diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 94778e4..69d4d64 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -13,27 +13,30 @@ FROM node:22-alpine
 WORKDIR /app
 ENV NODE_ENV=production
 
-# production dependencies only (ws)
+# production dependencies only (ws) + su-exec for privilege dropping
 COPY package.json package-lock.json ./
-RUN npm ci --omit=dev && npm cache clean --force
+RUN npm ci --omit=dev && npm cache clean --force && \
+    apk add --no-cache su-exec
 
 COPY server/server.mjs server/server.mjs
 COPY server/db.mjs server/db.mjs
 COPY shared/ shared/
 COPY --from=build /app/dist dist/
+COPY docker-entrypoint.sh /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
+RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
 
 # persistent account/progress database (mount a volume here on the host)
-RUN mkdir -p /app/data && chown -R node:node /app/data
+RUN mkdir -p /app/data
 VOLUME ["/app/data"]
 
-# run as unprivileged user
-USER node
-
 EXPOSE 3001
 ENV PORT=3001
 ENV DATA_DIR=/app/data
 
+# The entrypoint fixes permissions on bind-mounted /app/data and drops
+# privileges to the unprivileged "node" user before running the app.
+ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+CMD ["node", "server/server.mjs"]
+
 HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=5s --start-period=10s --retries=3 \
   CMD node -e "fetch('http://localhost:3001/health').then(r=>process.exit(r.ok?0:1)).catch(()=>process.exit(1))"
-
-CMD ["node", "server/server.mjs"]
diff --git a/docker-entrypoint.sh b/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dc93ab7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Ensure the data directory exists and is owned by the node user.
+# This fixes permission issues with bind-mounted volumes (e.g. ./data:/app/data)
+# where the host directory is owned by root but the container runs as node.
+mkdir -p /app/data
+chown -R node:node /app/data 2>/dev/null || true
+
+# Drop privileges and run the actual application as node
+exec su-exec node "$@"
\ No newline at end of file