diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-plugin.yml b/.github/workflows/build-plugin.yml
index fcac511dd..f84357e3e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-plugin.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-plugin.yml
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Download PNPM Store
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: packed-pnpm-store
+          name: packed-node-modules
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/plugin/
       - name: Extract Unraid API
         run: |
@@ -130,6 +130,11 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
+          if [ ! -f ./deploy/*.tar.xz ]; then
+            echo "Error: .tar.xz file not found in plugin/deploy/"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - name: Upload to GHA
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 8795fb899..58bfa197b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -191,11 +191,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: unraid-api
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/api/deploy/unraid-api.tgz
-      - name: Upload PNPM Store to Github artifacts
+      - name: Upload Node Modules to Github artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: packed-pnpm-store
-          path: ${{ github.workspace }}/api/deploy/packed-pnpm-store.txz
+          name: packed-node-modules
+          path: ${{ github.workspace }}/api/deploy/packed-node-modules.tar.xz
 
   build-unraid-ui-webcomponents:
     name: Build Unraid UI Library (Webcomponent Version)
diff --git a/api/package.json b/api/package.json
index 1f5959544..b8921b058 100644
--- a/api/package.json
+++ b/api/package.json
@@ -201,6 +201,13 @@
     "overrides": {
         "eslint": {
             "jiti": "2"
+        },
+        "@as-integrations/fastify": {
+            "fastify": "$fastify"
+        },
+        "nest-authz": {
+            "@nestjs/common": "$@nestjs/common",
+            "@nestjs/core": "$@nestjs/core"
         }
     },
     "private": true,
diff --git a/api/scripts/build.ts b/api/scripts/build.ts
index 40986a36c..d19c13692 100755
--- a/api/scripts/build.ts
+++ b/api/scripts/build.ts
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ try {
     // Get package details
     const packageJson = await readFile('./package.json', 'utf-8');
     const parsedPackageJson = JSON.parse(packageJson);
-    const rootPackageJson = await readFile('./../package.json', 'utf-8');
-    const parsedRootPackageJson = JSON.parse(rootPackageJson);
 
     const deploymentVersion = await getDeploymentVersion(process.env, parsedPackageJson.version);
 
@@ -30,9 +28,6 @@ try {
     // omit dev dependencies from release build
     parsedPackageJson.devDependencies = {};
 
-    // add all PNPM settings for pnpm install from root package.json
-    parsedPackageJson.pnpm = parsedRootPackageJson.pnpm;
-
     // Create a temporary directory for packaging
     await mkdir('./deploy/pack/', { recursive: true });
 
@@ -43,23 +38,20 @@ try {
     // Change to the pack directory and install dependencies
     cd('./deploy/pack');
 
-    console.log('Building production pnpm store...');
+    console.log('Building production node_modules...');
     $.verbose = true;
-    await $`pnpm install --prod --ignore-workspace --store-dir=../.pnpm-store`;
+    await $`npm install --omit=dev`;
 
-    // Now remove the onlybuilddependencies from the package json
-    delete parsedPackageJson.pnpm;
-    // Now write the package.json back to the pack directoryaw
+    // Now write the package.json back to the pack directory
     await writeFile('package.json', JSON.stringify(parsedPackageJson, null, 4));
 
-    await $`rm -rf node_modules`; // Don't include node_modules in final package
-
     const sudoCheck = await $`command -v sudo`.nothrow();
     const SUDO = sudoCheck.exitCode === 0 ? 'sudo' : '';
-    await $`${SUDO} chown -R 0:0 ../.pnpm-store`;
+    await $`${SUDO} chown -R 0:0 node_modules`;
 
-    await $`XZ_OPT=-5 tar -cJf ../packed-pnpm-store.txz ../.pnpm-store`;
-    await $`${SUDO} rm -rf ../.pnpm-store`;
+    await $`XZ_OPT=-5 tar -cJf packed-node-modules.tar.xz node_modules`;
+    await $`mv packed-node-modules.tar.xz ../`;
+    await $`${SUDO} rm -rf node_modules`;
 
     // chmod the cli
     await $`chmod +x ./dist/cli.js`;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index fe74f9237..a555ea96d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -22,13 +22,11 @@
     },
     "onlyBuiltDependencies": [
       "@apollo/protobufjs",
-      "@nestjs/core",
+      "protobufjs",
       "@parcel/watcher",
       "@swc/core",
       "@unraid/libvirt",
-      "cpu-features",
       "esbuild",
-      "nestjs-pino",
       "ssh2",
       "vue-demi"
     ]
diff --git a/plugin/builder/build-plugin.ts b/plugin/builder/build-plugin.ts
index e0b478cce..8f55bc212 100644
--- a/plugin/builder/build-plugin.ts
+++ b/plugin/builder/build-plugin.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
 } from "./utils/paths";
 import { PluginEnv, setupPluginEnv } from "./cli/setup-plugin-environment";
 import { cleanupPluginFiles } from "./utils/cleanup";
-import { bundlePnpmStore, getPnpmBundleName } from "./build-pnpm-store";
+import { bundleVendorStore, getVendorBundleName } from "./build-vendor-store";
 
 /**
  * Check if git is available
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ const buildPlugin = async ({
     pluginURL: getPluginUrl({ baseUrl, tag }),
     MAIN_TXZ: getMainTxzUrl({ baseUrl, pluginVersion, tag }),
     TXZ_SHA256: txzSha256,
-    VENDOR_STORE_URL: getAssetUrl({ baseUrl, tag }, getPnpmBundleName()),
-    VENDOR_STORE_FILENAME: getPnpmBundleName(),
+    VENDOR_STORE_URL: getAssetUrl({ baseUrl, tag }, getVendorBundleName()),
+    VENDOR_STORE_FILENAME: getVendorBundleName(),
     ...(tag ? { TAG: tag } : {}),
   };
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ const main = async () => {
 
     await buildPlugin(validatedEnv);
     await moveTxzFile(validatedEnv.txzPath, validatedEnv.pluginVersion);
-    await bundlePnpmStore();
+    await bundleVendorStore();
   } catch (error) {
     console.error(error);
     process.exit(1);
diff --git a/plugin/builder/build-pnpm-store.ts b/plugin/builder/build-pnpm-store.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f80e0b667..000000000
--- a/plugin/builder/build-pnpm-store.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-import { apiDir, deployDir } from "./utils/paths";
-import { join } from "path";
-import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
-import { startingDir } from "./utils/consts";
-import { copyFile } from "node:fs/promises";
-
-/**
- * Get the version of the API from the package.json file
- * 
- * Throws if package.json is not found or is invalid JSON.
- * @returns The version of the API
- */
-function getVersion(): string {
-    const packageJsonPath = join(apiDir, "package.json");
-    const packageJsonString = readFileSync(packageJsonPath, "utf8");
-    const packageJson = JSON.parse(packageJsonString);
-    return packageJson.version;
-}
-
-/**
- * The name of the pnpm store archive that will be vendored with the plugin.
- * @returns The name of the pnpm store bundle file
- */
-export function getPnpmBundleName(): string {
-    const version = getVersion();
-    return `pnpm-store-for-v${version}.txz`;
-}
-
-/**
- * Prepare a versioned bundle of the API's pnpm store to vendor dependencies.
- * 
- * It expects a generic `packed-pnpm-store.txz` archive to be available in the `startingDir`.
- * It copies this archive to the `deployDir` directory and adds a version to the filename.
- * It does not actually create the packed pnpm store archive; that is done inside the API's build script.
- * 
- * After this operation, the vendored store will be available inside the `deployDir`.
- */
-export async function bundlePnpmStore(): Promise<void> {
-    const storeArchive = join(startingDir, "packed-pnpm-store.txz");
-    const pnpmStoreTarPath = join(deployDir, getPnpmBundleName());
-    await copyFile(storeArchive, pnpmStoreTarPath);
-}
diff --git a/plugin/builder/build-vendor-store.ts b/plugin/builder/build-vendor-store.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a8a25f15b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin/builder/build-vendor-store.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { apiDir, deployDir } from "./utils/paths";
+import { join } from "path";
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { startingDir } from "./utils/consts";
+import { copyFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+
+/**
+ * Get the version of the API from the package.json file
+ * 
+ * Throws if package.json is not found or is invalid JSON.
+ * @returns The version of the API
+ */
+function getVersion(): string {
+    const packageJsonPath = join(apiDir, "package.json");
+    const packageJsonString = readFileSync(packageJsonPath, "utf8");
+    const packageJson = JSON.parse(packageJsonString);
+    return packageJson.version;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The name of the node_modules archive that will be vendored with the plugin.
+ * @returns The name of the node_modules bundle file
+ */
+export function getVendorBundleName(): string {
+    const version = getVersion();
+    return `node_modules-for-v${version}.tar.xz`;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Prepare a versioned bundle of the API's node_modules to vendor dependencies.
+ * 
+ * It expects a generic `packed-node-modules.tar.xz` archive to be available in the `startingDir`.
+ * It copies this archive to the `deployDir` directory and adds a version to the filename.
+ * It does not actually create the packed node_modules archive; that is done inside the API's build script.
+ * 
+ * After this operation, the vendored node_modules will be available inside the `deployDir`.
+ */
+export async function bundleVendorStore(): Promise<void> {
+    const storeArchive = join(startingDir, "packed-node-modules.tar.xz");
+    const vendorStoreTarPath = join(deployDir, getVendorBundleName());
+    await copyFile(storeArchive, vendorStoreTarPath);
+}
diff --git a/plugin/docker-compose.yml b/plugin/docker-compose.yml
index cbc85af00..ab90db777 100644
--- a/plugin/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/plugin/docker-compose.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ services:
       - ../unraid-ui/dist-wc:/app/source/dynamix.unraid.net/usr/local/emhttp/plugins/dynamix.my.servers/unraid-components/uui
       - ../web/.nuxt/nuxt-custom-elements/dist/unraid-components:/app/source/dynamix.unraid.net/usr/local/emhttp/plugins/dynamix.my.servers/unraid-components/nuxt
       - ../api/deploy/pack/:/app/source/dynamix.unraid.net/usr/local/unraid-api
-      - ../api/deploy/packed-pnpm-store.txz:/app/packed-pnpm-store.txz
+      - ../api/deploy/packed-node-modules.tar.xz:/app/packed-node-modules.tar.xz
     stdin_open: true # equivalent to -i
     tty: true        # equivalent to -t
     environment:
diff --git a/plugin/plugins/dynamix.unraid.net.plg b/plugin/plugins/dynamix.unraid.net.plg
index 373da2f34..5823b8a5b 100755
--- a/plugin/plugins/dynamix.unraid.net.plg
+++ b/plugin/plugins/dynamix.unraid.net.plg
@@ -152,8 +152,9 @@ exit 0
         # deprecated Apr 2025. kept to remove unused archives for users upgrading from versioned node downloads.
         find /boot/config/plugins/dynamix.my.servers/ -name "node-v*-linux-x64.tar.xz" ! -name "${NODE_FILE}" -delete
 
-        # Remove stale pnpm store archives from the boot drive
+        # Remove stale pnpm store and node_modules archives from the boot drive
         find /boot/config/plugins/dynamix.my.servers/ -name "pnpm-store-for-v*.txz" ! -name "${VENDOR_ARCHIVE}" -delete
+        find /boot/config/plugins/dynamix.my.servers/ -name "node_modules-for-v*.tar.xz" ! -name "${VENDOR_ARCHIVE}" -delete
 
         # Remove the legacy node directory
         rm -rf /usr/local/node
@@ -811,11 +812,8 @@ cp -f "${PNPM_BINARY_FILE}" /usr/local/bin/pnpm
 chmod +x /usr/local/bin/pnpm
 
