diff --git a/backend/app/config.py b/backend/app/config.py
index ee2da79..ca01e9c 100644
--- a/backend/app/config.py
+++ b/backend/app/config.py
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     COOKIE_SECURE: bool = False
     OPENWEATHERMAP_API_KEY: str = ""
 
-    # Session config
-    SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS: int = 30
+    # Session config — sliding window
+    SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS: int = 7              # Sliding window: inactive sessions expire after 7 days
+    SESSION_TOKEN_HARD_CEILING_DAYS: int = 30  # Absolute token lifetime for itsdangerous max_age
 
     # MFA token config (short-lived token bridging password OK → TOTP verification)
     MFA_TOKEN_MAX_AGE_SECONDS: int = 300  # 5 minutes
diff --git a/backend/app/routers/auth.py b/backend/app/routers/auth.py
index a8b0266..16e8ed5 100644
--- a/backend/app/routers/auth.py
+++ b/backend/app/routers/auth.py
@@ -75,11 +75,16 @@ def _set_session_cookie(response: Response, token: str) -> None:
 
 async def get_current_user(
     request: Request,
+    response: Response,
     session_cookie: Optional[str] = Cookie(None, alias="session"),
     db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db),
 ) -> User:
     """
     Dependency that verifies the session cookie and returns the authenticated User.
+
+    L-03 sliding window: if the session has less than
+    (SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS - 1) days remaining, silently extend expires_at
+    and re-issue the cookie so active users never hit expiration.
     """
     if not session_cookie:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=401, detail="Not authenticated")
@@ -113,6 +118,17 @@ async def get_current_user(
     if not user:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=401, detail="User not found or inactive")
 
+    # L-03: Sliding window renewal — extend session if >1 day has elapsed since
+    # last renewal (i.e. remaining time < SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS - 1 day).
+    now = datetime.now()
+    renewal_threshold = timedelta(days=app_settings.SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS - 1)
+    if db_session.expires_at - now < renewal_threshold:
+        db_session.expires_at = now + timedelta(days=app_settings.SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS)
+        await db.flush()
+        # Re-issue cookie with fresh signed token to reset browser max_age timer
+        fresh_token = create_session_token(user_id, session_id)
+        _set_session_cookie(response, fresh_token)
+
     return user
 
 
diff --git a/backend/app/services/auth.py b/backend/app/services/auth.py
index adf2323..c6ef16a 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/auth.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/auth.py
@@ -88,10 +88,14 @@ def create_session_token(user_id: int, session_id: str) -> str:
 def verify_session_token(token: str, max_age: int | None = None) -> dict | None:
     """
     Verify a session cookie and return its payload dict, or None if invalid/expired.
-    max_age defaults to SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS from config.
+
+    max_age defaults to SESSION_TOKEN_HARD_CEILING_DAYS (absolute token lifetime).
+    The sliding window (SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS) is enforced via DB expires_at checks,
+    not by itsdangerous — this decoupling prevents the serializer from rejecting
+    renewed tokens that were created more than SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS ago.
     """
     if max_age is None:
-        max_age = app_settings.SESSION_MAX_AGE_DAYS * 86400
+        max_age = app_settings.SESSION_TOKEN_HARD_CEILING_DAYS * 86400
     try:
         return _serializer.loads(token, max_age=max_age)
     except (BadSignature, SignatureExpired):