diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-claude-dev-dev.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-claude-dev-dev.yml
index 52155ac..937b6f8 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-claude-dev-dev.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-claude-dev-dev.yml
@@ -124,6 +124,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           export DOCKER_API_VERSION=1.43
+          # Ensure .env exists (CI container may not have it mounted)
+          if [ ! -f /volume1/docker/claude-dev/.env ]; then
+            printf 'ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=ci\nANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://www.bytecatcode.org\nANTHROPIC_MODEL=ci\nANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL=ci\nCLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_NONESSENTIAL_TRAFFIC=1\nCLAUDE_DEV_IMAGE_TAG=latest\n' > /volume1/docker/claude-dev/.env
+          fi
           if ! docker compose -f /volume1/docker/claude-dev/docker-compose.yml config >/dev/null; then
             echo "❌ docker-compose config validation failed"
             docker compose -f /volume1/docker/claude-dev/docker-compose.yml config