diff --git a/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/26_add_searxng_connector_enum.py b/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/27_add_searxng_connector_enum.py
similarity index 91%
rename from surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/26_add_searxng_connector_enum.py
rename to surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/27_add_searxng_connector_enum.py
index ca6ac2b55..7834a8671 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/26_add_searxng_connector_enum.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/27_add_searxng_connector_enum.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Add SearxNG connector enum value
 
-Revision ID: 26
-Revises: 25
+Revision ID: 27
+Revises: 26
 Create Date: 2025-01-18 00:00:00.000000
 
 """
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ from collections.abc import Sequence
 from alembic import op
 
 # revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
-revision: str = "26"
-down_revision: str | None = "25"
+revision: str = "27"
+down_revision: str | None = "26"
 branch_labels: str | Sequence[str] | None = None
 depends_on: str | Sequence[str] | None = None
 
@@ -39,4 +39,3 @@ def upgrade() -> None:
 def downgrade() -> None:
     """Downgrade not supported for enum edits."""
     pass
-
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/services/connector_service.py b/surfsense_backend/app/services/connector_service.py
index 0017fabaf..ca323f510 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/services/connector_service.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/services/connector_service.py
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ class ConnectorService:
             safesearch_clean = safesearch.strip()
             if safesearch_clean.isdigit():
                 safesearch_value = int(safesearch_clean)
-        elif isinstance(safesearch, (int, float)):
+        elif isinstance(safesearch, int | float):
             safesearch_value = int(safesearch)
 
         if safesearch_value is not None and not (0 <= safesearch_value <= 2):
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ class ConnectorService:
             if isinstance(value, str):
                 value = value.strip()
                 return value or None
-            if isinstance(value, (list, tuple, set)):
+            if isinstance(value, list | tuple | set):
                 cleaned = [str(item).strip() for item in value if str(item).strip()]
                 return ",".join(cleaned) if cleaned else None
             return str(value)
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/utils/validators.py b/surfsense_backend/app/utils/validators.py
index 7e29860ba..0d6bd5341 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/utils/validators.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/utils/validators.py
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ def validate_connector_config(
             raise ValueError(f"Invalid email format for {connector_name} connector")
 
     def validate_url_field(key: str, connector_name: str) -> None:
-        if not validators.url(config.get(key, "")):
+        if not validators.url(config.get(key, "").strip(), simple_host=True):
             raise ValueError(f"Invalid base URL format for {connector_name} connector")
 
     def validate_list_field(key: str, field_name: str) -> None:
@@ -435,9 +435,7 @@ def validate_connector_config(
                 "SEARXNG_VERIFY_SSL",
             ],
             "validators": {
-                "SEARXNG_HOST": lambda: validate_url_field(
-                    "SEARXNG_HOST", "SearxNG"
-                )
+                "SEARXNG_HOST": lambda: validate_url_field("SEARXNG_HOST", "SearxNG")
             },
         },
         "LINKUP_API": {"required": ["LINKUP_API_KEY"], "validators": {}},
diff --git a/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/connectors/add/searxng/page.tsx b/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/connectors/add/searxng/page.tsx
index ca736a8cd..4fd406706 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/connectors/add/searxng/page.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/connectors/add/searxng/page.tsx
@@ -258,7 +258,9 @@ export default function SearxngConnectorPage() {
 												<FormControl>
 													<Input placeholder="google,bing,duckduckgo" {...field} />
 												</FormControl>
-												<FormDescription>Comma-separated list to target specific engines.</FormDescription>
+												<FormDescription>
+													Comma-separated list to target specific engines.
+												</FormDescription>
 												<FormMessage />
 											</FormItem>
 										)}
@@ -273,7 +275,9 @@ export default function SearxngConnectorPage() {
 												<FormControl>
 													<Input placeholder="general,it,science" {...field} />
 												</FormControl>
-												<FormDescription>Comma-separated list of SearxNG categories.</FormDescription>
+												<FormDescription>
+													Comma-separated list of SearxNG categories.
+												</FormDescription>
 												<FormMessage />
 											</FormItem>
 										)}
@@ -308,8 +312,8 @@ export default function SearxngConnectorPage() {
 													<Input placeholder="0 (off), 1 (moderate), 2 (strict)" {...field} />
 												</FormControl>
 												<FormDescription>
-													Set 0, 1, or 2 to adjust SafeSearch filtering. Leave blank to use the instance
-													default.
+													Set 0, 1, or 2 to adjust SafeSearch filtering. Leave blank to use the
+													instance default.
 												</FormDescription>
 												<FormMessage />
 											</FormItem>