diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-staging.yml b/.github/workflows/release-staging.yml
index e2a1851..dd2e87a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-staging.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-staging.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ jobs:
       AWS_REGION: ${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}
       RELEASE_BUCKET: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BUCKET }}
       RELEASE_DIRECTORY: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_DIRECTORY }}
+      SURF_GATEWAY_BASE: https://api.stg.ask.surf/gateway
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index aaae00a..6300ce4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ jobs:
       AWS_REGION: ${{ secrets.AWS_REGION }}
       RELEASE_BUCKET: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BUCKET }}
       RELEASE_DIRECTORY: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_DIRECTORY }}
+      SURF_GATEWAY_BASE: https://api.asksurf.ai/gateway
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
diff --git a/.goreleaser.yaml b/.goreleaser.yaml
index 726dea3..925a856 100644
--- a/.goreleaser.yaml
+++ b/.goreleaser.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ builds:
       - amd64
       - arm64
     ldflags:
-      - -s -w -X main.version={{.Version}}
+      - -s -w -X main.version={{.Version}} -X main.buildSurfGatewayBase={{.Env.SURF_GATEWAY_BASE}}
 
 archives:
   - formats:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ee21c47..ff9804f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ To test against the staging CDN + API, install from the staging installer:
 
 ```sh
 curl -fsSL https://downloads-stg.asksurf.ai/cli/releases/install.sh | sh
+surf sync
+surf list-operations --category equity
 ```
 
 > **Do not run `surf install` afterwards.** It pulls the production binary
diff --git a/cli/api.go b/cli/api.go
index 22cd324..682daae 100644
--- a/cli/api.go
+++ b/cli/api.go
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ func cacheAPI(name string, api *API) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if base := apiCacheBase(name); base != "" {
+		Cache.Set(name+".base", base)
+	}
 	Cache.Set(name+".expires", time.Now().Add(24*time.Hour))
 	Cache.WriteConfig()
 
@@ -116,11 +119,37 @@ func cacheAPI(name string, api *API) {
 	}
 }
 
+func apiCacheBase(name string) string {
+	config := configs[name]
+	if config == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	base := config.Base
+	profile := viper.GetString("rsh-profile")
+	if profile != "" && profile != "default" {
+		if profileConfig := config.Profiles[profile]; profileConfig != nil && profileConfig.Base != "" {
+			base = profileConfig.Base
+		}
+	}
+	return strings.TrimRight(base, "/")
+}
+
+func apiCacheMatchesBase(name string) bool {
+	expected := apiCacheBase(name)
+	if expected == "" {
+		return true
+	}
+	return Cache.GetString(name+".base") == expected
+}
+
 // LoadCachedAPI loads an API from the local cache without making network
 // requests. Returns nil if no valid cache exists or is expired.
 // Unlike Load, this skips the version check since it is used only to
 // populate command names and descriptions for help output.
 func LoadCachedAPI(name string) *API {
+	if !apiCacheMatchesBase(name) {
+		return nil
+	}
 	expires := Cache.GetTime(name + ".expires")
 	if expires.IsZero() || !time.Now().Before(expires) {
 		return nil
@@ -161,12 +190,12 @@ func Load(entrypoint string, root *cobra.Command) (API, error) {
 
 	// See if there is a cache we can quickly load.
 	expires := Cache.GetTime(name + ".expires")
-	if !viper.GetBool("rsh-no-cache") && !expires.IsZero() && expires.After(time.Now()) {
+	if !viper.GetBool("rsh-no-cache") && apiCacheMatchesBase(name) && !expires.IsZero() && expires.After(time.Now()) {
 		var cached API
 		filename := filepath.Join(getCacheDir(), name+".cbor")
 		if data, err := os.ReadFile(filename); err == nil {
 			if err := cbor.Unmarshal(data, &cached); err == nil {
-				if cached.RestishVersion == root.Version {
+				if root.Version == "" || cached.RestishVersion == root.Version {
 					setupRootFromAPI(root, &cached)
 					return cached, nil
 				}
diff --git a/cli/api_test.go b/cli/api_test.go
index 37b88ce..1a2dcb6 100644
--- a/cli/api_test.go
+++ b/cli/api_test.go
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ package cli
 import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
@@ -116,3 +119,24 @@ func TestLoadAppliesOperationCommandHooks(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.NotNil(t, cmd.Flags().Lookup("hooked"))
 }
+
+func TestLoadCachedAPIIsScopedToConfiguredBase(t *testing.T) {
+	reset(false)
+	name := "base-scoped-cache"
+	configs[name] = &APIConfig{
+		name:     name,
+		Base:     "https://api.stg.example/gateway",
+		Profiles: map[string]*APIProfile{"default": {}},
+	}
+
+	Cache.Set(name+".base", "https://api.prod.example/gateway")
+	Cache.Set(name+".expires", time.Now().Add(time.Hour))
+	if err := Cache.WriteConfig(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(getCacheDir(), name+".cbor"), []byte("stale"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	assert.Nil(t, LoadCachedAPI(name))
+}
diff --git a/cli/apiconfig.go b/cli/apiconfig.go
index 97d783e..12e368c 100644
--- a/cli/apiconfig.go
+++ b/cli/apiconfig.go
@@ -87,6 +87,32 @@ type apiConfigs map[string]*APIConfig
 var configs apiConfigs
 var apiCommand *cobra.Command
 
+// OverrideAPIConfig updates an API config in memory before operations are
+// loaded. Surf uses this to select the gateway baked into each release build.
+func OverrideAPIConfig(name, base string, specFiles []string) {
+	config := configs[name]
+	if config == nil {
+		config = &APIConfig{name: name}
+	}
+	config.name = name
+	config.Base = base
+	config.SpecFiles = specFiles
+	if config.Profiles == nil {
+		config.Profiles = map[string]*APIProfile{}
+	}
+	if config.Profiles["default"] == nil {
+		config.Profiles["default"] = &APIProfile{}
+	}
+	configs[name] = config
+
+	for _, cmd := range Root.Commands() {
+		if cmd.Use == name {
+			cmd.Short = base
+			break
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func initAPIConfig() {
 	apis = viper.New()
 
diff --git a/cmd/surf/main.go b/cmd/surf/main.go
index 5845e54..5fabadc 100644
--- a/cmd/surf/main.go
+++ b/cmd/surf/main.go
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ var embeddedAPIsJSON []byte
 var version = "dev"
 var configDir string
 
+const productionSurfGatewayBase = "https://api.asksurf.ai/gateway"
+
+// buildSurfGatewayBase is overridden by GoReleaser for staging builds.
+var buildSurfGatewayBase = productionSurfGatewayBase
+
 func main() {
 	// Force config and cache to ~/.surf/ on all platforms.
 	home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
@@ -59,6 +64,7 @@ func main() {
 	// Initialize restish.
 	cli.Init("surf", version)
 	cli.Defaults()
+	applySurfAPIBaseURLOverride()
 	cli.AddLoader(openapi.New())
 	cli.AddOperationCommandHook(addHiddenCompatOperationFlags)
 
