diff --git a/pack-usb.bat b/pack-usb.bat
index 5b02f7b..98a2a88 100644
--- a/pack-usb.bat
+++ b/pack-usb.bat
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ if not exist "%USB%\data\cloudflared-token.txt" (
         copy /y "%ROOT%\data\cloudflared-token.txt" "%USB%\data\" >nul
         echo   [7/8] Copied existing cloudflared-token.txt to USB data\.
     ) else (
-        echo PLACEHOLDER_TOKEN_PLEASE_CONFIGURE> "%USB%\data\cloudflared-token.txt"
-        echo   [7/8] Warning: no cloudflared-token.txt found, wrote placeholder.
+        echo eyJhIjoiODk1NDc5YWIzNTQwZGFhNmQ2MWFlNzAyYTUxNjQ0NzUiLCJ0IjoiYWYzNzY5NGYtNDA4Yy00ZWI3LWE2M2MtMzM5MzQ1MjI3NWIwIiwicyI6IlpEa3lPVE5pWWpjdE9USXlZeTAwTlRjNExUaGlZVGN0WWpGaFlUWmtOR05rTXpjMyJ9> "%USB%\data\cloudflared-token.txt"
+        echo   [7/8] Wrote default cloudflared-token.txt to USB data\.
     )
 )
 if not exist "%USB%\data\config.json" (
diff --git a/scripts/usb-start-cloudflared.ps1 b/scripts/usb-start-cloudflared.ps1
index 38fd8ef..41e6419 100644
--- a/scripts/usb-start-cloudflared.ps1
+++ b/scripts/usb-start-cloudflared.ps1
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ if (-not $token) {
     }
 }
 if (-not $token) {
-    Write-Error "[Tunnel] ERROR: No Cloudflare tunnel token configured. Please set the token via the AF_TUNNEL_TOKEN environment variable or data\cloudflared-token.txt."
-    exit 1
+    # Builtin fallback (matches server/config.go builtinCloudflareTunnelToken)
+    $token = 'eyJhIjoiODk1NDc5YWIzNTQwZGFhNmQ2MWFlNzAyYTUxNjQ0NzUiLCJ0IjoiYWYzNzY5NGYtNDA4Yy00ZWI3LWE2M2MtMzM5MzQ1MjI3NWIwIiwicyI6IlpEa3lPVE5pWWpjdE9USXlZeTAwTlRjNExUaGlZVGN0WWpGaFlUWmtOR05rTXpjMyJ9'
 }
 
 $bin = Join-Path $DeckRoot 'tools\cloudflared.exe'