Release its body (a no-op for buffered bodies, frees the socket for streamed ones)
+		// before we either stop or follow.
+		discardResponseBody(response);
+
+		if (redirectCount >= maxRedirects) {
+			throw new OperationalError(`Maximum number of redirects (${maxRedirects}) exceeded`);
+		}
+
+		const nextUrl = resolveRedirectUrl(location, currentUrl);
+		throwIfDomainNotAllowed(nextUrl, policy.allowedDomains);
+		await validateUrlSsrf(nextUrl, policy.ssrf);
+
+		config = prepareHop(
+			buildRedirectHopConfig(config, response.status, originalUrl, nextUrl, policy),
+		);
+		currentUrl = nextUrl;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/request.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/request.ts
index a8168e2ffe5..73f40fedabd 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/request.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/request.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call */
-
 import type { AxiosRequestConfig } from 'axios';
-import axios from 'axios';
-import type { AgentOptions } from 'https';
 import type {
 	IHttpRequestOptions,
 	IN8nHttpFullResponse,
@@ -12,12 +8,13 @@ import type {
 import { isObjectEmpty } from 'n8n-workflow';
 import { stringify } from 'qs';
 
+import { invokeAxios } from './invoke';
+import { followSsrfRedirects, shouldFollowRedirectsManually } from './redirect';
 import { applyDefaultOutboundUserAgent } from './user-agent';
 import {
+	buildAgentOptions,
 	buildTargetUrl,
-	digestAuthAxiosConfig,
 	getBeforeRedirectFn,
-	getHostFromRequestObject,
 	isFormDataInstance,
 	isIgnoreStatusErrorConfig,
 	searchForHeader,
@@ -27,26 +24,6 @@ import {
 } from './utils';
 import type { SsrfBridge } from '../../ssrf';
 
-export async function invokeAxios(
-	axiosConfig: AxiosRequestConfig,
-	authOptions: IRequestOptions['auth'] = {},
-) {
-	try {
-		return await axios(axiosConfig);
-	} catch (error) {
-		if (authOptions.sendImmediately !== false || !(error instanceof axios.AxiosError)) throw error;
-		// for digest-auth
-		const { response } = error;
-		if (response?.status !== 401 || !response.headers['www-authenticate']?.includes('nonce')) {
-			throw error;
-		}
-		const { auth } = axiosConfig;
-		delete axiosConfig.auth;
-		axiosConfig = digestAuthAxiosConfig(axiosConfig, response, auth);
-		return await axios(axiosConfig);
-	}
-}
-
 export function convertN8nRequestToAxios(
 	n8nRequest: IHttpRequestOptions,
 	ssrfBridge?: SsrfBridge,
@@ -84,14 +61,7 @@ export function convertN8nRequestToAxios(
 		axiosRequest.responseType = n8nRequest.encoding;
 	}
 
-	const host = getHostFromRequestObject(n8nRequest);
-	const agentOptions: AgentOptions = { ...n8nRequest.agentOptions };
-	if (host) {
-		agentOptions.servername = host;
-	}
-	if (n8nRequest.skipSslCertificateValidation === true) {
-		agentOptions.rejectUnauthorized = false;
-	}
+	const agentOptions = buildAgentOptions(n8nRequest);
 	setAxiosAgents(axiosRequest, agentOptions, proxy, ssrfBridge ?? 'disabled');
 
 	axiosRequest.beforeRedirect = getBeforeRedirectFn(
@@ -228,7 +198,17 @@ export async function httpRequest(
 
 	throwIfDomainNotAllowed(axiosRequest, requestOptions.allowedDomains);
 
