How to Fix Ghost Redirecting to Localhost (127.0.0.1:2368) on AWS Lightsail

If your self-hosted Ghost blog keeps redirecting to https://127.0.0.1:2368 instead of your actual domain, this guide will help you troubleshoot and fix the issue. This is quite common with Bitnami Ghost setups on AWS Lightsail when reverse proxy isn’t configured properly.

Step 1: Update config.production.json

1. SSH into your server
   ssh bitnami@your-server-ip

        or use lightsail’s connect option directly.

1. Open the config file
   sudo nano /opt/bitnami/ghost/config.production.json
2. Edit the URL field:

   "url": "https://your-domain.com"
   

   Important: Do not use localhost or 127.0.0.1!

3. Save and exit (Ctrl+O then Ctrl+X).

Step 2: Fix Apache Reverse Proxy (VHost)

1. Edit the Apache vhost config
   sudo nano /opt/bitnami/apache2/conf/vhosts/ghost-https-vhost.conf
2. Use this configuration block:

   <VirtualHost 127.0.0.1:443 _default_:443>
     ServerName your-domain.com
     ServerAlias www.your-domain.com
     SSLEngine on
     SSLCertificateFile "https://digitalconqueror.b-cdn.net/opt/bitnami/apache/conf/your-domain.com.crt"
     SSLCertificateKeyFile "https://digitalconqueror.b-cdn.net/opt/bitnami/apache/conf/your-domain.com.key"
   
     ProxyPreserveHost On
     RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https"
   
     ProxyPass /.well-known !
     ProxyPass / http://127.0.0.1:2368/
     ProxyPassReverse / http://127.0.0.1:2368/
   </VirtualHost>
   

3. Save and exit.

Step 3: Check mod_headers (Required for Proxy Headers)

1. sudo /opt/bitnami/apache2/bin/apachectl -M | grep headers
2. If nothing shows, edit:
   sudo nano /opt/bitnami/apache2/conf/httpd.conf
   
   and make sure this line is uncommented:

   LoadModule headers_module modules/mod_headers.so

Step 4: Test Configuration

sudo /opt/bitnami/apache2/bin/apachectl configtest

If it says Syntax OK, proceed!

Step 5: Restart Services

sudo /opt/bitnami/ctlscript.sh restart ghost
sudo /opt/bitnami/ctlscript.sh restart apache

Step 6: Clear Browser Cookies & Cache

• Delete cookies for your site (Settings > Privacy > Cookies)
• Try in Incognito mode for fresh session

Troubleshooting Common Errors

ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS

• Add RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https" to Apache config

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

• Run sudo /opt/bitnami/apache2/bin/apachectl configtest and fix any syntax errors shown

EACCES: permission denied

• Use sudo or fix file ownership:
  sudo chown -R ghost:ghost /opt/bitnami/ghost

Verification Checklist

• Visit https://your-domain.com (should load, not redirect)
• Ghost admin panel at https://your-domain.com/ghost works
• No redirects to localhost

Why This Happens

Ghost sees requests as HTTP unless proxy headers are set. The solution is correct headers + correct config file.

Conclusion

Combine a valid config.production.json and proper proxy headers in Apache, restart services, and your Ghost site will work perfectly with your custom domain.