diff --git a/demos/test-app/src/index.tsx b/demos/test-app/src/index.tsx
index e896c3d810..6090ca5430 100644
--- a/demos/test-app/src/index.tsx
+++ b/demos/test-app/src/index.tsx
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ let latestOpts:
   | undefined
   | {
       issuerOrigin: string;
+      issuerCanisterId: string;
       derivationOrigin?: string;
       credTy: CredType;
       flowId: number;
@@ -443,6 +444,7 @@ function handleFlowReady(evnt: MessageEvent) {
     params: {
       issuer: {
         origin: opts.issuerOrigin,
+        canisterId: opts.issuerCanisterId,
       },
       credentialSpec: credentialSpecs[opts.credTy],
       credentialSubject: principal,
@@ -450,7 +452,7 @@ function handleFlowReady(evnt: MessageEvent) {
     },
   };
 
-  // register a handler for the "done" message, kick start the flow and then
+  // register a handler for the "done" message, kickstart the flow and then
   // unregister ourselves
   try {
     window.addEventListener("message", handleFlowFinished);
@@ -497,6 +499,8 @@ const App = () => {
     "http://issuer.localhost:5173"
   );
 
+  const [issuerCanisterId, setIssuerCanisterId] = useState<string>("");
+
   // Alternative origin for the RP, if any
   const [derivationOrigin, setDerivationOrigin] = useState<string>("");
 
