diff --git a/.env.dev b/.env.dev
index 20e927f3..fe69fd87 100644
--- a/.env.dev
+++ b/.env.dev
@@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ GUNICORN_LOGLEVEL=info
 
 # Nginx host ports for local development (override prod defaults)
 NGINX_HTTP_PORT=8000
-NGINX_HTTPS_PORT=8443
+NGINX_HTTPS_PORT=8443
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/deploy/settings_local.py b/deploy/settings_local.py
index e1dd6ec5..03376c38 100644
--- a/deploy/settings_local.py
+++ b/deploy/settings_local.py
@@ -8,7 +8,35 @@ import os
 
 DEBUG = True
 
-INTERNAL_IPS = ["82.69.88.125", "217.155.198.96", "localhost"]
+INTERNAL_IPS = ["82.69.88.125", "217.155.198.96", "localhost", "127.0.0.1"]
+
+# When running in Docker (dev), requests will often come from an internal
+# container/network address. Add any discovered host/container IPs (and a
+# likely gateway address) to INTERNAL_IPS so the debug toolbar can render.
+if DEBUG:
+    try:
+        import socket
+
+        hostname, _, ips = socket.gethostbyname_ex(socket.gethostname())
+        for ip in ips:
+            if ip not in INTERNAL_IPS:
+                INTERNAL_IPS.append(ip)
+            # common docker gateway pattern: replace last octet with '1'
+            parts = ip.split('.')
+            if len(parts) == 4:
+                parts[-1] = '1'
+                gw = '.'.join(parts)
+                if gw not in INTERNAL_IPS:
+                    INTERNAL_IPS.append(gw)
+    except Exception:
+        # best-effort only; don't fail startup if this lookup doesn't work
+        pass
+
+# In local/dev enable the toolbar unconditionally to avoid IP/proxy
+# headaches while developing inside Docker/behind nginx.
+DEBUG_TOOLBAR_CONFIG = {
+    "SHOW_TOOLBAR_CALLBACK": lambda request: True,
+}
 
 # Paths inside the nginx container / host-mounted deploy directories.
 # On the server, these paths are mounted into nginx as described in the
@@ -75,4 +103,18 @@ DATABASES = {
         #"HOST": os.environ.get("DB_HOST", "161.35.163.87"),
         #"PORT": os.environ.get("DB_PORT", "5432"),
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+# Development overrides to avoid forcing HTTPS and secure cookies in local dev
+# (production should keep these True).
+SECURE_SSL_REDIRECT = False
+SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE = False
+CSRF_COOKIE_SECURE = False
+SECURE_HSTS_SECONDS = 0
+
+# Allow requests from the local dev nginx/dev server and direct runserver
+# (include scheme+host+port for Django's origin checking).
+CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS = [
+    "http://127.0.0.1:8000",
+    "http://localhost:8000",
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker/docker-compose.dev.yml
index 9ae4f4c8..cc688c95 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.dev.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,16 @@ services:
   web:
     env_file:
       - ../.env.dev
+    # Development: run Django's autoreloading development server instead of
+    # the production entrypoint/gunicorn. Mount the repository into the
+    # container so code edits on the host trigger Django's autoreload.
+    entrypoint: ["python", "manage.py", "runserver", "0.0.0.0:8000"]
+    # Clear any command set by the prod compose file (which would be passed
+    # as an extra argument to manage.py). Setting an empty command prevents
+    # the image `command` from being appended to the entrypoint.
+    command: []
+    volumes:
+      - ../:/usr/src/app:cached
   nginx:
     # Development nginx override: mount a simplified config that does not
     # reference LetsEncrypt certs so the container can start without real