diff --git a/backend/backend.csproj b/backend/backend.csproj
index e110326..6594d82 100644
--- a/backend/backend.csproj
+++ b/backend/backend.csproj
@@ -39,6 +39,18 @@
     <Exec WorkingDirectory="$(SpaRoot)" Command="npm ci" />
   </Target>
 
+  <!-- Always include pre-built SPA dist files in publish output (if they exist) -->
+  <Target Name="IncludeSpaDist" AfterTargets="ComputeFilesToPublish" Condition=" '$(SkipSpaBuild)' == 'true' And Exists('$(SpaRoot)dist\') ">
+    <ItemGroup>
+      <DistFiles Include="$(SpaRoot)dist\**" />
+      <ResolvedFileToPublish Include="@(DistFiles->'%(FullPath)')" Exclude="@(ResolvedFileToPublish)">
+        <RelativePath>%(DistFiles.Identity)</RelativePath>
+        <CopyToPublishDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToPublishDirectory>
+        <ExcludeFromSingleFile>true</ExcludeFromSingleFile>
+      </ResolvedFileToPublish>
+    </ItemGroup>
+  </Target>
+
   <Target Name="PublishRunWebpack" AfterTargets="ComputeFilesToPublish" Condition=" '$(SkipSpaBuild)' != 'true' ">
     <!-- Build the frontend -->
     <Exec WorkingDirectory="$(SpaRoot)" Command="npm ci" Condition=" !Exists('$(SpaRoot)node_modules') " />