-	const result = await invokeAxios(axiosRequest, requestOptions.auth);
+	const result = shouldFollowRedirectsManually(axiosRequest, requestOptions.proxy, ssrfBridge)
+		? await followSsrfRedirects(axiosRequest, {
+				ssrf: ssrfBridge,
+				proxyConfig: requestOptions.proxy,
+				agentOptions: buildAgentOptions(requestOptions),
+				allowedDomains: requestOptions.allowedDomains,
+				sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect:
+					requestOptions.sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect ?? true,
+				authSendImmediately: requestOptions.auth?.sendImmediately,
+			})
+		: await invokeAxios(axiosRequest, requestOptions.auth?.sendImmediately);
 
 	if (requestOptions.returnFullResponse) {
 		return {
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/utils.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/utils.ts
index 5de4f92133e..d3a85aa20a7 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/axios/utils.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 } from 'n8n-workflow';
 
 import type { SsrfBridge } from '../../ssrf';
+import { hasProxyEnvironmentVariables } from '../http-proxy';
 import { buildNodeAgents, isSupportedProxyUrl } from '../node-agents';
 import type { ProxyOption, SsrfOption } from '../node-agents';
 
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ export const getHostFromRequestObject = (
  * Falls back to `'env'` when no custom proxy is configured,
  * or when the configured value is not a supported proxy URL.
  */
-function resolveProxyOption(customProxyUrl: string | null): ProxyOption {
+export function resolveProxyOption(customProxyUrl: string | null): ProxyOption {
 	if (!customProxyUrl) {
 		return 'env';
 	}
@@ -242,6 +243,54 @@ export function isFormDataInstance(data: unknown): data is FormData {
 	);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Builds the per-request Node agent options (TLS `servername`, cert validation, ...) from an `IHttpRequestOptions`.
+ * Shared by the axios config builder and the manual redirect follower so both derive agents the same way.
+ */
+export function buildAgentOptions(n8nRequest: IHttpRequestOptions): AgentOptions {
+	const host = getHostFromRequestObject(n8nRequest);
+	const agentOptions: AgentOptions = { ...n8nRequest.agentOptions };
+	if (host) {
+		agentOptions.servername = host;
+	}
+	if (n8nRequest.skipSslCertificateValidation === true) {
+		agentOptions.rejectUnauthorized = false;
+	}
+	return agentOptions;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @returns true when a status code is in the 3xx range.
+ *
+ * Mirrors `follow-redirects`, which follows any 3xx response carrying a `Location` header
+ * (RFC 7231 §6.4) rather than an allow-list of specific codes. The `Location` is checked
+ * separately at the follow site, so a 3xx without one (e.g. `304`) is not followed and falls
+ * through to the caller's status policy.
+ */
+export function isRedirectStatus(status: number): boolean {
+	return status >= 300 && status < 400;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @returns the `Location` header from an axios response, if present and a string.
+ */
+export function getRedirectLocation(response: AxiosResponse): string | undefined {
+	const headers = response.headers as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+	const location = headers?.location;
+	return typeof location === 'string' ? location : undefined;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether a proxy may carry this request.
+ * @returns true when an explicit proxy is set, or any proxy environment variable is configured
+ */
+export function isProxyPotentiallyActive(
+	proxyConfig?: IHttpRequestOptions['proxy'] | string,
+): boolean {
+	const configSupported = isSupportedProxyUrl(getUrlFromProxyConfig(proxyConfig));
+	return configSupported || hasProxyEnvironmentVariables();
+}
+
 /** Sets the `content-length` header by measuring the FormData stream length. */
 export async function generateContentLengthHeader(config: AxiosRequestConfig) {
 	if (!isFormDataInstance(config.data)) {
@@ -267,8 +316,12 @@ export async function generateContentLengthHeader(config: AxiosRequestConfig) {
 