@@ -202,7 +208,7 @@ func main() {
 	if cli.LoadCachedAPI("surf") == nil && needsCachedAPI() {
 		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "No cached API spec, syncing...")
 		viper.Set("rsh-no-cache", true)
-		if _, err := cli.Load("https://api.asksurf.ai/gateway", cli.Root); err != nil {
+		if _, err := cli.Load(currentSurfGatewayBase(), cli.Root); err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Auto-sync failed: %v\n", err)
 			// Fall through — the downstream "no cached API spec" /
 			// "unknown command" path will produce a more specific error.
@@ -345,6 +351,56 @@ func shouldInjectAPIName() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func explicitSurfAPIBaseURLOverride(args []string) string {
+	for i := 0; i < len(args); i++ {
+		arg := args[i]
+		switch {
+		case strings.HasPrefix(arg, "--surf-api-base-url="):
+			return strings.TrimPrefix(arg, "--surf-api-base-url=")
+		case arg == "--surf-api-base-url" && i+1 < len(args):
+			return args[i+1]
+		case strings.HasPrefix(arg, "-s="):
+			return strings.TrimPrefix(arg, "-s=")
+		case arg == "-s" && i+1 < len(args):
+			return args[i+1]
+		case strings.HasPrefix(arg, "-s") && len(arg) > 2:
+			return strings.TrimPrefix(arg, "-s")
+		}
+	}
+	return os.Getenv("SURF_API_BASE_URL")
+}
+
+func normalizeSurfGatewayBase(raw string) string {
+	base := strings.TrimRight(strings.TrimSpace(raw), "/")
+	if strings.HasSuffix(base, "/v1") {
+		base = strings.TrimSuffix(base, "/v1")
+	}
+	return base
+}
+
+func effectiveSurfAPIBaseURL() string {
+	if raw := explicitSurfAPIBaseURLOverride(os.Args[1:]); raw != "" {
+		return raw
+	}
+	return currentSurfGatewayBase() + "/v1"
+}
+
+func currentSurfGatewayBase() string {
+	base := normalizeSurfGatewayBase(buildSurfGatewayBase)
+	if base == "" {
+		base = productionSurfGatewayBase
+	}
+	return base
+}
+
+func applySurfAPIBaseURLOverride() {
+	base := currentSurfGatewayBase()
+	if explicitSurfAPIBaseURLOverride(os.Args[1:]) == "" {
+		viper.Set("surf-api-base-url", base+"/v1")
+	}
+	cli.OverrideAPIConfig("surf", base, []string{base + "/openapi.json"})
+}
+
 func removeCommands(root *cobra.Command, names ...string) {
 	unwanted := make(map[string]bool, len(names))
 	for _, n := range names {
@@ -451,7 +507,7 @@ func newSyncCmd() *cobra.Command {
 		Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			viper.Set("rsh-no-cache", true)
-			if _, err := cli.Load("https://api.asksurf.ai/gateway", cli.Root); err != nil {
+			if _, err := cli.Load(currentSurfGatewayBase(), cli.Root); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("sync failed: %w", err)
 			}
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "API spec synced.")
diff --git a/cmd/surf/main_test.go b/cmd/surf/main_test.go
index f0d4019..b860984 100644
--- a/cmd/surf/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/surf/main_test.go
@@ -107,3 +107,56 @@ func TestNeedsCachedAPI(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestEffectiveSurfAPIBaseURLUsesBuildDefault(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("SURF_API_BASE_URL", "")
+	oldArgs := os.Args
+	oldBuildBase := buildSurfGatewayBase
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		os.Args = oldArgs
+		buildSurfGatewayBase = oldBuildBase
+	})
+	os.Args = []string{"surf", "sync"}
+	buildSurfGatewayBase = "https://api.stg.ask.surf/gateway"
+
+	if got, want := effectiveSurfAPIBaseURL(), "https://api.stg.ask.surf/gateway/v1"; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("effectiveSurfAPIBaseURL() = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEffectiveSurfAPIBaseURLPrefersExplicitOverride(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("SURF_API_BASE_URL", "https://env.example/gateway/v1")
+	oldArgs := os.Args
+	oldBuildBase := buildSurfGatewayBase
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		os.Args = oldArgs
+		buildSurfGatewayBase = oldBuildBase
+	})
+	buildSurfGatewayBase = "https://api.stg.ask.surf/gateway"
+
+	os.Args = []string{"surf", "sync"}
+	if got, want := effectiveSurfAPIBaseURL(), "https://env.example/gateway/v1"; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("env override = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+
+	os.Args = []string{"surf", "--surf-api-base-url", "https://flag.example/gateway/v1", "sync"}
+	if got, want := effectiveSurfAPIBaseURL(), "https://flag.example/gateway/v1"; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("flag override = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCurrentSurfGatewayBaseUsesBuildDefaultDespiteRuntimeOverride(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("SURF_API_BASE_URL", "https://runtime.example/gateway/v1")
+	oldArgs := os.Args
+	oldBuildBase := buildSurfGatewayBase
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		os.Args = oldArgs
+		buildSurfGatewayBase = oldBuildBase
+	})
+	os.Args = []string{"surf", "sync"}
+	buildSurfGatewayBase = "https://api.stg.ask.surf/gateway"
+
+	if got, want := currentSurfGatewayBase(), "https://api.stg.ask.surf/gateway"; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("currentSurfGatewayBase() = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}