diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d4e7a8d..735dde0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "queuenorth-website",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "0.5.3",
+  "version": "0.5.4",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "concurrently \"vite\" \"node server/index.js\"",
diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index 30d2ae9..a4efc63 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ const ZOHO_REDIRECT_URI = process.env.ZOHO_REDIRECT_URI || ''
 let zohoAccessToken = null
 let zohoTokenExpiry = 0
 
+// 10 second timeout for all Zoho API calls
+const ZOHO_TIMEOUT_MS = 10000
+
 async function getZohoAccessToken() {
   // Return cached token if still valid (with 60s buffer)
   if (zohoAccessToken && Date.now() < zohoTokenExpiry - 60000) {
@@ -232,7 +235,36 @@ async function getZohoAccessToken() {
       redirect_uri: ZOHO_REDIRECT_URI,
     })
 
-    const response = await fetch(`${url}?${params.toString()}`, { method: 'POST' })
+    const controller = new AbortController()
+    const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), ZOHO_TIMEOUT_MS)
+
+    let response
+    try {
+      response = await fetch(url, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' },
+        body: params.toString(),
+        signal: controller.signal,
+      })
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (err.name === 'AbortError') {
+        log.warn('[Zoho] Token fetch timed out after', ZOHO_TIMEOUT_MS, 'ms')
+      } else {
+        log.error('[Zoho] Token fetch error:', err.message)
+      }
+      clearTimeout(timeoutId)
+      return null
+    } finally {
+      clearTimeout(timeoutId)
+    }
+
+    // Issue #3: Check response.ok before parsing JSON
+    if (!response.ok) {
+      const text = await response.text()
+      log.error(`[Zoho] Token fetch failed (${response.status}):`, text)
+      return null
+    }
+
     const data = await response.json()
 
     if (data.access_token) {
@@ -266,7 +298,8 @@ async function forwardToZoho(leadData) {
       return
     }
 
-    const url = `${ZOHO_API_DOMAIN}/crm/v8/Leads`
+    // Issue #8: Prevent double-slash in URL path
+    const url = `${ZOHO_API_DOMAIN.replace(/\/$/, '')}/crm/v8/Leads`
     const payload = {
       data: [
         {
@@ -281,9 +314,8 @@ async function forwardToZoho(leadData) {
       ],
     }
 
-    // Issue #5: Add timeout using AbortController
     const controller = new AbortController()
-    const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 10000) // 10 second timeout
+    const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), ZOHO_TIMEOUT_MS)
 
     try {
       const response = await fetch(url, {
@@ -307,7 +339,7 @@ async function forwardToZoho(leadData) {
       log.info('[Zoho] Lead forwarded successfully:', result.data?.[0]?.details?.id || 'no id returned')
     } catch (fetchErr) {
       if (fetchErr.name === 'AbortError') {
-        log.warn('[Zoho] Lead forwarding timed out after 10 seconds')
+        log.warn('[Zoho] Lead forwarding timed out after', ZOHO_TIMEOUT_MS, 'ms')
       } else {
         log.error('[Zoho] Forwarding error:', fetchErr.message)
       }