 /** Converts an `IHttpRequestOptions['proxy']` (object or string) into a proxy URL string. */
 export function getUrlFromProxyConfig(
-	proxyConfig: IHttpRequestOptions['proxy'] | string,
+	proxyConfig: IHttpRequestOptions['proxy'] | string | undefined | null,
 ): string | null {
+	if (!proxyConfig) {
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	if (typeof proxyConfig === 'string') {
 		const isValidUrl = !!tryParseUrl(proxyConfig);
 		return isValidUrl ? proxyConfig : null;
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/http-proxy.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/http-proxy.ts
index 004c50daffa..b92461ae185 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/http-proxy.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/http-proxy.ts
@@ -47,13 +47,14 @@ export function createHttpsProxyAgent(
 	return new https.Agent(options);
 }
 
-function hasProxyEnvironmentVariables(): boolean {
+/** Whether any standard proxy environment variable is set (non-empty). */
+export function hasProxyEnvironmentVariables(): boolean {
 	return Boolean(
-		process.env.HTTP_PROXY ??
-			process.env.http_proxy ??
-			process.env.HTTPS_PROXY ??
-			process.env.https_proxy ??
-			process.env.ALL_PROXY ??
+		process.env.HTTP_PROXY ||
+			process.env.http_proxy ||
+			process.env.HTTPS_PROXY ||
+			process.env.https_proxy ||
+			process.env.ALL_PROXY ||
 			process.env.all_proxy,
 	);
 }
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/index.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/index.ts
index 015c376d835..46232f61a37 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/index.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/index.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export { parseIncomingMessage } from './parse-incoming-message';
 export { binaryToBuffer, streamToBuffer } from './binary-buffer';
 export { binaryToString } from './binary-string';
 export type { NodeAgentOptions, ProxyOption, ProxyUrl, SsrfOption } from './node-agents';
-export type { CustomFetch } from './undici/transport';
+export type { CustomFetch, RequestAuthorizer } from './undici/transport';
 export {
 	OutboundHttp,
 	type HttpRequestClient,
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/legacy-request.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/legacy-request.ts
index b8cf8429c1a..971f64cee8c 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/legacy-request.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/legacy-request.ts
@@ -11,12 +11,13 @@ import { NodeSslError } from 'n8n-workflow';
 import { IncomingMessage } from 'node:http';
 import { Readable } from 'node:stream';
 
-import { buildAxiosConfigFromLegacyRequest } from './axios/legacy';
-import { invokeAxios } from './axios/request';
+import type { SsrfBridge } from '../ssrf';
+import { invokeAxios } from './axios/invoke';
+import { buildAxiosConfigFromLegacyRequest, buildLegacyAgentOptions } from './axios/legacy';
+import { followSsrfRedirects, shouldFollowRedirectsManually } from './axios/redirect';
 import { resolveLegacyRequestUrl, throwIfDomainNotAllowed, validateUrlSsrf } from './axios/utils';
 import { binaryToString } from './binary-string';
 import { parseIncomingMessage } from './parse-incoming-message';
-import type { SsrfBridge } from '../ssrf';
 
 export interface LegacyRequestCallbacks {
 	/**
@@ -63,7 +64,17 @@ export async function executeLegacyRequest(
 	throwIfDomainNotAllowed(axiosConfig, requestObject.allowedDomains);
 
