diff --git a/proto/Dockerfile b/proto/Dockerfile
index c65192f..1f4144a 100755
--- a/proto/Dockerfile
+++ b/proto/Dockerfile
@@ -10,10 +10,6 @@ ENV NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL=$NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL
 ARG NEXT_PUBLIC_DEPLOY_ENV
 ENV NEXT_PUBLIC_DEPLOY_ENV=$NEXT_PUBLIC_DEPLOY_ENV
 
-# Runtime-only deploy version (git SHA passed by deploy.sh) — exposed via /api/health.
-ARG DEPLOY_VERSION
-ENV DEPLOY_VERSION=$DEPLOY_VERSION
-
 # Copy package files
 COPY package.json package-lock.json* ./
 
@@ -37,6 +33,12 @@ ENV NODE_ENV=production
 # to the container IP. Bind explicitly to all interfaces for port publishing and healthchecks.
 ENV HOSTNAME=0.0.0.0
 
+# Runtime-only deploy version (git SHA from deploy.sh). WHY re-declared here: ENV does
+# not carry across stages — the value set in the builder stage never reaches the
+# container that actually runs.
+ARG DEPLOY_VERSION
+ENV DEPLOY_VERSION=$DEPLOY_VERSION
+
 # Create non-root user for security
 RUN addgroup --system --gid 1001 nodejs
 RUN adduser --system --uid 1001 nextjs