diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 32fe362..21f718b 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -3,8 +3,12 @@
 # OpenRouter (recommended default provider for this stack)
 OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-replace-me
 
+# Match host user that owns the workspace mount (boka: id -u / id -g → 1002)
+PUID=1002
+PGID=1002
+
 # Host directory mounted at /workspaces inside the containers.
-# On boka, point at the projects Pi should see, e.g.:
-# WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH=/home/frank
-# For local smoke tests, leave unset to use ./workspaces
-WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH=./workspaces
+# On boka:
+WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH=/home/frank
+# For local smoke tests without /home/frank projects:
+# WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH=./workspaces
diff --git a/DEPLOY.md b/DEPLOY.md
index f88327c..1715cf5 100644
--- a/DEPLOY.md
+++ b/DEPLOY.md
@@ -19,15 +19,18 @@ cd /home/frank/pi.schwenk.online
 
 cp .env.example .env
 # edit OPENROUTER_API_KEY
-# set WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH to the host dirs Pi should edit, e.g. /home/frank
+# PUID/PGID = host user (frank on boka: 1002) — must match `id -u` / `id -g`
+# WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH=/home/frank
 
-mkdir -p data/pi-web data/pi-agent workspaces
-# Container runs as uid 1000 (node); fix ownership if needed:
-sudo chown -R 1000:1000 data workspaces
+mkdir -p data/pi-web data/pi-agent
+chown -R "$(id -u):$(id -g)" data
 