@@ -527,7 +531,8 @@ const App = () => {
     latestOpts = {
       flowId,
       credTy,
-      issuerOrigin: issuerUrl,
+      issuerOrigin: new URL(issuerUrl).origin,
+      issuerCanisterId,
       derivationOrigin: derivationOrigin !== "" ? derivationOrigin : undefined,
       win: iiWindow,
     };
@@ -547,6 +552,15 @@ const App = () => {
           onChange={(evt) => setIssuerUrl(evt.target.value)}
         />
       </label>
+      <label>
+        Issuer canister Id:
+        <input
+          data-role="issuer-canister-id"
+          type="text"
+          value={issuerCanisterId}
+          onChange={(evt) => setIssuerCanisterId(evt.target.value)}
+        />
+      </label>
       <label>
         Alternative Derivation Origin:
         <input
diff --git a/docs/vc-spec.md b/docs/vc-spec.md
index 7db032c9c7..bf3603a027 100644
--- a/docs/vc-spec.md
+++ b/docs/vc-spec.md
@@ -259,9 +259,8 @@ After receiving the notification that II is ready, the relying party can request
 * Method: `request_credential`
 * Params:
   * `issuer`: An issuer that the relying party trusts. It has the following properties:
-    * `origin`: The origin of the issuer.
-    * `canisterId`: (optional) The canister id of the issuer, if applicable/known. If specified and not the same
-       as the one reported by a boundary node for `origin`, this is an error.
+    * `origin`: The front-end origin of the issuer. If this value is different from the value returned from the `derivation_origin` canister call, then the `origin` must be a valid alternative origin as per the [Alternative Frontend Origins](https://internetcomputer.org/docs/current/references/ii-spec#alternative-frontend-origins)-feature.
+    * `canisterId`: The canister id of the issuer canister (i.e. the one, that implements the candid issuer API as defined above). 
   * `credentialSpec`: The spec of the credential that the relying party wants to request from the issuer.
     * `credentialType`: The type of the requested credential.
     * `arguments`: (optional) A map with arguments specific to the requested credentials. It maps string keys to values that must be either strings or integers.
@@ -321,7 +320,8 @@ After receiving the notification that II is ready, the relying party can request
   "method": "request_credential",
   "params": {
     "issuer": {
-        "origin": "https://kyc-resident-info.org"
+        "origin": "https://kyc-resident-info.org",
+        "canisterId": "rwlgt-iiaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa-cai"
     },
     "credentialSpec": {
         "credentialType": "VerifiedResident",
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/flows/verifiableCredentials/index.ts b/src/frontend/src/flows/verifiableCredentials/index.ts
index d4d121f09a..5961f8d3c0 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/flows/verifiableCredentials/index.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/flows/verifiableCredentials/index.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { showMessage } from "$src/components/message";
 import { showSpinner } from "$src/components/spinner";
 import { fetchDelegation } from "$src/flows/authorize/fetchDelegation";
 import { getAnchorByPrincipal } from "$src/storage";
-import { resolveCanisterId } from "$src/utils/canisterIdResolution";
 import { AuthenticatedConnection, Connection } from "$src/utils/iiConnection";
 import { validateDerivationOrigin } from "$src/utils/validateDerivationOrigin";
 import {
@@ -19,7 +18,6 @@ import {
   IssuedCredentialData,
 } from "@dfinity/internet-identity-vc-api";
 import { Principal } from "@dfinity/principal";
-import { nonNullish } from "@dfinity/utils";
 import { abortedCredentials } from "./abortedCredentials";
 import { allowCredentials } from "./allowCredentials";
 import { VcVerifiablePresentation, vcProtocol } from "./postMessageInterface";
@@ -70,28 +68,12 @@ const verifyCredentials = async ({
   connection,
   request: {
     credentialSubject: givenP_RP,
-    issuer: { origin: issuerOrigin, canisterId: expectedIssuerCanisterId },
+    issuer: { origin: issuerOrigin, canisterId: issuerCanisterId },
     credentialSpec,
     derivationOrigin: rpDerivationOrigin,
   },
   rpOrigin: rpOrigin_,
 }: { connection: Connection } & VerifyCredentialsArgs) => {
-  // Look up the canister ID from the origin
-  const lookedUp = await withLoader(() =>
-    resolveCanisterId({ origin: issuerOrigin })
-  );
-  if (lookedUp === "not_found") {
-    return abortedCredentials({ reason: "no_canister_id" });
-  }
-  const issuerCanisterId = lookedUp.ok;
-
-  // If the RP provided a canister ID, check that it matches what we got
-  if (nonNullish(expectedIssuerCanisterId)) {
-    if (expectedIssuerCanisterId.compareTo(issuerCanisterId) !== "eq") {
-      return abortedCredentials({ reason: "bad_canister_id" });
-    }
-  }
-
   // Verify that principals may be issued to RP using the specified
   // derivation origin
   const validRpDerivationOrigin = await withLoader(() =>
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/flows/verifiableCredentials/postMessageInterface.ts b/src/frontend/src/flows/verifiableCredentials/postMessageInterface.ts
index 871efeeb01..6d2e801151 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/flows/verifiableCredentials/postMessageInterface.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/flows/verifiableCredentials/postMessageInterface.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import { toast } from "$src/components/toast";
-import type {
+import {
+  VcFlowReady,
+  VcFlowRequest,
   VcResponse,
   VcVerifiablePresentation,
 } from "@dfinity/internet-identity-vc-api";
-import { VcFlowReady, VcFlowRequest } from "@dfinity/internet-identity-vc-api";
 
 export type { VcVerifiablePresentation } from "@dfinity/internet-identity-vc-api";
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/verifiableCredentials/index.test.ts b/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/verifiableCredentials/index.test.ts
index a802e956e4..a0a267cb97 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/verifiableCredentials/index.test.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/verifiableCredentials/index.test.ts
@@ -9,9 +9,14 @@ import {
   KNOWN_TEST_DAPP,
   TEST_APP_CANONICAL_URL,
   TEST_APP_CANONICAL_URL_LEGACY,
+  TEST_APP_NICE_URL,
 } from "$src/test-e2e/constants";
 
