diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-dev.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
index 932664b..4e916d6 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-dev.yml
@@ -66,11 +66,13 @@ jobs:
           # Clean up any legacy manual containers
           docker rm -f nas-dashboard-dev 2>/dev/null || true
 
-          # Ensure network exists
-          docker network create nas-dashboard_internal 2>/dev/null || true
+          # Ensure network exists (create only if it doesn't exist)
+          if ! docker network inspect nas-dashboard_internal >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            docker network create nas-dashboard_internal
+          fi
 
           # Use a dedicated project name to avoid killing production (which is project 'nas-dashboard')
-          # and deploy using theSynced compose file.
+          # and deploy using the synced compose file.
           docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml -p nas-dashboard-dev down --remove-orphans || true
           docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml -p nas-dashboard-dev up -d --build --pull never