diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 5347cb8..6aff9f0 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -1907,22 +1907,22 @@ def proxy_hapi(subpath):
          return jsonify({'resourceType': 'OperationOutcome', 'issue': [{'severity': 'error', 'code': 'exception', 'diagnostics': 'An unexpected error occurred within the FHIR proxy.', 'details': {'text': str(e)}}]}), 500
 
 
-@app.route('/api/stream-retrieve', methods=['POST'])
+@app.route('/api/stream-retrieve', methods=['GET'])
 def stream_retrieve_bundles():
     """
     Handles streaming FHIR bundle retrieval. This endpoint directly calls the service function,
     bypassing the proxy to avoid conflicts. It receives the target URL,
-    resources, and other parameters from the front-end via a JSON body.
+    resources, and other parameters from the front-end via URL query parameters.
     """
     def generate_stream():
         with app.app_context():
-            # Extract parameters from JSON body
-            data = request.json
-            fhir_server_url = data.get('fhir_server_url')
-            resources = data.get('resources')
-            validate_references = data.get('validate_references', False)
-            fetch_reference_bundles = data.get('fetch_reference_bundles', False)
+            # Extract parameters from query string
+            fhir_server_url = request.args.get('fhir_server_url')
+            resources = request.args.getlist('resources')
+            validate_references = request.args.get('validate_references', 'false').lower() == 'true'
+            fetch_reference_bundles = request.args.get('fetch_reference_bundles', 'false').lower() == 'true'
             
+            # Extract authentication headers
             auth_token = request.headers.get('Authorization')
             auth_type = 'bearer' if auth_token and auth_token.lower().startswith('bearer') else 'basic' if auth_token and auth_token.lower().startswith('basic') else 'none'
 
diff --git a/services.py b/services.py
index 4361b4e..87818cf 100644
--- a/services.py
+++ b/services.py
@@ -4584,7 +4584,8 @@ def retrieve_bundles(fhir_server_url, resources, output_zip, validate_references
             yield json.dumps({"type": "info", "message": "Reference fetching OFF"}) + "\n"
 
         # Determine the final base URL for requests.
-        final_base_url = fhir_server_url.rstrip('/') if fhir_server_url and fhir_server_url != '/fhir' else app.config.get('HAPI_FHIR_URL', 'http://localhost:8080/fhir')
+        from flask import current_app
+        final_base_url = fhir_server_url.rstrip('/') if fhir_server_url and fhir_server_url != '/fhir' else current_app.config.get('HAPI_FHIR_URL', 'http://localhost:8080/fhir')
         headers = {'Accept': 'application/fhir+json, application/fhir+xml;q=0.9, */*;q=0.8'}
 
         is_custom_url = fhir_server_url != '/fhir' and fhir_server_url is not None and fhir_server_url.startswith('http')
diff --git a/templates/retrieve_split_data.html b/templates/retrieve_split_data.html
index c930322..3fe7ff4 100644
--- a/templates/retrieve_split_data.html
+++ b/templates/retrieve_split_data.html
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
                     </ul>
                 </div>
             {% endif %}
-            <form id="retrieveForm" method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data">
+            <form id="retrieveForm" method="POST">
                 {{ form.hidden_tag() }}
                 <div class="mb-3">
                     <label class="form-label fw-bold">FHIR Server</label>
@@ -216,7 +216,6 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
             toggleServerButton.classList.remove('disabled');
             toggleServerButton.style.pointerEvents = 'auto';
             toggleServerButton.removeAttribute('aria-disabled');
-            toggleServerButton.title = "Toggle between Local HAPI and Custom URL";
             toggleLabel.textContent = useLocalHapi ? 'Using Local HAPI' : 'Using Custom URL';
             fhirServerUrlInput.style.display = useLocalHapi ? 'none' : 'block';
             fhirServerUrlInput.placeholder = "e.g., https://hapi.fhir.org/baseR4";
@@ -300,10 +299,9 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
         fetchMetadataButton.textContent = 'Fetching...';
 
         try {
-            const fetchUrl = '/fhir/metadata';
+            const fetchUrl = useLocalHapi ? '/fhir/metadata' : `${customUrl}/metadata`;
             const headers = { 'Accept': 'application/fhir+json' };
             if (!useLocalHapi && customUrl) {
-                headers['X-Target-FHIR-Server'] = customUrl;
                 if (authTypeSelect && authTypeSelect.value !== 'none') {
                     const authType = authTypeSelect.value;
                     if (authType === 'bearer' && bearerTokenInput && bearerTokenInput.value) {
@@ -313,12 +311,12 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
                         headers['Authorization'] = `Basic ${credentials}`;
                     }
                 }
-                console.log(`Fetching metadata via proxy with X-Target-FHIR-Server: ${customUrl}`);
+                console.log(`Fetching metadata directly from: ${customUrl}`);
             } else {
-                console.log("Fetching metadata via proxy for local HAPI server");
+                console.log("Fetching metadata from local HAPI server via proxy");
             }
-            console.log(`Proxy Fetch URL: ${fetchUrl}`);
-            console.log(`Request Headers sent TO PROXY: ${JSON.stringify(headers)}`);
+            console.log(`Fetch URL: ${fetchUrl}`);
+            console.log(`Request Headers sent: ${JSON.stringify(headers)}`);
 
             const response = await fetch(fetchUrl, { method: 'GET', headers: headers });
 
@@ -383,11 +381,30 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
             return;
         }
 
+        const currentFhirServerUrl = useLocalHapi ? null : fhirServerUrlInput.value.trim();
+        if (!useLocalHapi && !currentFhirServerUrl) {
+            alert('Custom FHIR Server URL is required.');
+            fhirServerUrlInput.classList.add('is-invalid');
+            retrieveButton.disabled = false;
+            if (spinner) spinner.style.display = 'none';
+            if (icon) icon.style.display = 'inline-block';
+            return;
+        }
+
         const formData = new FormData();
         const csrfTokenInput = retrieveForm.querySelector('input[name="csrf_token"]');
         if (csrfTokenInput) formData.append('csrf_token', csrfTokenInput.value);
         selectedResources.forEach(res => formData.append('resources', res));
 
+        // --- FIX APPLIED HERE ---
+        if (!useLocalHapi && currentFhirServerUrl) {
+            formData.append('fhir_server_url', currentFhirServerUrl);
+        } else {
+            // Explicitly use the proxy URL if local HAPI is selected
+            formData.append('fhir_server_url', '/fhir');
+        }
+        // --- END FIX ---
+
         if (validateReferencesCheckbox) {
             formData.append('validate_references', validateReferencesCheckbox.checked ? 'true' : 'false');
         }
@@ -401,18 +418,6 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
             formData.append('fetch_reference_bundles', 'false');
         }
 
-        const currentFhirServerUrl = useLocalHapi ? '/fhir' : fhirServerUrlInput.value.trim();
-        if (!useLocalHapi && !currentFhirServerUrl) {
-            alert('Custom FHIR Server URL is required.');
-            fhirServerUrlInput.classList.add('is-invalid');
-            retrieveButton.disabled = false;
-            if (spinner) spinner.style.display = 'none';
-            if (icon) icon.style.display = 'inline-block';
-            return;
-        }
-        formData.append('fhir_server_url', currentFhirServerUrl);
-
-        // Add authentication fields for custom URL
         if (!useLocalHapi && authTypeSelect) {
             const authType = authTypeSelect.value;
             formData.append('auth_type', authType);