 	try {
-		const response = await invokeAxios(axiosConfig, requestObject.auth);
+		const response = shouldFollowRedirectsManually(axiosConfig, requestObject.proxy, ssrfBridge)
+			? await followSsrfRedirects(axiosConfig, {
+					ssrf: ssrfBridge,
+					proxyConfig: requestObject.proxy,
+					agentOptions: buildLegacyAgentOptions(requestObject),
+					allowedDomains: requestObject.allowedDomains,
+					sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect:
+						requestObject.sendCredentialsOnCrossOriginRedirect ?? true,
+					authSendImmediately: requestObject.auth?.sendImmediately,
+				})
+			: await invokeAxios(axiosConfig, requestObject.auth?.sendImmediately);
 		let body = response.data;
 		if (body instanceof IncomingMessage && axiosConfig.responseType === 'stream') {
 			parseIncomingMessage(body);
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/node-agents.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/node-agents.ts
index 4bf263c354b..f2daa984351 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/node-agents.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/node-agents.ts
@@ -20,8 +20,12 @@ export type ProxyUrl = `${'http' | 'https'}://${string}`;
  * Type guard for {@link ProxyUrl}.
  * Only HTTP(S) forward proxies are supported.
  */
-export function isSupportedProxyUrl(value: string): value is ProxyUrl {
-	return value.startsWith('http://') || value.startsWith('https://');
+export function isSupportedProxyUrl(value: string | null | undefined): value is ProxyUrl {
+	return (
+		value !== null &&
+		value !== undefined &&
+		(value.startsWith('http://') || value.startsWith('https://'))
+	);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/outbound-http.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/outbound-http.ts
index a10ac1c7eee..174afd429d0 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/outbound-http.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/outbound-http.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import { buildNodeAgents } from './node-agents';
 import {
 	createDispatcherTransport,
 	type CustomFetch,
+	type RequestAuthorizer,
 	type TransportTimeoutOptions,
 } from './undici/transport';
 
@@ -44,6 +45,13 @@ export interface HttpTransportOptions {
 	 * otherwise hit undici's 5-minute `headersTimeout` / `bodyTimeout`.
 	 */
 	timeouts?: TransportTimeoutOptions;
+	/**
+	 * Optional per-request authorization gate (see {@link RequestAuthorizer}),
+	 * run on every dispatched request including each redirect hop. Throw to block
+	 * a target (e.g. human-in-the-loop domain gating); the SSRF policy still runs
+	 * first.
+	 */
+	authorize?: RequestAuthorizer;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -187,11 +195,12 @@ export class OutboundHttp {
 		const proxy = options?.proxy ?? 'env';
 		const ssrf = options?.ssrf ?? this.ssrfProtection;
 		const timeouts = options?.timeouts;
+		const authorize = options?.authorize;
 
 		// The dispatcher/fetch half is the DI-free core shared with the
 		// `@n8n/backend-network/transport` subpath. Only `getNodeAgent` stays here,
 		// because Node agent construction is not yet dependency-free.
-		const dispatcherTransport = createDispatcherTransport({ proxy, ssrf, timeouts });
+		const dispatcherTransport = createDispatcherTransport({ proxy, ssrf, timeouts, authorize });
 		const lazyNodeAgents = lazy(() => buildNodeAgents(proxy, ssrf));
 
 		return {
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/undici/transport.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/undici/transport.ts
index 94e195c31c0..d083773f884 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/undici/transport.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/http/undici/transport.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,20 @@ import type { ProxyOption, SsrfOption } from '../node-agents';
  */
 export type CustomFetch = (input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => Promise<Response>;
 
+/**
+ * Per-request authorization gate run against the target of every dispatched request
+ * (the initial request and every redirect hop).
+ *
+ * Resolve to allow the request throug.
+ * **throw to block it** (the rejection surfaces as the fetch error).
+ *
+ * The mechanism lives here. The policy (what to authorize) is the caller's.
+ *
+ * Used e.g. for human-in-the-loop domain gating where each redirect
+ * target must be approved before it is fetched.
+ */
+export type RequestAuthorizer = (url: URL) => Promise<void>;
+
 /**
  * Undici agent timeout overrides for a transport, in milliseconds.
  *
@@ -35,6 +49,8 @@ export interface CreateDispatcherTransportOptions {
 	ssrf?: SsrfOption;
 	/** Undici agent timeout overrides. */
 	timeouts?: TransportTimeoutOptions;
+	/** When set, it runs on every dispatched request (including each redirect hop) after the SSRF check */
+	authorize?: RequestAuthorizer;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -48,21 +64,39 @@ export interface DispatcherTransport {
 	getDispatcher(): Dispatcher;
 }
 
