diff --git a/conf/nginx.conf b/conf/nginx.conf
index fd65f72..9325dd3 100644
--- a/conf/nginx.conf
+++ b/conf/nginx.conf
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-# try redirecting stuff to index.php
-rewrite ^(.*)$ /index.php$1 last;
-root __INSTALL_DIR__/public/;
-
 location / {
   alias __INSTALL_DIR__/public/;
 
@@ -12,6 +8,8 @@ location / {
   try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
 
   location ~ [^/]\.php(/|$) {
+    # try redirecting stuff to index.php
+    rewrite ^(.*)$ /index.php$1 last;
     fastcgi_split_path_info ^(.+\.php)(/.+)$;
     #fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php__PHP_VERSION__-fpm-__APP__.sock;
     fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php__PHP_VERSION__-fpm.sock;
@@ -28,5 +26,6 @@ location / {
 }
 # not tested; it may have trouble redirecting
 location /api/ {
+  alias __INSTALL_DIR__/public/;
   try_files $uri $uri/ /api/index.php?$query_string;
 }