diff --git a/docker/entrypoint.sh b/docker/entrypoint.sh
index ad4f146..ad07425 100644
--- a/docker/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker/entrypoint.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,16 @@ if [ "$role" = "app" ]; then
     rm -f public/hot
     [ -f vendor/autoload.php ]   || www "composer install --no-interaction --prefer-dist --no-progress"
     [ -x node_modules/.bin/vite ] || www "npm install --no-fund --no-audit"
+    # With the Vite dev server off (the default for domain/HTTPS operation),
+    # @vite needs the built manifest — and public/build is gitignored, so a
+    # fresh checkout has none. Build it once instead of failing every page with
+    # ViteManifestNotFoundException.
+    if [ "${VITE_AUTOSTART:-false}" != "true" ] && [ ! -f public/build/manifest.json ]; then
+        # Non-fatal: a broken build must not wedge the container in a restart
+        # loop where the logs are unreachable — nginx still comes up and the
+        # error is visible in the browser.
+        www "npm run build" || echo "clupilot-entrypoint: asset build FAILED — run 'npm run build' manually"
+    fi
     if [ -f .env ] && ! grep -qE '^APP_KEY=.+' .env; then
         www "php artisan key:generate --force" || true
     fi