 docker compose build
 docker compose up -d
 docker compose logs -f --tail=100
+
+# smoke: should list your projects, not Permission denied
+docker compose exec web ls /workspaces/eselhoefe.de
 ```
 
 ## Verify
@@ -56,3 +59,4 @@ docker compose build --no-cache && docker compose up -d
 - No host port publish; only Traefik on network `traefik` reaches `:8504`
 - Middleware is referenced only (`authelia@docker`); ForwardAuth is defined on Authelia
 - `pi-coding-agent` pinned to `0.82.1` for current `pi-web` peer range
+- Container runs as `PUID`/`PGID` (default 1002) so bind mounts under `/home/frank` are readable
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 24c8655..dff6ac5 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 # Pi Coding Agent + PI WEB (Plain Docker)
 # Peer pin: pi-web requires pi-coding-agent >=0.82.1 <0.83
+# Run as host UID/GID so bind-mounted /home/frank (etc.) is readable.
+ARG PUID=1002
+ARG PGID=1002
+
 FROM node:24-bookworm-slim
 
+ARG PUID=1002
+ARG PGID=1002
+
 RUN apt-get update \
   && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     bash \
@@ -19,28 +26,26 @@ RUN npm install -g --ignore-scripts @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent@0.82.1 \
   && npm install -g @jmfederico/pi-web@1.202607.3 --allow-scripts=node-pty \
   && npm cache clean --force
 
-# Drop build toolchain from runtime image layer weight is optional; keep for native package installs
-# Re-install without g++ would break future pi packages needing compile — leave tools in.
+RUN groupadd -g "${PGID}" pi \
+  && useradd -u "${PUID}" -g "${PGID}" -m -d /home/pi -s /bin/bash pi \
+  && mkdir -p /data/pi-web /workspaces /home/pi/.pi/agent /home/pi/.config/pi-web \
+  && chown -R pi:pi /data /workspaces /home/pi
 
-RUN mkdir -p /data/pi-web /workspaces /home/node/.pi/agent /home/node/.config/pi-web \
-  && chown -R node:node /data /workspaces /home/node/.pi /home/node/.config
+COPY --chown=pi:pi config/pi-web.config.json /etc/pi-web/config.json
 
-COPY --chown=node:node config/pi-web.config.json /etc/pi-web/config.json
-
-ENV HOME=/home/node \
+ENV HOME=/home/pi \
   PI_WEB_CONFIG=/etc/pi-web/config.json \
   PI_WEB_DATA_DIR=/data/pi-web \
-  PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR=/home/node/.pi/agent \
+  PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR=/home/pi/.pi/agent \
   PI_WEB_SESSIOND_SOCKET=/data/pi-web/sessiond.sock \
   PI_WEB_HOST=0.0.0.0 \
   PI_WEB_PORT=8504 \
   PI_WEB_ALLOWED_HOSTS=pi.schwenk.online \
   PATH="/usr/local/bin:${PATH}"
 
-USER node
+USER pi
 WORKDIR /workspaces
 
 EXPOSE 8504
 
-# Default overridden per-service in compose.yml
 CMD ["pi-web-server"]
diff --git a/NOTES.md b/NOTES.md
index 49598a9..54a0da4 100644
--- a/NOTES.md
+++ b/NOTES.md
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ Implemented Compose stack for PI WEB + Pi behind Traefik/Authelia. See [DEPLOY.m
 - `web` HTTP `200` on `:8504`; `pi --version` → `0.82.1`
 - Full Authelia/DNS/TOTP path: only on boka after DNS + `.env` key
 
-Stack stopped locally after smoke (`docker compose down`).
+## UID fix (2026-08-01)
+
+Container must run as host `frank` (1002:1002), not image `node` (1000). Rebuild with `PUID`/`PGID` after pull.
 
 ## Authelia handoff (locked)
 
diff --git a/SOUL.md b/SOUL.md
index 2a4d5e5..fdb5747 100644
--- a/SOUL.md
+++ b/SOUL.md
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ Fränky — single trusted user; remote control surface for agent work under `/h
 - **Compose:** `compose.yml` — services `sessiond` + `web`, image built from `Dockerfile`
 - **Networks:** external `traefik`
 - **Auth:** Authelia portal `https://auth.schwenk.online`; middleware `authelia@docker`; ACL `two_factor` for this host
-- **Data:** `./data/pi-web` (PI WEB state + sessiond socket), `./data/pi-agent` → `~/.pi/agent` (sessions, packages, auth)
+- **Data:** `./data/pi-web` (PI WEB state + sessiond socket), `./data/pi-agent` → `/home/pi/.pi/agent` (sessions, packages, auth)
 - **Workspaces:** host path via `WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH` → container `/workspaces`
+- **UID:** `PUID`/`PGID` in `.env` must match host owner of the mount (boka frank = 1002)
 - **Secrets:** `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` in `.env` (see `.env.example`)
 
 ### Authelia handoff (consumed)
diff --git a/compose.yml b/compose.yml
index b227405..500db54 100644
--- a/compose.yml
+++ b/compose.yml
@@ -1,54 +1,65 @@
 # PI WEB + Pi Coding Agent behind Traefik + Authelia (external)
 # Deploy: /home/frank/pi.schwenk.online  →  https://pi.schwenk.online
+#
+# PUID/PGID must match the host user that owns WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH (boka: frank=1002).
 
 services:
   sessiond:
-    build: .
+    build:
+      context: .
+      args:
+        PUID: ${PUID:-1002}
+        PGID: ${PGID:-1002}
     image: pidevremote-pi:local
     container_name: pi-sessiond
     restart: unless-stopped
+    user: "${PUID:-1002}:${PGID:-1002}"
     command: ["pi-web-sessiond"]
     env_file:
       - .env
     environment:
-      HOME: /home/node
+      HOME: /home/pi
       PI_WEB_CONFIG: /etc/pi-web/config.json
       PI_WEB_DATA_DIR: /data/pi-web
       PI_WEB_SESSIOND_SOCKET: /data/pi-web/sessiond.sock
-      PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR: /home/node/.pi/agent
+      PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR: /home/pi/.pi/agent
       OPENROUTER_API_KEY: ${OPENROUTER_API_KEY:-}
     volumes:
       - ./data/pi-web:/data/pi-web
-      - ./data/pi-agent:/home/node/.pi/agent
+      - ./data/pi-agent:/home/pi/.pi/agent
       - ${WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH:-./workspaces}:/workspaces
     networks:
       - internal
 
   web:
-    build: .
+    build:
+      context: .
+      args:
+        PUID: ${PUID:-1002}
+        PGID: ${PGID:-1002}
     image: pidevremote-pi:local
     container_name: pi-web
     restart: unless-stopped
+    user: "${PUID:-1002}:${PGID:-1002}"
     command: ["pi-web-server"]
     depends_on:
       - sessiond
     env_file:
       - .env
     environment:
-      HOME: /home/node
+      HOME: /home/pi
       PI_WEB_CONFIG: /etc/pi-web/config.json
       PI_WEB_DATA_DIR: /data/pi-web
       PI_WEB_SESSIOND_SOCKET: /data/pi-web/sessiond.sock
       PI_WEB_HOST: "0.0.0.0"
       PI_WEB_PORT: "8504"
       PI_WEB_ALLOWED_HOSTS: pi.schwenk.online
-      PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR: /home/node/.pi/agent
+      PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR: /home/pi/.pi/agent
       OPENROUTER_API_KEY: ${OPENROUTER_API_KEY:-}
     volumes:
       - ./data/pi-web:/data/pi-web
-      - ./data/pi-agent:/home/node/.pi/agent
+      - ./data/pi-agent:/home/pi/.pi/agent
       - ${WORKSPACE_HOST_PATH:-./workspaces}:/workspaces
-    # No host port publish — Traefik reaches the container on the traefik network
     expose:
       - "8504"
     networks: