diff --git a/src/app/api/compress-pdf/route.ts b/src/app/api/compress-pdf/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..967268c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/compress-pdf/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";
+
+const STIRLING_PDF_URL =
+  process.env.STIRLING_PDF_URL ?? "http://10.10.10.166:8087";
+
+export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
+  try {
+    const formData = await req.formData();
+
+    const res = await fetch(`${STIRLING_PDF_URL}/api/v1/misc/compress-pdf`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      body: formData,
+    });
+
+    if (!res.ok) {
+      const text = await res.text().catch(() => res.statusText);
+      return NextResponse.json(
+        { error: `Stirling PDF error: ${res.status} — ${text}` },
+        { status: res.status },
+      );
+    }
+
+    const blob = await res.blob();
+    const buffer = Buffer.from(await blob.arrayBuffer());
+
+    return new NextResponse(buffer, {
+      status: 200,
+      headers: {
+        "Content-Type": "application/pdf",
+        "Content-Disposition": 'attachment; filename="compressed.pdf"',
+      },
+    });
+  } catch (err) {
+    const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Unknown error";
+    return NextResponse.json(
+      { error: `Nu s-a putut contacta Stirling PDF: ${message}` },
+      { status: 502 },
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/modules/mini-utilities/components/mini-utilities-module.tsx b/src/modules/mini-utilities/components/mini-utilities-module.tsx
index 6941be5..201f952 100644
--- a/src/modules/mini-utilities/components/mini-utilities-module.tsx
+++ b/src/modules/mini-utilities/components/mini-utilities-module.tsx
@@ -486,14 +486,14 @@ function PdfReducer() {
       const formData = new FormData();
       formData.append("fileInput", file);
       formData.append("optimizeLevel", optimizeLevel);
-      const res = await fetch(
-        "http://10.10.10.166:8087/api/v1/misc/compress-pdf",
-        {
-          method: "POST",
-          body: formData,
-        },
-      );
-      if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Eroare server: ${res.status}`);
+      const res = await fetch("/api/compress-pdf", {
+        method: "POST",
+        body: formData,
+      });
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+        throw new Error(data.error ?? `Eroare server: ${res.status}`);
+      }
       const blob = await res.blob();
       const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
       const a = document.createElement("a");
@@ -501,9 +501,11 @@ function PdfReducer() {
       a.download = file.name.replace(/\.pdf$/i, "-comprimat.pdf");
       a.click();
       URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
-    } catch {
+    } catch (err) {
       setError(
-        "Nu s-a putut conecta la Stirling PDF. Folosește linkul de mai jos pentru a deschide aplicația manual.",
+        err instanceof Error
+          ? err.message
+          : "Nu s-a putut contacta Stirling PDF.",
       );
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);