diff --git a/apps/dashboard-api/src/controllers/project.controller.js b/apps/dashboard-api/src/controllers/project.controller.js
index 2e544aee6..0a976c2b9 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard-api/src/controllers/project.controller.js
+++ b/apps/dashboard-api/src/controllers/project.controller.js
@@ -723,22 +723,62 @@ module.exports.updateExternalConfig = async (req, res) => {
       updateData["resources.db.isExternal"] = true;
 
       console.log("Verifying connection to:", projectId);
+      
+      let dashboardIp = null;
+      let publicApiIp = null;
+
       try {
+        dashboardIp = await getPublicIp();
+        
+        // 1. Test local connection (Dashboard API)
         const tempConn = mongoose.createConnection(dbUri, {
           serverSelectionTimeoutMS: 5000,
         });
         await tempConn.asPromise();
         await tempConn.close();
+
+        // 2. Test remote connection (Public API) if PUBLIC_API_URL is configured
+        if (process.env.PUBLIC_API_URL && process.env.INTERNAL_SECRET) {
+            const publicApiRes = await axios.post(`${process.env.PUBLIC_API_URL}/api/internal/test-db`, 
+                { dbUri },
+                { headers: { 'x-internal-secret': process.env.INTERNAL_SECRET }, timeout: 8000 }
+            );
+            // If it didn't throw, it succeeded.
+        } else {
+            console.warn("Skipping Public API DB verification because PUBLIC_API_URL or INTERNAL_SECRET is missing.");
+        }
+
       } catch (connErr) {
         console.error("Verification Connection Failed:", connErr.message);
         let errorMsg = "Could not connect to the provided MongoDB URI.";
-
-        if (
+        
+        // If the error came from Axios (Public API verification failed)
+        if (connErr.response && connErr.response.data && !connErr.response.data.success) {
+            errorMsg = connErr.response.data.message;
+            if (connErr.response.data.serverIp) {
+                publicApiIp = connErr.response.data.serverIp;
+            }
+        } else if (
           connErr.message.includes("Server selection timed out") ||
           connErr.message.includes("Could not connect")
         ) {
-          const serverIp = await getPublicIp();
-          errorMsg = `Access Denied: Please whitelist Server IP [${serverIp}] in MongoDB Atlas.`;
+          // Local failure
+          errorMsg = `Access Denied: Please whitelist Server IPs in MongoDB Atlas.`;
+        }
+
+        // Fetch Public API IP if we don't have it yet, to show both in the error message
+        if (!publicApiIp && process.env.PUBLIC_API_URL) {
+            try {
+                const ipRes = await axios.get(`${process.env.PUBLIC_API_URL}/api/server-ip`, { timeout: 3000 });
+                if (ipRes.data && ipRes.data.ip) publicApiIp = ipRes.data.ip;
+            } catch (e) {
+                console.error("Failed to fetch public API IP for error message", e.message);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (dashboardIp || publicApiIp) {
+            const ips = [dashboardIp, publicApiIp].filter(Boolean).join(", ");
+            errorMsg = `Access Denied: Please whitelist Server IPs [${ips}] in MongoDB Atlas.`;
         }
 
         return res.status(400).json({ success: false, data: {}, message: errorMsg });
diff --git a/apps/public-api/src/app.js b/apps/public-api/src/app.js
index 8c5ea76d8..951ea7327 100644
--- a/apps/public-api/src/app.js
+++ b/apps/public-api/src/app.js
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ app.use('/api/storage', limiter, logger, storageRoute);
 app.use('/api/mail', limiter, logger, mailRoute);
 app.use('/api/health', limiter, logger, healthRoute);
 
+const internalRoute = require('./routes/internal');
+app.use('/api/internal', internalRoute);
+
 app.get('/api/server-ip', async (req, res) => {
     const ip = await getPublicIp();
     res.json({ ip });
diff --git a/apps/public-api/src/routes/internal.js b/apps/public-api/src/routes/internal.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd532f083
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/public-api/src/routes/internal.js
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+const express = require('express');
+const mongoose = require('mongoose');
+const { getPublicIp } = require('@urbackend/common');
+const router = express.Router();
+
+// Middleware to protect internal routes
+const internalAuth = (req, res, next) => {
+    const secret = process.env.INTERNAL_SECRET;
+    if (!secret) {
+        console.error("INTERNAL_SECRET is not configured on Public API");
+        return res.status(500).json({ success: false, message: "Server misconfiguration" });
+    }
+    
+    const providedSecret = req.headers['x-internal-secret'];
+    if (!providedSecret || providedSecret !== secret) {
+        return res.status(403).json({ success: false, message: "Forbidden: Invalid internal secret" });
+    }
+    
+    next();
+};
+
+router.post('/test-db', internalAuth, async (req, res) => {
+    const { dbUri } = req.body;
+    if (!dbUri) {
+        return res.status(400).json({ success: false, message: "dbUri is required" });
+    }
+
+    console.log("[Internal] Verifying connection for external DB...");
+    try {
+        const tempConn = mongoose.createConnection(dbUri, {
+            serverSelectionTimeoutMS: 5000,
+        });
+        await tempConn.asPromise();
+        await tempConn.close();
+        return res.status(200).json({ success: true, message: "Connection verified" });
+    } catch (connErr) {
+        console.error("[Internal] Verification Connection Failed:", connErr.message);
+        let errorMsg = "Could not connect to the provided MongoDB URI.";
+        let serverIp = null;
+
+        if (
+            connErr.message.includes("Server selection timed out") ||
+            connErr.message.includes("Could not connect")
+        ) {
+            serverIp = await getPublicIp();
+            errorMsg = `Access Denied: Please whitelist Server IP [${serverIp}] in MongoDB Atlas.`;
+        }
+
+        return res.status(400).json({ success: false, message: errorMsg, serverIp });
+    }
+});
+
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/apps/web-dashboard/src/components/Settings/DatabaseConfigForm.jsx b/apps/web-dashboard/src/components/Settings/DatabaseConfigForm.jsx
index a47f6e763..435315573 100644
--- a/apps/web-dashboard/src/components/Settings/DatabaseConfigForm.jsx
+++ b/apps/web-dashboard/src/components/Settings/DatabaseConfigForm.jsx
@@ -20,8 +20,17 @@ export default function DatabaseConfigForm({ project, projectId, onProjectUpdate
         Promise.resolve().then(() => setShowForm(!(project?.resources?.db?.isExternal || false)));
         const fetchIp = async () => {
             try { 
-                const res = await api.get(`/api/server-ip`); 
-                if (isMounted) setServerIp(res.data.ip); 
+                const { PUBLIC_API_URL } = await import('../../config');
+                const [res1, res2] = await Promise.allSettled([
+                    api.get(`/api/server-ip`),
+                    fetch(`${PUBLIC_API_URL}/api/server-ip`).then(r => r.json())
+                ]);
+                
+                const ips = [];
+                if (res1.status === 'fulfilled' && res1.value.data.ip) ips.push(res1.value.data.ip);
+                if (res2.status === 'fulfilled' && res2.value.ip) ips.push(res2.value.ip);
+                
+                if (isMounted) setServerIp(ips.join(', '));
             }
             catch (e) { console.error("Failed to fetch server IP", e); }
         };