+/** Optional knobs for {@link buildDispatcher}, beyond the required proxy + SSRF policy. */
+export interface BuildDispatcherOptions {
+	/** Undici agent timeout overrides. */
+	timeouts?: TransportTimeoutOptions;
+	/** When set, it runs on every dispatched request (including each redirect hop) after the SSRF check. */
+	authorize?: RequestAuthorizer;
+}
+
 /**
  * Builds the undici dispatcher for a given proxy + SSRF policy,
  * The transport plumbing behind `OutboundHttp.transport()`.
  * When SSRF is active the dispatcher is composed with {@link createSsrfInterceptor},
- * so every dispatched request, including each redirect hop, is validated, and a
- * connect-time secure DNS lookup is installed for direct connections (see
- * {@link buildDispatcherFromProxy}).
+ * so every dispatched request, including each redirect hop, is validated.
+ *
+ * When an {@link RequestAuthorizer} is given it is composed too, gating every dispatched target the same way.
+ *
+ * Compose order matters:
+ * - the SSRF interceptor runs **first**
+ * - a target that fails the SSRF policy is hard-rejected
  */
 export function buildDispatcher(
 	proxy: ProxyOption,
 	ssrf: SsrfOption,
-	timeouts?: TransportTimeoutOptions,
+	options: BuildDispatcherOptions = {},
 ): Dispatcher {
-	const dispatcher = buildDispatcherFromProxy(proxy, ssrf, timeouts);
-	return ssrf === 'disabled' ? dispatcher : dispatcher.compose(createSsrfInterceptor(ssrf));
+	let dispatcher = buildDispatcherFromProxy(proxy, ssrf, options?.timeouts);
+	if (options?.authorize) {
+		dispatcher = dispatcher.compose(createAuthorizationInterceptor(options?.authorize));
+	}
+	if (ssrf !== 'disabled') {
+		dispatcher = dispatcher.compose(createSsrfInterceptor(ssrf));
+	}
+	return dispatcher;
 }
 
 function buildDispatcherFromProxy(
@@ -118,8 +152,9 @@ export function createDispatcherTransport(
 	const proxy = options?.proxy ?? 'env';
 	const ssrf = options?.ssrf ?? 'disabled';
 	const timeouts = options?.timeouts;
+	const authorize = options?.authorize;
 
-	const lazyDispatcher = lazyValue(() => buildDispatcher(proxy, ssrf, timeouts));
+	const lazyDispatcher = lazyValue(() => buildDispatcher(proxy, ssrf, { timeouts, authorize }));
 
 	return {
 		asCustomFetch: () => async (input, init) =>
@@ -170,6 +205,34 @@ export function createSsrfInterceptor(bridge: SsrfBridge): Dispatcher.Dispatcher
 	};
 }
 