+import { DemoAppView } from "$src/test-e2e/views";
+import { beforeEach } from "vitest";
 import {
+  addEmployeeToIssuer,
+  authenticateOnII,
   authenticateToRelyingParty,
   getVCPresentation,
   register,
@@ -117,3 +122,51 @@ testConfigs.forEach(({ relyingParty, issuer, authType }) => {
     300_000
   );
 });
+
+test("Can issue credential with issuer front-end being hosted on a different canister", async () => {
+  await runInBrowser(async (browser: WebdriverIO.Browser) => {
+    await browser.url(II_URL);
+    const authConfig = await register["webauthn"](browser);
+    const relyingParty = TEST_APP_CANONICAL_URL;
+    // We pretend the issuer front-end is hosted on TEST_APP_NICE_URL
+    // while the relying party is TEST_APP_CANONICAL_URL.
+    // This is a setup where the issuer is split into two canisters, one hosting the front-end
+    // and one implementing the issuer canister API.
+    // This test demonstrates that this setup is possible _without_ configuring alternative origins,
+    // but simply configuring the derivation origin on the issuer canister and having the relying party specify
+    // the issuer canister id.
+    const issuer = TEST_APP_NICE_URL;
+    await setIssuerDerivationOrigin({
+      issuerCanisterId: ISSUER_CANISTER_ID,
+      derivationOrigin: issuer,
+      frontendHostname: issuer,
+    });
+
+    const issuerFrontEnd = new DemoAppView(browser);
+    await issuerFrontEnd.open(issuer, II_URL);
+    await issuerFrontEnd.waitForDisplay();
+    await issuerFrontEnd.signin();
+    await authenticateOnII({ authConfig, browser });
+    const issuerPrincipal = await issuerFrontEnd.getPrincipal();
+    await addEmployeeToIssuer({
+      issuerCanisterId: ISSUER_CANISTER_ID,
+      principal: issuerPrincipal,
+    });
+
+    // Go through the VC flow pretending the relying party URL to be the issuer front-end
+    const vcTestApp = await authenticateToRelyingParty({
+      browser,
+      issuer,
+      authConfig,
+      relyingParty,
+    });
+    await getVCPresentation({
+      vcTestApp,
+      browser,
+      authConfig,
+      relyingParty,
+      issuer,
+      knownDapps: [KNOWN_TEST_DAPP],
+    });
+  });
+}, 300_000);
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/verifiableCredentials/utils.ts b/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/verifiableCredentials/utils.ts
index eeecf04abb..33ab72bf5d 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/verifiableCredentials/utils.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/verifiableCredentials/utils.ts
@@ -16,12 +16,18 @@ import {
   VcTestAppView,
 } from "$src/test-e2e/views";
 
-import { II_URL, ISSUER_APP_URL, REPLICA_URL } from "$src/test-e2e/constants";
+import {
+  II_URL,
+  ISSUER_APP_URL,
+  ISSUER_CANISTER_ID,
+  REPLICA_URL,
+} from "$src/test-e2e/constants";
 
 import { idlFactory as vc_issuer_idl } from "$generated/vc_issuer_idl";
 import { KnownDapp } from "$src/flows/dappsExplorer/dapps";
 import { Actor, ActorSubclass, HttpAgent } from "@dfinity/agent";
 import { _SERVICE } from "@dfinity/internet-identity-vc-api";
+import { Principal } from "@dfinity/principal";
 import { nonNullish } from "@dfinity/utils";
 
 /**
@@ -93,7 +99,7 @@ const authenticateWithIssuer_ = async ({
   browser,
   issuerAppView,
   derivationOrigin,
-  authConfig: { setupAuth, finalizeAuth, userNumber },
+  authConfig,
 }: {
   browser: WebdriverIO.Browser;
   issuerAppView: IssuerAppView;
@@ -105,6 +111,17 @@ const authenticateWithIssuer_ = async ({
   }
   await issuerAppView.authenticate();
 
