diff --git a/electron/main.js b/electron/main.js
index ab62977..b97d95a 100644
--- a/electron/main.js
+++ b/electron/main.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-const { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, net, protocol, shell } = require('electron');
+const { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, protocol, shell } = require('electron');
 const fs = require('node:fs/promises');
 const path = require('node:path');
+const https = require('node:https');
 
 const APP_SCHEME = 'webavp';
 const ROOT_DIR = path.resolve(__dirname, '..');
@@ -92,6 +93,24 @@ function registerAppProtocol() {
   });
 }
 
+// Issue the GET via Node's https stack (not Electron's net.fetch). The Alta
+// endpoint requests an optional TLS client certificate; Chromium's net stack
+// reacts by failing the handshake with ERR_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT_NEEDED, which
+// made cloud verification appear "offline" in the desktop build. Node's TLS
+// (like curl and the Python app.py reference) simply proceeds without one.
+function httpsGetStatus(url, timeoutMs = 10000) {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    const req = https.get(url, (res) => {
+      res.resume(); // drain so the socket is released
+      resolve(res.statusCode);
+    });
+    req.on('error', reject);
+    req.setTimeout(timeoutMs, () => {
+      req.destroy(new Error('Certificate verification request timed out'));
+    });
+  });
+}
+
 async function verifyCertificateOnline(_event, { serial, certificateHash } = {}) {
   if (!serial || !certificateHash) {
     return { verified: false, error: 'Missing parameters' };
@@ -104,11 +123,11 @@ async function verifyCertificateOnline(_event, { serial, certificateHash } = {})
   const url = `https://aware.avasecurity.com/api/v1/public/verifyServerCertificate?${params.toString()}`;
 
   try {
-    const response = await net.fetch(url, { method: 'GET' });
-    if (response.ok) {
+    const status = await httpsGetStatus(url);
+    if (status >= 200 && status < 300) {
       return { verified: true };
     }
-    return { verified: false, error: `HTTP ${response.status}` };
+    return { verified: false, error: `HTTP ${status}` };
   } catch (err) {
     return { verified: false, error: err.message || 'Certificate verification request failed' };
   }