diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 266c3d5..9a72402 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "open-seo",
   "private": true,
   "sideEffects": false,
-  "version": "0.0.16",
+  "version": "0.0.17",
   "type": "module",
   "packageManager": "pnpm@10.30.1",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/release-notes/v0.0.17.md b/release-notes/v0.0.17.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f30162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-notes/v0.0.17.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+Bug fixes and an internal code cleanup.
+
+## Fixed
+
+- Fixed an infinite redirect loop between `/verify-email` and the app when `BYPASS_EMAIL_VERIFICATION=true` (local dev). The email-verification bypass is now honored consistently across the auth route guard, onboarding redirect, and verify-email page. Production behavior is unchanged.
+
+## Improved
+
+- Simplified complex client code across audit, backlinks, domain, keywords, and rank-tracking features (removed single-use wrappers, dead helpers, and redundant guards) while preserving type safety and behavior.
+
+Full Changelog: https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/compare/v0.0.16...v0.0.17
diff --git a/src/client/features/auth/useHostedAuthRouteGuard.ts b/src/client/features/auth/useHostedAuthRouteGuard.ts
index f7fb62e..a203ad7 100644
--- a/src/client/features/auth/useHostedAuthRouteGuard.ts
+++ b/src/client/features/auth/useHostedAuthRouteGuard.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import { useNavigate } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { useEffect } from "react";
 import { useSession } from "@/lib/auth-client";
-import { isHostedClientAuthMode } from "@/lib/auth-mode";
+import {
+  isEmailVerificationBypassed,
+  isHostedClientAuthMode,
+} from "@/lib/auth-mode";
 import {
   getCurrentAuthRedirectFromHref,
   getSignInSearch,
@@ -12,6 +15,8 @@ export function useHostedAuthRouteGuard() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const { data: session, isPending } = useSession();
   const isHostedMode = isHostedClientAuthMode();
+  const emailVerified =
+    session?.user?.emailVerified === true || isEmailVerificationBypassed();
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isPending || !isHostedMode) {
@@ -29,7 +34,7 @@ export function useHostedAuthRouteGuard() {
       return;
     }
 
-    if (!session.user.emailVerified) {
+    if (!emailVerified) {
       void navigate({
         to: "/verify-email",
         search: getVerifyEmailSearch(session.user.email, redirectTo),
@@ -39,16 +44,14 @@ export function useHostedAuthRouteGuard() {
   }, [
     isPending,
     isHostedMode,
+    emailVerified,
     session?.user?.email,
-    session?.user?.emailVerified,
     session?.user?.id,
     navigate,
   ]);
 
   const hasVerifiedHostedSession =
-    !isPending &&
-    Boolean(session?.user?.id) &&
-    session?.user?.emailVerified === true;
+    !isPending && Boolean(session?.user?.id) && emailVerified;
 
   return {
     isHostedMode,
diff --git a/src/client/features/onboarding/useOnboardingRedirect.ts b/src/client/features/onboarding/useOnboardingRedirect.ts
index fd80843..b182a0d 100644
--- a/src/client/features/onboarding/useOnboardingRedirect.ts
+++ b/src/client/features/onboarding/useOnboardingRedirect.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,17 @@ import { useNavigate } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { useEffect } from "react";
 import { onboardingAnswersQueryOptions } from "@/client/features/onboarding/onboardingModel";
 import { useSession } from "@/lib/auth-client";
-import { isHostedClientAuthMode } from "@/lib/auth-mode";
+import {
+  isEmailVerificationBypassed,
+  isHostedClientAuthMode,
+} from "@/lib/auth-mode";
 
 export function useOnboardingRedirect() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const { data: session } = useSession();
   const isHostedMode = isHostedClientAuthMode();
-  const isEmailVerified = session?.user?.emailVerified === true;
+  const isEmailVerified =
+    session?.user?.emailVerified === true || isEmailVerificationBypassed();
   const onboardingQuery = useQuery({
     ...onboardingAnswersQueryOptions(),
     enabled: isHostedMode && Boolean(session?.user?.id) && isEmailVerified,
diff --git a/src/lib/auth-mode.ts b/src/lib/auth-mode.ts
index 602c42a..f8053b3 100644
--- a/src/lib/auth-mode.ts
+++ b/src/lib/auth-mode.ts
@@ -22,3 +22,7 @@ export function isHostedClientAuthMode() {
   // AUTH_MODE=hosted in both the client build environment and the runtime.
   return isHostedAuthMode(import.meta.env.AUTH_MODE);
 }
+
+export function isEmailVerificationBypassed() {
+  return import.meta.env.BYPASS_EMAIL_VERIFICATION === "true";
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/verify-email.tsx b/src/routes/verify-email.tsx
index cd4615a..f6c8625 100644
--- a/src/routes/verify-email.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/verify-email.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ import {
 } from "@/client/features/auth/AuthPage";
 import { captureClientEvent } from "@/client/lib/posthog";
 import { authClient, useSession } from "@/lib/auth-client";
-import { isHostedClientAuthMode } from "@/lib/auth-mode";
+import {
+  isEmailVerificationBypassed,
+  isHostedClientAuthMode,
+} from "@/lib/auth-mode";
 import { getSignInSearch, normalizeAuthRedirect } from "@/lib/auth-redirect";
 import { z } from "zod";
 
@@ -102,8 +105,7 @@ function VerifyEmailPage() {
   const redirectTo = normalizeAuthRedirect(search.redirect);
   const isHostedMode = isHostedClientAuthMode();
   const { data: session, isPending } = useSession();
-  const bypassEmailVerification =
-    import.meta.env.BYPASS_EMAIL_VERIFICATION === "true";
+  const bypassEmailVerification = isEmailVerificationBypassed();
   const errorMessage = getVerificationErrorMessage(search.error);
   const verificationIssueType = search.error
     ? verificationIssueSchema.parse(search.error)