+/**
+ * undici `compose` interceptor that runs a {@link RequestAuthorizer} against the target URL of every dispatched request.
+ *
+ * Like {@link createSsrfInterceptor}, it benefits from `fetch` re-dispatching per redirect hop:
+ * - the authorizer runs on the initial request
+ * - **and** every redirect target before that hop is fetched.
+ *
+ * The authorizer resolves to allow the request through, or throws to block it (fail-closed).
+ */
+export function createAuthorizationInterceptor(
+	authorize: RequestAuthorizer,
+): Dispatcher.DispatcherComposeInterceptor {
+	return (dispatch) => (opts, handler) => {
+		let targetUrl: URL;
+		try {
+			targetUrl = new URL(opts.path, opts.origin?.toString());
+			authorize(targetUrl).then(
+				() => dispatch(opts, handler),
+				(error: unknown) => failDispatch(handler, ensureError(error)),
+			);
+		} catch (error: unknown) {
+			failDispatch(handler, ensureError(error));
+		}
+
+		return true;
+	};
+}
+
 /**
  * Declared locally so it does not depend on undici's namespaced `DispatchHandler` / `DispatchController` types,
  * whose resolution varies across undici versions in the tree)
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/transport.ts b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/transport.ts
index 28b00338a11..a7d3710bfff 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/transport.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/backend-network/src/transport.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 export {
 	buildDispatcher,
 	createSsrfInterceptor,
+	createAuthorizationInterceptor,
 	createDispatcherTransport,
 	dispatchedFetch,
 } from './http/undici/transport';
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ export type {
 	CustomFetch,
 	DispatcherTransport,
 	CreateDispatcherTransportOptions,
+	RequestAuthorizer,
 	TransportTimeoutOptions,
 } from './http/undici/transport';
 export type { ProxyOption, ProxyUrl, SsrfOption } from './http/node-agents';
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/instance-ai.adapter.service.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/instance-ai.adapter.service.ts
index f6df5a29778..68324a196e3 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/instance-ai.adapter.service.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/instance-ai.adapter.service.ts
@@ -1792,7 +1792,8 @@ export class InstanceAiAdapterService {
 		const fetchCache = this.webResearchCache;
 		const searchCacheRef = this.searchCache;
 		const settingsService = this.settingsService;
-		const transport = this.outboundHttp.transport({ ssrf: this.ssrfProtectionService });
+		const { outboundHttp, ssrfProtectionService } = this;
+		const sharedTransport = outboundHttp.transport({ ssrf: ssrfProtectionService });
 		const userId = user.id;
 
 		// Lazy search method that resolves credentials on first call
@@ -1845,12 +1846,18 @@ export class InstanceAiAdapterService {
 					return cached;
 				}
 
-				// Fetch and extract — pass authorizeUrl for redirect-hop gating
+				const authorizeUrl = options?.authorizeUrl;
+				const transport = authorizeUrl
+					? outboundHttp.transport({
+							ssrf: ssrfProtectionService,
+							authorize: async (target: URL) => await authorizeUrl(target.href),
+						})
+					: sharedTransport;
+
 				const page = await fetchAndExtract(url, {
 					maxContentLength: options?.maxContentLength,
 					maxResponseBytes: options?.maxResponseBytes,
 					timeoutMs: options?.timeoutMs,
-					authorizeUrl: options?.authorizeUrl,
 					transport,
 				});
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/web-research/__tests__/fetch-and-extract.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/web-research/__tests__/fetch-and-extract.test.ts
index 74926009929..10e082a394a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/web-research/__tests__/fetch-and-extract.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/web-research/__tests__/fetch-and-extract.test.ts
@@ -223,46 +223,30 @@ describe('fetchAndExtract', () => {
 		expect(result.contentLength).toBe(0);
 	});
 
-	it('follows redirects manually, authorizing each hop before fetching it', async () => {
+	it('lets the transport follow redirects and reports its final URL', async () => {
 		const html = '<html><body><p>Hi</p></body></html>';
-		const transportFetch = jest
-			.fn()
-			.mockResolvedValueOnce(
-				createMockResponse('', { status: 301, location: 'https://final.example.com/page' }),
-			)
-			.mockResolvedValueOnce(createMockResponse(html));
-		const transport = mock<HttpTransport>();
-		transport.asCustomFetch.mockReturnValue(transportFetch);
+		const { transport, transportFetch } = mockTransport(async () =>
+			createMockResponse(html, { url: 'https://final.example.com/page' }),
+		);
 
-		const authorizeUrl = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+		const result = await fetchAndExtract('https://example.com', { transport });
 
-		const result = await fetchAndExtract('https://example.com', {
-			transport,
-			authorizeUrl,
-		});
-
-		expect(authorizeUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith('https://final.example.com/page');
-		expect(transportFetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+		expect(transportFetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		expect(transportFetch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			'https://example.com',
+			expect.objectContaining({ redirect: 'follow' }),
+		);
 		expect(result.finalUrl).toBe('https://final.example.com/page');
 	});
 
