diff --git a/rpa-dashboard-ai/SKILL.md b/rpa-dashboard-ai/SKILL.md
index e3555a5..779bd15 100644
--- a/rpa-dashboard-ai/SKILL.md
+++ b/rpa-dashboard-ai/SKILL.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ means `../rpa-dashboard-no-ai/templates/`.
 | `templates/web/pricing.py` | The pricing table (with its source and as-of date) and `cost_for_call`. The backend imports it. |
 | `templates/web/server_stub.py` | Sample-data backend for runs, review rows and the approve gate. Standard library only. |
 | `templates/web/bands.py` | The band cut points and rules. The one source of truth: the backend imports it. |
-| `templates/desktop/ai_sections.html` | Desktop: the Review tab (band legend, review split pane, drafts, Verify, approve gate) and the Cost tab in plain HTML, pasted into `<no-ai>dashboard.html`. |
+| `templates/desktop/ai_sections.html` | Desktop, and web projects with a non-React frontend: the Review tab (band legend, review split pane, drafts, Verify, approve gate) and the Cost tab in plain HTML, pasted into `<no-ai>dashboard.html`. Talks over the Qt bridge, or with no Qt, fetches the `templates/contract.md` endpoints. |
 | `templates/desktop/ai_bridge.py` | Desktop: the no-AI `Bridge` plus the `ai_request` slot that hands every AI request to the Python review backend. |
 | `templates/contract.md` | The AI contract: runs, review rows, endpoints and the gate, over HTTP or the Qt bridge. Extends `<no-ai>contract.md`. |
 | `templates/reference/` | Superbill Review extracts, marked EXAMPLE ONLY. Use them to port extra polish, never copy their project names. |
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ Skip this if the user chose keep. Offer:
 
 Ask only if there is no frontend. If there is one, use its stack. If the project
 uses PyQt, choose desktop and say so.
-- **Web:** the React starter in `templates/web/`, served by the backend.
+- **Web:** the React starter in `templates/web/`, served by the backend. An existing
+  non-React frontend gets the plain-HTML page instead (step 6, web).
 - **Desktop:** the no-AI PyQt page with `templates/desktop/ai_sections.html` pasted
   in, hosted by `templates/desktop/ai_bridge.py`. No web server, no npm.
 
@@ -83,9 +84,17 @@ Both need the endpoints in `templates/contract.md`; add them to the backend (and
 
 ## 6. Build (web)
 
-1. Copy `templates/web/` into the project as `dashboard/` (an existing frontend:
-   see `<no-ai>frontend.md` section 3; in an existing React app, port the
-   `src/` components into it). Don't copy `node_modules/` or `dist/`.
+**Existing plain-HTML, Vue, Angular or Svelte frontend:** don't use the React starter.
+Build the no-AI page as `../rpa-dashboard-no-ai/SKILL.md` step 6 says (web, with
+`API_BASE` filled, for example `/api`), paste the whole of `templates/desktop/ai_sections.html`
+into it just before `</body>`, and put it where `<no-ai>frontend.md` section 3 says. With no
+Qt bridge, its AI sections fetch `{API_BASE}` + the paths in `templates/contract.md`, so
+the backend serves those (step 7). Port it into the app's components only if the user asks,
+with `ai_sections.html` as the reference. Then skip to step 7.
+
+1. Copy `templates/web/` into the project as `dashboard/` (an existing React app:
+   port the `src/` components into it, see `<no-ai>frontend.md` section 3).
+   Don't copy `node_modules/` or `dist/`.
 2. Fill every `{{...}}` in `dashboard/index.html`'s CONFIG block:
 
