diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/api/assets/upload/route.ts b/apps/web/src/app/api/assets/upload/route.ts
index ae1ba6f4..7b1e18b7 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/api/assets/upload/route.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/api/assets/upload/route.ts
@@ -7,24 +7,54 @@ const CITY_SERVICE_URL =
 
 export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
   try {
-    const formData = await request.formData();
+    // Read the original form data
+    const incomingFormData = await request.formData();
+    
+    // Create new FormData for upstream request
+    const upstreamFormData = new FormData();
+    
+    // Copy all fields
+    for (const [key, value] of incomingFormData.entries()) {
+      if (value instanceof File) {
+        // For files, we need to create a new Blob
+        const arrayBuffer = await value.arrayBuffer();
+        const blob = new Blob([arrayBuffer], { type: value.type });
+        upstreamFormData.append(key, blob, value.name);
+      } else {
+        upstreamFormData.append(key, value);
+      }
+    }
+
+    console.log('[upload] Proxying to:', `${CITY_SERVICE_URL}/city/assets/upload`);
+    console.log('[upload] Fields:', [...incomingFormData.keys()]);
 
     const upstream = await fetch(`${CITY_SERVICE_URL}/city/assets/upload`, {
       method: 'POST',
-      body: formData,
+      body: upstreamFormData,
     });
 
+    const responseText = await upstream.text();
+    console.log('[upload] Response status:', upstream.status);
+    console.log('[upload] Response body:', responseText.substring(0, 500));
+
     if (!upstream.ok) {
-      const errorText = await upstream.text();
       return NextResponse.json(
-        { error: 'Upload failed', details: errorText },
+        { error: 'Upload failed', details: responseText },
         { status: upstream.status }
       );
     }
 
-    const data = await upstream.json();
-    return NextResponse.json(data, { status: 200 });
+    try {
+      const data = JSON.parse(responseText);
+      return NextResponse.json(data, { status: 200 });
+    } catch {
+      return NextResponse.json(
+        { error: 'Invalid response from server', details: responseText },
+        { status: 500 }
+      );
+    }
   } catch (error) {
+    console.error('[upload] Error:', error);
     return NextResponse.json(
       {
         error: 'Upload failed',
diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/api/internal/node/[nodeId]/swapper/route.ts b/apps/web/src/app/api/internal/node/[nodeId]/swapper/route.ts
index c61def3b..d0c89082 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/api/internal/node/[nodeId]/swapper/route.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/api/internal/node/[nodeId]/swapper/route.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@ const CITY_SERVICE_URL =
   process.env.CITY_SERVICE_URL ||
   'http://daarion-city-service:7001';
 
+// Fallback response when swapper data is unavailable
+const fallbackResponse = (nodeId: string) => ({
+  node_id: nodeId,
+  healthy: false,
+  models_loaded: 0,
+  models_total: 0,
+  models: [],
+});
+
 export async function GET(
   _request: NextRequest,
   { params }: { params: Promise<{ nodeId: string }> }
@@ -19,26 +28,30 @@ export async function GET(
   }
 
   try {
-    const upstream = await fetch(
-      `${CITY_SERVICE_URL}/city/internal/node/${encodeURIComponent(nodeId)}/swapper`,
-      {
-        cache: 'no-store',
-        headers: {
-          'content-type': 'application/json',
-        },
-      }
-    );
+    const url = `${CITY_SERVICE_URL}/city/internal/node/${encodeURIComponent(nodeId)}/swapper`;
+    console.log('[swapper] Fetching:', url);
+
+    const upstream = await fetch(url, {
+      cache: 'no-store',
+      headers: {
+        'content-type': 'application/json',
+      },
+    });
+
+    console.log('[swapper] Response status:', upstream.status);
+
+    if (!upstream.ok) {
+      // Return fallback instead of error
+      console.log('[swapper] Upstream not ok, returning fallback');
+      return NextResponse.json(fallbackResponse(nodeId), { status: 200 });
+    }
 
     const payload = await upstream.json();
-    return NextResponse.json(payload, { status: upstream.status });
+    return NextResponse.json(payload, { status: 200 });
   } catch (error) {
-    return NextResponse.json(
-      {
-        error: 'Failed to fetch swapper data',
-        details: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
-      },
-      { status: 500 }
-    );
+    // Return fallback instead of error
+    console.error('[swapper] Error:', error);
+    return NextResponse.json(fallbackResponse(nodeId), { status: 200 });
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/node-dashboard/NodeSwapperCard.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/node-dashboard/NodeSwapperCard.tsx
index 64156eda..34b7460d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/node-dashboard/NodeSwapperCard.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/node-dashboard/NodeSwapperCard.tsx
@@ -27,20 +27,8 @@ export function NodeSwapperCard({ nodeId }: NodeSwapperCardProps) {
     );
   }
 
-  if (error) {
-    return (
-      <div className="bg-red-500/10 backdrop-blur-md rounded-2xl border border-red-500/20 p-6">
-        <h3 className="text-red-400 font-medium mb-2">Swapper Service Unavailable</h3>
-        <p className="text-white/50 text-sm">Failed to load swapper details.</p>
-        <button 
-          onClick={() => mutate()}
-          className="mt-4 text-xs text-white/40 hover:text-white hover:underline"
-        >
-          Retry
-        </button>
-      </div>
-    );
-  }
+  // Don't show error state - fallback to pending data view instead
+  // The API now always returns 200 with fallback data
 
   return (
     <div className="bg-white/5 backdrop-blur-md rounded-2xl border border-white/10 p-6">