+  await authenticateOnII({ authConfig, browser });
+  return issuerAppView.waitForAuthenticated();
+};
+
+export const authenticateOnII = async ({
+  authConfig: { setupAuth, finalizeAuth, userNumber },
+  browser,
+}: {
+  authConfig: AuthConfig;
+  browser: WebdriverIO.Browser;
+}): Promise<void> => {
   await setupAuth(browser);
 
   const authenticateView = new AuthenticateView(browser);
@@ -113,13 +130,12 @@ const authenticateWithIssuer_ = async ({
 
   await finalizeAuth(browser);
   await waitToClose(browser);
-  return issuerAppView.waitForAuthenticated();
 };
 
 // Open the specified test app on the URL `relyingParty` and authenticate
 export const authenticateToRelyingParty = async ({
   browser,
-  authConfig: { setupAuth, finalizeAuth, userNumber },
+  authConfig,
   issuer,
   relyingParty,
   derivationOrigin,
@@ -131,7 +147,7 @@ export const authenticateToRelyingParty = async ({
   derivationOrigin?: string;
 }): Promise<VcTestAppView> => {
   const vcTestApp = new VcTestAppView(browser);
-  await vcTestApp.open(relyingParty, II_URL, issuer);
+  await vcTestApp.open(relyingParty, II_URL, issuer, ISSUER_CANISTER_ID);
 
   if (nonNullish(derivationOrigin)) {
     const demoView = new DemoAppView(browser);
@@ -145,16 +161,7 @@ export const authenticateToRelyingParty = async ({
     await vcTestApp.setAlternativeOrigin(derivationOrigin);
   }
   await vcTestApp.startSignIn();
-
-  await setupAuth(browser);
-
-  const authenticateView = new AuthenticateView(browser);
-  await authenticateView.waitForDisplay();
-  await authenticateView.pickAnchor(userNumber);
-
-  await finalizeAuth(browser);
-  await waitToClose(browser);
-
+  await authenticateOnII({ authConfig, browser });
   await vcTestApp.waitForAuthenticated();
 
   return vcTestApp;
@@ -318,6 +325,17 @@ export const resetIssuerOriginsConfig = async ({
   await actor.set_alternative_origins('{"alternativeOrigins":[]}');
 };
 
+export const addEmployeeToIssuer = async ({
+  issuerCanisterId,
+  principal,
+}: {
+  issuerCanisterId: string;
+  principal: string;
+}): Promise<void> => {
+  const actor = await createIssuerActor(issuerCanisterId);
+  await actor.add_employee(Principal.from(principal));
+};
+
 const createIssuerActor = async (
   issuerCanisterId: string
 ): Promise<ActorSubclass<_SERVICE>> => {
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/views.ts b/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/views.ts
index c1967ecb36..b123b7a2f6 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/views.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/test-e2e/views.ts
@@ -738,11 +738,17 @@ export class VcTestAppView extends View {
   async open(
     demoAppUrl: string,
     iiUrl: string,
-    issuerUrl: string
+    issuerUrl: string,
+    issuerCanisterId: string
   ): Promise<void> {
     await this.browser.url(demoAppUrl);
     await setInputValue(this.browser, '[data-role="ii-url"]', iiUrl);
     await setInputValue(this.browser, '[data-role="issuer-url"]', issuerUrl);
+    await setInputValue(
+      this.browser,
+      '[data-role="issuer-canister-id"]',
+      issuerCanisterId
+    );
   }
 
   async startSignIn(): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/src/vc-api/src/index.ts b/src/vc-api/src/index.ts
index 79e42b85c6..f63a85eb2e 100644
--- a/src/vc-api/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/vc-api/src/index.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export const VcFlowRequest = z.object({
       origin: z
         .string()
         .url() /* XXX: we limit to URLs, but in practice should even be an origin */,
-      canisterId: z.optional(zodPrincipal),
+      canisterId: zodPrincipal,
     }),
     credentialSpec: zodCredentialSpec,
     credentialSubject: zodPrincipal,