diff --git a/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs b/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
index f9d9c03422..db6835da61 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
@@ -64,9 +64,8 @@ struct Cli {
     pub pgbin: String,
 
     /// The base URL for the remote extension storage proxy gateway.
-    /// Should be in the form of `http(s)://<gateway-hostname>[:<port>]`.
-    #[arg(short = 'r', long, alias = "remote-ext-config")]
-    pub remote_ext_base_url: Option<String>,
+    #[arg(short = 'r', long)]
+    pub remote_ext_base_url: Option<Url>,
 
     /// The port to bind the external listening HTTP server to. Clients running
     /// outside the compute will talk to the compute through this port. Keep
diff --git a/compute_tools/src/compute.rs b/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
index ff49c737f0..d678b7d670 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 use std::{env, fs};
 use tokio::spawn;
 use tracing::{Instrument, debug, error, info, instrument, warn};
+use url::Url;
 use utils::id::{TenantId, TimelineId};
 use utils::lsn::Lsn;
 use utils::measured_stream::MeasuredReader;
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ pub struct ComputeNodeParams {
     pub internal_http_port: u16,
 
     /// the address of extension storage proxy gateway
-    pub remote_ext_base_url: Option<String>,
+    pub remote_ext_base_url: Option<Url>,
 
     /// Interval for installed extensions collection
     pub installed_extensions_collection_interval: u64,
diff --git a/compute_tools/src/extension_server.rs b/compute_tools/src/extension_server.rs
index 3439383699..1857afa08c 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/extension_server.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/extension_server.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ use reqwest::StatusCode;
 use tar::Archive;
 use tracing::info;
 use tracing::log::warn;
+use url::Url;
 use zstd::stream::read::Decoder;
 
 use crate::metrics::{REMOTE_EXT_REQUESTS_TOTAL, UNKNOWN_HTTP_STATUS};
@@ -158,14 +159,14 @@ fn parse_pg_version(human_version: &str) -> PostgresMajorVersion {
 pub async fn download_extension(
     ext_name: &str,
     ext_path: &RemotePath,
-    remote_ext_base_url: &str,
+    remote_ext_base_url: &Url,
     pgbin: &str,
 ) -> Result<u64> {
     info!("Download extension {:?} from {:?}", ext_name, ext_path);
 
     // TODO add retry logic
     let download_buffer =
-        match download_extension_tar(remote_ext_base_url, &ext_path.to_string()).await {
+        match download_extension_tar(remote_ext_base_url.as_str(), &ext_path.to_string()).await {
             Ok(buffer) => buffer,
             Err(error_message) => {
                 return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(