diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 8f249b4..23653fd 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -153,6 +153,75 @@ jobs:
           APPLY_HEADERS=$(mktemp)
           APPLY_ERR=$(mktemp)
 
+          # If the stack does not exist yet, remove orphan containers with names defined in compose.
+          # This enables an idempotent create-or-recreate flow when old standalone containers exist.
+          if [ -z "${STACK_ID}" ]; then
+            echo "Stack not found in Portainer; checking for orphan containers with conflicting names"
+
+            mapfile -t CONTAINER_NAMES < <(awk '/container_name:/{print $2}' docker-compose.prod.yml | tr -d '"' | sed '/^$/d')
+
+            for CONTAINER_NAME in "${CONTAINER_NAMES[@]}"; do
+              FILTERS=$(jq -cn --arg n "^/${CONTAINER_NAME}$" '{name: [$n]}')
+              FILTERS_URLENC=$(printf '%s' "${FILTERS}" | jq -sRr @uri)
+              LIST_URL="${ACTIVE_PORTAINER_BASE_URL}/api/endpoints/${PORTAINER_ENDPOINT_ID}/docker/containers/json?all=1&filters=${FILTERS_URLENC}"
+
+              LIST_BODY=$(mktemp)
+              LIST_ERR=$(mktemp)
+              LIST_HTTP_CODE=$(curl -sS \
+                --noproxy "*" \
+                -o "${LIST_BODY}" \
+                -w "%{http_code}" \
+                "${LIST_URL}" \
+                -H "X-API-Key: ${PORTAINER_API_KEY}" \
+                2>"${LIST_ERR}")
+              LIST_CURL_EXIT=$?
+
+              echo "Container pre-check [${CONTAINER_NAME}] curl=${LIST_CURL_EXIT} http=${LIST_HTTP_CODE}"
+
+              if [ "${LIST_CURL_EXIT}" -ne 0 ]; then
+                echo "Container pre-check stderr for ${CONTAINER_NAME}:"
+                cat "${LIST_ERR}" || true
+                continue
+              fi
+
+              if [ "${LIST_HTTP_CODE}" -lt 200 ] || [ "${LIST_HTTP_CODE}" -ge 300 ]; then
+                echo "Container pre-check non-success response for ${CONTAINER_NAME}:"
+                cat "${LIST_BODY}" || true
+                continue
+              fi
+
+              mapfile -t MATCHING_IDS < <(jq -r '.[].Id' "${LIST_BODY}")
+              if [ "${#MATCHING_IDS[@]}" -eq 0 ]; then
+                echo "No conflicting container found for ${CONTAINER_NAME}"
+                continue
+              fi
+
+              for CONTAINER_ID in "${MATCHING_IDS[@]}"; do
+                DELETE_URL="${ACTIVE_PORTAINER_BASE_URL}/api/endpoints/${PORTAINER_ENDPOINT_ID}/docker/containers/${CONTAINER_ID}?force=1"
+                DELETE_BODY=$(mktemp)
+                DELETE_ERR=$(mktemp)
+                DELETE_HTTP_CODE=$(curl -sS -X DELETE \
+                  --noproxy "*" \
+                  -o "${DELETE_BODY}" \
+                  -w "%{http_code}" \
+                  "${DELETE_URL}" \
+                  -H "X-API-Key: ${PORTAINER_API_KEY}" \
+                  2>"${DELETE_ERR}")
+                DELETE_CURL_EXIT=$?
+
+                echo "Removed conflicting container ${CONTAINER_NAME} (${CONTAINER_ID}) curl=${DELETE_CURL_EXIT} http=${DELETE_HTTP_CODE}"
+                if [ "${DELETE_CURL_EXIT}" -ne 0 ]; then
+                  echo "Delete stderr:"
+                  cat "${DELETE_ERR}" || true
+                fi
+                if [ "${DELETE_HTTP_CODE}" -lt 200 ] || [ "${DELETE_HTTP_CODE}" -ge 300 ]; then
+                  echo "Delete response body:"
+                  cat "${DELETE_BODY}" || true
+                fi
+              done
+            done
+          fi
+
           if [ -n "${STACK_ID}" ]; then
             echo "Updating existing stack id=${STACK_ID}"
             REQUEST_URL="${ACTIVE_PORTAINER_BASE_URL}/api/stacks/${STACK_ID}?endpointId=${PORTAINER_ENDPOINT_ID}"