-	it('aborts before fetching a redirect target that authorizeUrl rejects', async () => {
-		const transportFetch = jest
-			.fn()
-			.mockResolvedValueOnce(
-				createMockResponse('', { status: 301, location: 'https://blocked.example.com/page' }),
-			);
-		const transport = mock<HttpTransport>();
-		transport.asCustomFetch.mockReturnValue(transportFetch);
+	it('surfaces the root cause when the transport rejects a hop', async () => {
+		const { transport } = mockTransport(async () => {
+			throw new TypeError('fetch failed', { cause: new Error('Access blocked') });
+		});
 
-		const authorizeUrl = jest.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error('Access blocked'));
-
-		await expect(
-			fetchAndExtract('https://example.com', { transport, authorizeUrl }),
-		).rejects.toThrow('Access blocked');
-
-		// The redirect target is never fetched — only the initial request was made.
-		expect(transportFetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		await expect(fetchAndExtract('https://example.com', { transport })).rejects.toThrow(
+			'Access blocked',
+		);
 	});
 
 	it('does not deadlock when the response body streams in chunks after fetch resolves', async () => {
@@ -341,9 +325,13 @@ describe('fetchAndExtract', () => {
 		}
 
 		// Builds a real transport (the wiring the adapter service performs) so the
-		// SSRF interceptor runs for real against the redirecting server below.
-		function realTransport(ssrf: SsrfOption) {
-			return new OutboundHttp(mock<SsrfProtectionService>(), mock<Logger>()).transport({ ssrf });
+		// SSRF (and optional authorize) interceptors run for real against the
+		// redirecting server below.
+		function realTransport(ssrf: SsrfOption, authorize?: (url: URL) => Promise<void>) {
+			return new OutboundHttp(mock<SsrfProtectionService>(), mock<Logger>()).transport({
+				ssrf,
+				authorize,
+			});
 		}
 
 		function makeBridge(blockedPath?: string): jest.Mocked<SsrfBridge> {
@@ -409,18 +397,17 @@ describe('fetchAndExtract', () => {
 
 		it('authorizes the redirect target before it is fetched', async () => {
 			const ssrf = makeBridge();
-			const authorizeUrl = jest.fn(async (target: string) => {
-				if (target.includes('/internal')) throw new Error('Redirect not allowed');
+			const authorize = jest.fn(async (target: URL) => {
+				if (target.href.includes('/internal')) throw new Error('Redirect not allowed');
 			});
 
 			await expect(
 				fetchAndExtract(`${server.url}/start`, {
-					transport: realTransport(ssrf),
-					authorizeUrl,
+					transport: realTransport(ssrf, authorize),
 				}),
 			).rejects.toThrow('Redirect not allowed');
 
-			expect(authorizeUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(`${server.url}/internal`);
+			expect(authorize).toHaveBeenCalledWith(validatedUrl(`${server.url}/internal`));
 			// The redirect target is gated before any request reaches it.
 			expect(server.captured).toEqual(['/start']);
 		});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/web-research/fetch-and-extract.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/web-research/fetch-and-extract.ts
index f0ad64bd28c..0c6208ce549 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/web-research/fetch-and-extract.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/instance-ai/web-research/fetch-and-extract.ts
@@ -46,30 +46,34 @@ const DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS = 30_000;
 const MAX_TIMEOUT_MS = 120_000;
 const MAX_RESPONSE_BYTES = 5 * 1024 * 1024; // 5 MB
 const DEFAULT_MAX_CONTENT_LENGTH = 30_000;
-const MAX_REDIRECTS = 10;
 
 export interface FetchAndExtractOptions {
 	maxContentLength?: number;
 	maxResponseBytes?: number;
 	timeoutMs?: number;
-	/**
-	 * Called before following each redirect hop to validate the target URL.
-	 * Throw to abort the fetch (e.g. for HITL domain approval).
-	 */
-	authorizeUrl?: (url: string) => Promise<void>;
 	/**
 	 * SSRF-validated fetch transport.
 	 */
 	transport: HttpTransport;
 }
 
