diff --git a/backend/src/adapters/cpanel.js b/backend/src/adapters/cpanel.js
index 7a27743..4486029 100644
--- a/backend/src/adapters/cpanel.js
+++ b/backend/src/adapters/cpanel.js
@@ -76,9 +76,13 @@ async function parseResponse(res, debug = false) {
   if (debug) console.log('[cpanel] full envelope:', JSON.stringify(envelope, null, 2));
   if (res.status >= 400) throw new Error(`cPanel HTTP ${res.status}`);
 
-  // UAPI can nest the real payload under result{} or return it flat
+  // UAPI wraps the payload in result{} but some installs omit it
   const result = envelope.result ?? envelope;
-  if (result.status === 0) throw new Error(`cPanel UAPI error: ${result.errors?.join(', ') ?? 'Unknown error'}`);
+  const statusVal = result.status ?? result.result;
+  if (statusVal === 0 || statusVal === '0') {
+    const msg = result.errors?.join(', ') ?? result.error ?? result.message ?? 'Unknown UAPI error';
+    throw new Error(`cPanel UAPI error: ${msg}`);
+  }
   return result.data;
 }
 
@@ -137,29 +141,49 @@ async function api2(func, params = {}, debug = false) {
 // ─── Public API ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 async function listZones() {
-  // Try DNS::list_zones first (cPanel v82+), fall back to DomainInfo::list_domains
   let domains = [];
 
+  // Try DNS::list_zones first (cPanel v82+).
+  // Fall back for ANY failure — different cPanel versions use different error messages.
   try {
     const data = await uapiGet('DNS', 'list_zones');
-    if (data && data.length > 0) {
-      return data.map(z => {
-        const name = typeof z === 'string' ? z : (z.domain ?? z.zone ?? z.name);
+    if (Array.isArray(data) && data.length > 0) {
+      const zones = data.map(z => {
+        const raw  = typeof z === 'string' ? z : (z.domain ?? z.zone ?? z.name ?? '');
+        const name = raw.replace(/\.$/, '');   // strip trailing dot if present
         return { id: name, name };
-      });
+      }).filter(z => z.name);
+      if (zones.length > 0) return zones;
     }
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err.message.includes('could not find the function')) throw err;
-    // Function doesn't exist on this cPanel version — use DomainInfo fallback
+    console.log('[cpanel] DNS::list_zones unavailable, falling back to DomainInfo:', err.message);
   }
 
-  const info = await uapiGet('DomainInfo', 'list_domains');
-  // Returns { main_domain, addon_domains, parked_domains, sub_domains }
-  if (info) {
-    const main    = info.main_domain    ? [info.main_domain]    : [];
-    const addon   = Array.isArray(info.addon_domains)   ? info.addon_domains   : [];
-    const parked  = Array.isArray(info.parked_domains)  ? info.parked_domains  : [];
-    domains = [...new Set([...main, ...addon, ...parked])];
+  // Fallback: DomainInfo::list_domains (available on all cPanel versions)
+  try {
+    const info = await uapiGet('DomainInfo', 'list_domains');
+    if (info) {
+      const main   = info.main_domain    ? [info.main_domain]                             : [];
+      const addon  = Array.isArray(info.addon_domains)  ? info.addon_domains              : [];
+      const parked = Array.isArray(info.parked_domains) ? info.parked_domains             : [];
+      // sub_domains are sub.domain.tld — only include the apex, not subs
+      domains = [...new Set([...main, ...addon, ...parked])].filter(Boolean);
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[cpanel] DomainInfo::list_domains failed:', err.message);
+  }
+
+  if (domains.length === 0) {
+    // Last resort: Zone::listzone lists the raw zone names (some legacy cPanel installs)
+    try {
+      const data = await uapiGet('Zone', 'listzone');
+      if (Array.isArray(data)) {
+        domains = data.map(z => {
+          const raw = typeof z === 'string' ? z : (z.domain ?? z.zone ?? z.name ?? '');
+          return raw.replace(/\.$/, '');
+        }).filter(Boolean);
+      }
+    } catch { /* ignore */ }
   }
 
   return domains.map(d => ({ id: d, name: d }));