    | Placeholder | Value |
@@ -122,7 +131,7 @@ Both need the endpoints in `templates/contract.md`; add them to the backend (and
 The contracts: `<no-ai>contract.md` for the shell, `templates/contract.md` for runs,
 review rows and the gate.
 - **Sample data (no backend for these endpoints yet):** keep `SAMPLE_DATA = true` in
-  `src/store.ts` and use `server_stub.py`. Replace its `SAMPLE_FIELDS` with the
+  `src/store.ts` (a plain-HTML page: in `dashboard.html`) and use `server_stub.py`. Replace its `SAMPLE_FIELDS` with the
   fields the project's extraction really returns (name, a sample value, word scores,
   mandatory). Tell the user which endpoints their backend must serve later.
 - **Backend exists:** add the endpoints from `templates/contract.md` to it. Copy
diff --git a/rpa-dashboard-ai/templates/desktop/ai_sections.html b/rpa-dashboard-ai/templates/desktop/ai_sections.html
index 7cda176..0f3dc02 100644
--- a/rpa-dashboard-ai/templates/desktop/ai_sections.html
+++ b/rpa-dashboard-ai/templates/desktop/ai_sections.html
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
   Paste this whole block into the no-AI dashboard.html, just before </body>. It adds a Review
   tab: band legend, band filters, the source document beside its extracted fields, drafts,
   Verify, and Approve. Plain HTML, the page's own theme tokens, no build step.
-  Every request goes over the Qt bridge as one slot call, ai_request(id, method, path, body),
-  and comes back as an `ai_response` envelope (see ../contract.md, "Desktop"). The approve
-  gate is the Python backend's: this page only asks, and shows the refusal.
+  In PyQt, every request goes over the Qt bridge as one slot call, ai_request(id, method, path,
+  body), and comes back as an `ai_response` envelope (see ../contract.md, "Desktop"). With no
+  Qt (a plain-HTML web project), it fetches {API_BASE}{path} from the backend instead, the
+  web endpoints in ../contract.md. The approve gate is the backend's: this page only asks,
+  and shows the refusal.
 -->
 <style>
 /* BAND COLOURS: semantic only (swatches, the rule down a field). The same in every preset and both modes. */
@@ -117,10 +119,19 @@ showTab=t=>{
 };
 window.addEventListener('beforeunload',e=>{ if(dirty().length) e.preventDefault(); });
 
-// ----- transport: one bridge slot out, one `ai_response` envelope back -----
+// ----- transport: in PyQt, one bridge slot out, one `ai_response` envelope back;
+// with no Qt (a plain web page), fetch {API_BASE}{path} from the backend -----
 const pending={}; let seq=0;
+async function aiFetch(method,path,body){
+  const r=await fetch(API_BASE+path,{method,headers:{'Content-Type':'application/json'},
+    body:method==='GET'?undefined:JSON.stringify(body||{})});
+  const b=await r.json().catch(()=>({}));
+  if(!r.ok) throw new Error(b.detail||`Error ${r.status}`);
+  return b;
+}
 function ai(method,path,body){
-  if(!bridge) return Promise.reject(new Error('Review needs the desktop app (no Qt bridge here).'));
+  if(!window.qt) return aiFetch(method,path,body);
+  if(!bridge) return Promise.reject(new Error('The Qt bridge is not ready yet. Try again.'));
   return new Promise((ok,fail)=>{ const id=++seq; pending[id]=[ok,fail];
     bridge.ai_request(id,method,path,JSON.stringify(body||{})); });
 }
@@ -149,7 +160,8 @@ function openRun(id){
   clearTimeout(timer);
   jobId=id; run=null; rows=[]; drafts={}; refusal=null;
   $('rv-doc-pick').value=id;
-  ai('GET',`/runs/${id}/document`).then(doc=>{ if(id===jobId) $('rv-doc').src=
+  if(!window.qt) $('rv-doc').src=`${API_BASE}/runs/${encodeURIComponent(id)}/document`;   // web: the URL itself
+  else ai('GET',`/runs/${id}/document`).then(doc=>{ if(id===jobId) $('rv-doc').src=
     String(doc).startsWith('<') ? 'data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,'+encodeURIComponent(doc) : doc; }).catch(()=>{});
   render(); tick(id);
 }
diff --git a/rpa-dashboard-no-ai/templates/frontend.md b/rpa-dashboard-no-ai/templates/frontend.md
index 694adab..5f2463c 100644
--- a/rpa-dashboard-no-ai/templates/frontend.md
+++ b/rpa-dashboard-no-ai/templates/frontend.md
@@ -54,6 +54,12 @@ before you report.
 | React, Vue, Angular, Svelte | In the app's `public/` folder (`public/dashboard.html`), so it is served as-is. Port it into the app's components only if the user asks: best effort, with the page as reference. |
 | PyQt web view | Next to the host's page. Use the desktop path (`bridge.py`). |
 
+**AI skill (`rpa-dashboard-ai`):** a React app gets the React starter's components
+ported in. Plain HTML, Vue, Angular and Svelte get this same page with the AI skill's
+`templates/desktop/ai_sections.html` pasted in before `</body>`, placed as above. With no
+Qt bridge it fetches `{API_BASE}` + the AI contract's endpoints. A port into components
+uses `ai_sections.html` as the reference.
+
 Don't edit existing pages to link to it. Tell the user the path to link from
 their nav.
 
diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
index f0f6874..70ccc31 100644
--- a/tests/README.md
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ uv run --with pytest --with playwright pytest tests
   does). Runs the AI web page's review and cost cases and the no-AI cases unchanged, plus
   a tampered page calling the slot directly (still refused). To check a generated folder,
   set `PAGE_CHECK_AI_DESKTOP_DIR=path/to/dashboard`; `PAGE_CHECK_WIRED=1` as above.
+  `test_ai_fetch.py` runs the review cases on the same page with no Qt bridge (a plain-HTML
+  web project): the AI sections fetch `/api/...`, routed to `server_stub.dispatch()`.
+- `page_check_common.py`: what the three page checks share (modes, test fill, fake Qt
+  bridge, stub loader, page opener, the list of no-AI cases the AI pages rerun).
 - `test_pricing.py`: the AI cost function (normal, long-context, thinking tokens,
   unknown model).
 - `test_reference_scan.py`: no patient data, internal IPs, credentials or keys in any
diff --git a/tests/page_check_ai_desktop/test_ai_fetch.py b/tests/page_check_ai_desktop/test_ai_fetch.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9db4264
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/page_check_ai_desktop/test_ai_fetch.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""The same AI sections with no Qt bridge: a plain-HTML (or Vue/Angular) web project.
+
+The page is served over HTTP with API_BASE "/api", and every AI request goes out as
+fetch({API_BASE}{path}). Playwright routes the API to the review backend's dispatch()
+in this process (what a real backend serves; server_stub.py over HTTP does the same).
+This module's `page` replaces the folder's bridge one; the review cases run unchanged.
+"""
+import json
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+from page_check_common import MODES, open_page
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "page_check_ai"))
+from test_ai_review import (  # noqa: E402,F401
+    test_approve_stays_blocked_while_rows_are_unverified,
+    test_band_counts_and_legend_match,
+    test_band_filters_show_the_right_rows,
+    test_draft_edit_is_not_saved_until_save,
+    test_page_x_of_y_updates_while_running,
+)
+from test_ai_cost import cost_page, test_coverage_pill_counts_priced_of_all_documents  # noqa: E402,F401
+
+ORIGIN = "http://dashboard.test"
+NO_BRIDGE = "window.__calls = [];"
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(params=list(MODES))
+def page(request, browser, site, stub):
+    html = (site / "dashboard.html").read_text(encoding="utf-8").replace(
+        'const API_BASE = "";', 'const API_BASE = "/api";')
+
+    def serve(route):
+        path = route.request.url[len(ORIGIN):].split("?")[0]
+        if not path.startswith("/api/"):
+            return route.fulfill(body=html, content_type="text/html")
+        body = json.loads(route.request.post_data or "{}")
+        status, payload = stub.dispatch(route.request.method, path[len("/api"):], body)
+        if isinstance(payload, str):
+            return route.fulfill(status=status, body=payload, content_type="image/svg+xml")
+        route.fulfill(status=status, body=json.dumps(payload), content_type="application/json")
+
+    yield from open_page(browser, ORIGIN + "/dashboard.html", request.param, NO_BRIDGE,
+                         route=(ORIGIN + "/**", serve))
+
+
+def test_ai_requests_go_over_fetch(page, stub):
+    """With no Qt bridge, nothing reaches a bridge slot: the review loads over HTTP."""
+    from test_ai_review import FIELDS, open_review
+    stub.put_run("job-f", "fetch.pdf", FIELDS)
+    open_review(page, "job-f")
+    assert page.evaluate("window.__calls") == []
+    assert page.locator("#rv-doc").get_attribute("src") == "/api/runs/job-f/document"
diff --git a/tests/page_check_common.py b/tests/page_check_common.py
index de088ff..1f7f45a 100644
--- a/tests/page_check_common.py
+++ b/tests/page_check_common.py
@@ -63,13 +63,15 @@ def push_to(pg, event, data):
     pg.evaluate("([event, data]) => window.__pyMsg(JSON.stringify({event, data}))", [event, data])
 
 
-def open_page(browser, url, mode, init_script, expose=None):
+def open_page(browser, url, mode, init_script, expose=None, route=None):
     """Generator for a `page` fixture: opens url in one mode, signs in through a login
     section if the page has one, switches to dark, and fails on any page script error."""
     width, height, dark = MODES[mode]
     ctx = browser.new_context(viewport={"width": width, "height": height})
     if expose:
         ctx.expose_function(*expose)
+    if route:
+        ctx.route(*route)
     ctx.add_init_script(init_script)
     pg = ctx.new_page()
     pg.set_default_timeout(5000)