diff --git a/server/src/engine/orchestrator.ts b/server/src/engine/orchestrator.ts
index 31414a1..d3511cb 100644
--- a/server/src/engine/orchestrator.ts
+++ b/server/src/engine/orchestrator.ts
@@ -668,12 +668,13 @@ export async function runFight(botAId: string, botBId: string, mode: 'free' | 'r
 }
 
 /** Creates the fight record and returns the ID immediately. Rounds run in background. */
-export async function runFightAsync(botAId: string, botBId: string, mode: 'free' | 'ranked' = 'free'): Promise<string> {
+export async function runFightAsync(botAId: string, botBId: string, mode: 'free' | 'ranked' = 'free', overrides?: { botAWebhookUrl?: string }): Promise<string> {
   if (botAId === botBId) throw new Error('A bot cannot fight itself')
   if (activeFighters.has(botAId)) throw new Error(`Bot ${botAId} is already in a fight`)
   if (activeFighters.has(botBId)) throw new Error(`Bot ${botBId} is already in a fight`)
 
   const [botA, botB] = await loadBots(botAId, botBId)
+  if (overrides?.botAWebhookUrl) botA.webhookUrl = overrides.botAWebhookUrl
   const arena = randomArena()
   const fightId = await createFightRecord(botA, botB, arena, mode)
   activeFighters.set(botAId, fightId)
diff --git a/server/src/routes/fights.ts b/server/src/routes/fights.ts
index 6894d56..63d4b2c 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/fights.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/fights.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { runFight, runFightAsync, isInFight, getActiveFightId } from '../engine/
 import { fightEvents } from '../engine/events.js'
 import { botRateLimit } from '../middleware/rate-limit.js'
 import { getPendingChallenge, getPendingAnswers, submitHumanResponse } from '../engine/human-responses.js'
-import { getPendingPollChallenge, submitPollResponse } from '../engine/poll-responses.js'
+import { getPendingPollChallenge, submitPollResponse, isPollingBot } from '../engine/poll-responses.js'
 import { authenticateBot } from '../middleware/bot-auth.js'
 import { checkAnswer } from '../engine/answers.js'
 
@@ -310,7 +310,9 @@ fightsRouter.post('/practice/:botId', botRateLimit(10_000), async (c) => {
 
   let fightId: string
   try {
-    fightId = await runFightAsync(botId, opponent.id, 'free')
+    // Polling bots play practice as human players (answer in browser)
+    const overrides = isPollingBot(bot.webhookUrl) ? { botAWebhookUrl: 'http://human.local/' } : undefined
+    fightId = await runFightAsync(botId, opponent.id, 'free', overrides)
   } catch (err) {
     const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Fight failed to start'
     return c.json({ error: msg }, 400)