diff --git a/surfsense_desktop/scripts/build-electron.mjs b/surfsense_desktop/scripts/build-electron.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b571979b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_desktop/scripts/build-electron.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import { build } from 'esbuild';
+import fs from 'fs';
+import path from 'path';
+
+/**
+ * electron-builder cannot follow symlinks when packaging into ASAR.
+ * Next.js standalone output contains symlinks in node_modules that
+ * must be replaced with real copies before packaging.
+ * Pattern from CodePilot (github.com/op7418/CodePilot).
+ */
+function resolveStandaloneSymlinks() {
+  const standaloneModules = path.join(
+    '..', 'surfsense_web', '.next', 'standalone', '.next', 'node_modules'
+  );
+  if (!fs.existsSync(standaloneModules)) return;
+
+  const entries = fs.readdirSync(standaloneModules);
+  for (const entry of entries) {
+    const fullPath = path.join(standaloneModules, entry);
+    const stat = fs.lstatSync(fullPath);
+    if (stat.isSymbolicLink()) {
+      const target = fs.readlinkSync(fullPath);
+      const resolved = path.resolve(standaloneModules, target);
+      if (fs.existsSync(resolved)) {
+        fs.rmSync(fullPath, { recursive: true, force: true });
+        fs.cpSync(resolved, fullPath, { recursive: true });
+        console.log(`Resolved symlink: ${entry} -> ${target}`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+async function buildElectron() {
+  if (fs.existsSync('dist')) {
+    fs.rmSync('dist', { recursive: true });
+    console.log('Cleaned dist/');
+  }
+  fs.mkdirSync('dist', { recursive: true });
+
+  const shared = {
+    bundle: true,
+    platform: 'node',
+    target: 'node18',
+    external: ['electron'],
+    sourcemap: true,
+    minify: false,
+  };
+
+  await build({
+    ...shared,
+    entryPoints: ['src/main.ts'],
+    outfile: 'dist/main.js',
+  });
+
+  await build({
+    ...shared,
+    entryPoints: ['src/preload.ts'],
+    outfile: 'dist/preload.js',
+  });
+
+  console.log('Electron build complete');
+  resolveStandaloneSymlinks();
+}
+
+buildElectron().catch((err) => {
+  console.error(err);
+  process.exit(1);
+});