+/**
+ * undici's `fetch` reports a failure raised inside dispatch
+ * as an opaque `TypeError: fetch failed` with the real error on `.cause`.
+ */
+function unwrapFetchError(error: unknown): unknown {
+	let current = error;
+	const seen = new Set<unknown>();
+	while (current instanceof Error && current.cause instanceof Error && !seen.has(current)) {
+		seen.add(current);
+		current = current.cause;
+	}
+	return current;
+}
+
 /**
  * Fetch a URL, extract its main content, and convert to markdown.
  * Routes by content-type: HTML → Readability + Turndown, PDF → pdf-parse, text → passthrough.
- *
- * The factory transport runs SSRF validation per dispatched request, so the
- * initial fetch and every redirect hop are checked — closing open-redirect
- * chains to internal/private addresses.
  */
 export async function fetchAndExtract(
 	url: string,
@@ -79,61 +83,30 @@ export async function fetchAndExtract(
 	const maxResponseBytes = options.maxResponseBytes ?? MAX_RESPONSE_BYTES;
 	const timeoutMs = Math.min(options.timeoutMs ?? DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS, MAX_TIMEOUT_MS);
 
-	const { authorizeUrl, transport } = options;
+	const customFetch = options.transport.asCustomFetch();
 
-	const customFetch = transport.asCustomFetch();
+	const controller = new AbortController();
+	const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), timeoutMs);
 
-	let currentUrl = url;
-	let response!: Response;
-	let redirectCount = 0;
-
-	while (redirectCount <= MAX_REDIRECTS) {
-		const controller = new AbortController();
-		const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), timeoutMs);
-
-		try {
-			response = await customFetch(currentUrl, {
-				signal: controller.signal,
-				headers: {
-					'User-Agent': 'n8n-instance-ai/1.0 (content extraction)',
-					Accept:
-						'text/html,application/xhtml+xml,application/xml;q=0.9,text/plain;q=0.8,application/pdf;q=0.7,*/*;q=0.5',
-				},
-				redirect: 'manual',
-			});
-		} finally {
-			clearTimeout(timeout);
-		}
-
-		// Follow redirects manually so each hop can be authorized before it is fetched
-		if (response.status >= 300 && response.status < 400) {
-			const location = response.headers.get('location');
-			if (!location) break;
-
-			// Release the redirect response's connection back to the pool.
-			await response.body?.cancel().catch(() => {});
-
-			redirectCount++;
-			if (redirectCount > MAX_REDIRECTS) {
-				throw new Error(`Too many redirects (max ${MAX_REDIRECTS})`);
-			}
-
-			// Resolve relative redirect URLs against the current URL
-			currentUrl = new URL(location, currentUrl).href;
-
-			// Domain-access authorization for the redirect target.
-			// SSRF for the target is enforced by the transport on the next dispatch.
-			if (authorizeUrl) {
-				await authorizeUrl(currentUrl);
-			}
-
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		break;
+	let response: Response;
+	try {
+		response = await customFetch(url, {
+			signal: controller.signal,
+			headers: {
+				'User-Agent': 'n8n-instance-ai/1.0 (content extraction)',
+				Accept:
+					'text/html,application/xhtml+xml,application/xml;q=0.9,text/plain;q=0.8,application/pdf;q=0.7,*/*;q=0.5',
+			},
+			redirect: 'follow',
+		});
+	} catch (error) {
+		throw unwrapFetchError(error);
+	} finally {
+		clearTimeout(timeout);
 	}
 
-	const finalUrl = currentUrl;
+	// `redirect: 'follow'` resolves to the final, non-redirect response.
+	const finalUrl = response.url || url;
 
 	if (!response.ok) {
 		// Release the connection back to the pool — we don't read the error body.