 /etc/rc.d/rc.unraid-api restore-dependencies "$VENDOR_ARCHIVE"
-/etc/rc.d/rc.unraid-api pnpm-install
-echo
-echo "About to start the Unraid API"
-
 
+echo "Starting flash backup (if enabled)"
 logger "Starting flash backup (if enabled)"
 echo "/etc/rc.d/rc.flash_backup start" | at -M now &>/dev/null
 . /root/.bashrc
diff --git a/plugin/source/dynamix.unraid.net/etc/rc.d/rc.unraid-api b/plugin/source/dynamix.unraid.net/etc/rc.d/rc.unraid-api
index 1471396cd..42dfb499b 100755
--- a/plugin/source/dynamix.unraid.net/etc/rc.d/rc.unraid-api
+++ b/plugin/source/dynamix.unraid.net/etc/rc.d/rc.unraid-api
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ flash="/boot/config/plugins/dynamix.my.servers"
 [[ ! -d "${flash}" ]] && echo "Please reinstall the Unraid Connect plugin" && exit 1
 [[ ! -f "${flash}/env" ]] && echo 'env=production' >"${flash}/env"
 unraid_binary_path="/usr/local/bin/unraid-api"
-pnpm_store_dir="/usr/.pnpm-store"
+dependencies_dir="/usr/local/unraid-api/node_modules"
 
 # Placeholder functions for plugin installation/uninstallation
 install() {
@@ -18,53 +18,13 @@ uninstall() {
   true
 }
 
-# Creates a backup of the global pnpm store directory
-# Args:
-#   $1 - Path to the backup file (tar.xz format)
-# Returns:
-#   0 on success, 1 on failure
-backup_pnpm_store() {
-  # Check if backup file path is provided
-  if [ -z "$1" ]; then
-    echo "Error: Backup file path is required"
-    return 1
-  fi
-
-  local backup_file="$1"
-
-  # Check if pnpm command exists
-  if ! command -v pnpm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    echo "pnpm is not installed. Skipping backup."
-    return 1
-  fi
-
-  # Determine the global pnpm store directory
-  mkdir -p "$pnpm_store_dir"
-
-  echo "Backing up pnpm store from '$pnpm_store_dir' to '$backup_file'"
-
-  # Create a tar.gz archive of the global pnpm store
-  if tar -cJf "$backup_file" -C "$(dirname "$pnpm_store_dir")" "$(basename "$pnpm_store_dir")"; then
-    echo "pnpm store backup completed successfully."
-  else
-    echo "Error: Failed to create pnpm store backup."
-    return 1
-  fi
-}
-
-# Restores the pnpm store from a backup file
+# Restores the node_modules directory from a backup file
 # Args:
 #   $1 - Path to the backup file (tar.xz format)
 # Returns:
 #   0 on success, 1 on failure
 # Note: Requires 1.5x the backup size in free space for safe extraction
-restore_pnpm_store() {
-  # Check if pnpm command exists
-  if ! command -v pnpm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    echo "pnpm is not installed. Cannot restore store."
-    return 1
-  fi
-
+restore_dependencies() {
   local backup_file="$1"
   # Check if backup file exists
   if [ ! -f "$backup_file" ]; then
@@ -76,7 +36,7 @@ restore_pnpm_store() {
   local backup_size
   backup_size=$(stat -c%s "$backup_file")
   local dest_space
-  dest_space=$(df --output=avail "$(dirname "$pnpm_store_dir")" | tail -n1)
+  dest_space=$(df --output=avail "$(dirname "$dependencies_dir")" | tail -n1)
   dest_space=$((dest_space * 1024)) # Convert KB to bytes
 
   # Require 1.5x the backup size for safe extraction
@@ -87,53 +47,48 @@ restore_pnpm_store() {
     return 1
   fi
 
-  echo "Restoring pnpm store from '$backup_file' to '$pnpm_store_dir'"
+  echo "Restoring node_modules from '$backup_file' to '$dependencies_dir'"
   # Remove existing store directory if it exists and ensure its parent directory exists
-  rm -rf "$pnpm_store_dir"
-  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$pnpm_store_dir")"
+  rm -rf "$dependencies_dir"
+  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$dependencies_dir")"
 
   # Extract directly to final location
-  if ! tar -xJf "$backup_file" -C "$(dirname "$pnpm_store_dir")" --preserve-permissions; then
+  if ! tar -xJf "$backup_file" -C "$(dirname "$dependencies_dir")" --preserve-permissions; then
     echo "Error: Failed to extract backup to final location."
-    rm -rf "$pnpm_store_dir"
+    rm -rf "$dependencies_dir"
     return 1
   fi
 
-  echo "pnpm store restored successfully."
+  echo "node_modules restored successfully."
 }
 
-# Executes pnpm install with production dependencies and offline preference
-# Captures and logs build script warnings to a dedicated log file at /var/log/unraid-api/build-scripts.log
+# Archives the node_modules directory to a specified location
 # Args: none
-# Output: Streams install progress and logs build script warnings
-run_pnpm_install() {
-  local log_file="/var/log/unraid-api/build-scripts.log"
-  stdbuf -oL pnpm install --prod --prefer-offline --reporter=append-only 2>&1 | sed -e "/^╭ Warning/,/^╰/w $log_file" -e "/^╭ Warning/,/^╰/c\Build scripts completed. See $log_file for details."
-  echo "Note: This warning is expected. Build scripts are intentionally ignored for security and performance reasons." >> "$log_file"
-}
-
-# Installs production dependencies for the unraid-api using pnpm. Prefers offline mode.
-# Uses the api_base_directory variable or defaults to /usr/local/unraid-api
 # Returns:
 #   0 on success, 1 on failure
-pnpm_install_unraid_api() {
-  # Check if pnpm command exists
-  if ! command -v pnpm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    echo "Error: pnpm command not found. Cannot install dependencies."
+archive_dependencies() {
+  local source_dir="/usr/local/unraid-api/node_modules"
+  local dest_dir="/boot/config/plugins/dynamix.my.servers"
+  local archive_file="${dest_dir}/node_modules.tar.xz"
+
+  # Check if source directory exists
+  if [ ! -d "$source_dir" ]; then
+    echo "Error: Source node_modules directory '$source_dir' does not exist."
     return 1
   fi
 
-  # Use the api_base_directory variable if set, otherwise default to /usr/local/unraid-api
-  local unraid_api_dir="${api_base_directory:-/usr/local/unraid-api}"
-  if [ ! -d "$unraid_api_dir" ]; then
-    echo "Error: unraid API directory '$unraid_api_dir' does not exist."
+  # Create destination directory if it doesn't exist
+  mkdir -p "$dest_dir"
+
+  echo "Archiving node_modules from '$source_dir' to '$archive_file'"
+
+  # Create archive with XZ compression level 5, preserving symlinks
+  if XZ_OPT=-5 tar -cJf "$archive_file" -C "$(dirname "$source_dir")" "$(basename "$source_dir")"; then
+    echo "node_modules archive created successfully."
+  else
+    echo "Error: Failed to create node_modules archive."
     return 1
   fi
-
-  echo "Executing 'pnpm install' in $unraid_api_dir"
-  rm -rf /usr/local/unraid-api/node_modules
-  # Run pnpm install in a subshell to prevent changing the current working directory of the script
-  (cd "$unraid_api_dir" && run_pnpm_install)
 }
 
 case "$1" in
@@ -146,14 +101,11 @@ case "$1" in
 'uninstall')
   uninstall
   ;;
-'pnpm-install')
-  pnpm_install_unraid_api
-  ;;
-'backup-dependencies')
-  backup_pnpm_store "$2"
-  ;;
 'restore-dependencies')
-  restore_pnpm_store "$2"
+  restore_dependencies "$2"
+  ;;
+'archive-dependencies')
+  archive_dependencies
   ;;
 *)
   # Pass all other commands to unraid-api