diff --git a/docker-compose.prod.yml b/docker-compose.prod.yml
index c002ba91..34d9d9fe 100644
--- a/docker-compose.prod.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.prod.yml
@@ -698,19 +698,13 @@ services:
       - GITEA__service__ENABLE_REVERSE_PROXY_EMAIL=false
       - GITEA__service__REVERSE_PROXY_AUTHENTICATION_HEADER=X-WEBAUTH-USER
       - GITEA__service__REQUIRE_SIGNIN_VIEW=true
-      # Skip installation wizard — admin user created by gitea-init.sh
+      # Skip installation wizard — admin user created by gitea-init container
       - GITEA__security__INSTALL_LOCK=true
-      # Admin user creation (used by gitea-init.sh on first boot)
-      - GITEA_ADMIN_USER=${GITEA_ADMIN_USER:-admin}
-      - GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=${GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD:-}
-      - GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL=${INITIAL_ADMIN_EMAIL:-admin@cmlite.org}
     restart: unless-stopped
     volumes:
       - gitea-data:/data
-      - ./scripts/gitea-init.sh:/custom/gitea-init.sh:ro
       - /etc/timezone:/etc/timezone:ro
       - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
-    command: ["/bin/sh", "/custom/gitea-init.sh"]
     ports:
       - "127.0.0.1:${GITEA_WEB_PORT:-3030}:3000"
       - "127.0.0.1:${GITEA_SSH_PORT:-2222}:22"
@@ -740,6 +734,26 @@ services:
     networks:
       - changemaker-lite
 
+  # Gitea Init — creates admin user on first boot (after gitea-app is healthy)
+  gitea-init:
+    image: ${GITEA_REGISTRY:-gitea.bnkops.com/admin}/gitea:1.23.7
+    container_name: gitea-init
+    depends_on:
+      gitea-app:
+        condition: service_healthy
+    restart: "no"
+    environment:
+      - GITEA_ADMIN_USER=${GITEA_ADMIN_USER:-admin}
+      - GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=${GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD:-}
+      - GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL=${INITIAL_ADMIN_EMAIL:-admin@cmlite.org}
+    volumes:
+      - gitea-data:/data
+      - ./scripts/gitea-init.sh:/init.sh:ro
+    entrypoint: ["/bin/sh", "/init.sh"]
+    logging: *default-logging
+    networks:
+      - changemaker-lite
+
   # Mini QR — QR code generator
   mini-qr:
     image: ${GITEA_REGISTRY:-gitea.bnkops.com/admin}/mini-qr:v0.26.0
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 6e8d761c..8c39466e 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -717,19 +717,13 @@ services:
       - GITEA__service__ENABLE_REVERSE_PROXY_EMAIL=false
       - GITEA__service__REVERSE_PROXY_AUTHENTICATION_HEADER=X-WEBAUTH-USER
       - GITEA__service__REQUIRE_SIGNIN_VIEW=true
-      # Skip installation wizard — admin user created by gitea-init.sh
+      # Skip installation wizard — admin user created by gitea-init container
       - GITEA__security__INSTALL_LOCK=true
-      # Admin user creation (used by gitea-init.sh on first boot)
-      - GITEA_ADMIN_USER=${GITEA_ADMIN_USER:-admin}
-      - GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=${GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD:-}
-      - GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL=${INITIAL_ADMIN_EMAIL:-admin@cmlite.org}
     restart: unless-stopped
     volumes:
       - gitea-data:/data
-      - ./scripts/gitea-init.sh:/custom/gitea-init.sh:ro
       - /etc/timezone:/etc/timezone:ro
       - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
-    command: ["/bin/sh", "/custom/gitea-init.sh"]
     ports:
       - "127.0.0.1:${GITEA_WEB_PORT:-3030}:3000"
       - "127.0.0.1:${GITEA_SSH_PORT:-2222}:22"
@@ -759,6 +753,26 @@ services:
     networks:
       - changemaker-lite
 
+  # Gitea Init — creates admin user on first boot (after gitea-app is healthy)
+  gitea-init:
+    image: gitea/gitea:1.23.7
+    container_name: gitea-init
+    depends_on:
+      gitea-app:
+        condition: service_healthy
+    restart: "no"
+    environment:
+      - GITEA_ADMIN_USER=${GITEA_ADMIN_USER:-admin}
+      - GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=${GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD:-}
+      - GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL=${INITIAL_ADMIN_EMAIL:-admin@cmlite.org}
+    volumes:
+      - gitea-data:/data
+      - ./scripts/gitea-init.sh:/init.sh:ro
+    entrypoint: ["/bin/sh", "/init.sh"]
+    logging: *default-logging
+    networks:
+      - changemaker-lite
+
   # Mini QR — QR code generator
   mini-qr:
     image: ghcr.io/lyqht/mini-qr:v0.26.0
diff --git a/scripts/gitea-init.sh b/scripts/gitea-init.sh
index bf9eea49..2d7a0ffd 100755
--- a/scripts/gitea-init.sh
+++ b/scripts/gitea-init.sh
@@ -1,62 +1,44 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # =============================================================================
-# Gitea Initialization Script
+# Gitea Admin User Initialization
 # =============================================================================
-# Replaces the default CMD in the Gitea Docker container.
-# Runs database migrations, creates the admin user (if credentials are provided
-# and the user doesn't already exist), then starts the Gitea web server.
-#
-# The Gitea entrypoint (/usr/bin/entrypoint) has already:
-#   - Set up UID/GID, created directories, generated app.ini from GITEA__* env vars
-# But it exec's our CMD still as root — Gitea refuses to run as root.
-# We must drop to the 'git' user before running any gitea commands.
+# Runs as a separate init container (like nocodb-init) AFTER gitea-app is healthy.
+# Shares the gitea-data volume so the app.ini config is available.
+# Creates the admin user if it doesn't exist, then exits.
 # =============================================================================
 set -e
 
 PREFIX="[gitea-init]"
 log()  { echo "$PREFIX $1"; }
 
-# Drop privileges: Gitea refuses to run as root. The Docker entrypoint
-# sets up directories as root, then exec's the CMD (us) — still as root.
-# Re-exec this script as the 'git' user via su-exec.
-if [ "$(id -u)" = "0" ]; then
-  log "Dropping to git user..."
-  exec su-exec git "$0" "$@"
+# The gitea binary needs app.ini to know the database connection.
+# On the Gitea Docker image, GITEA_CUSTOM defaults to /data/gitea
+# and app.ini lives at /data/gitea/conf/app.ini (created by gitea-app's entrypoint).
+export GITEA_CUSTOM="${GITEA_CUSTOM:-/data/gitea}"
+
+if [ ! -f "$GITEA_CUSTOM/conf/app.ini" ]; then
+  log "ERROR: No app.ini found at $GITEA_CUSTOM/conf/app.ini"
+  log "This means gitea-app hasn't completed its first startup yet."
+  exit 1
 fi
 
-# --- Step 1: Run database migrations ---
-log "Running database migrations..."
-MIGRATE_OK=false
-for i in $(seq 1 10); do
-  if gitea migrate 2>&1; then
-    MIGRATE_OK=true
-    log "Migrations complete"
-    break
-  fi
-  log "Waiting for database... (attempt $i/10)"
-  sleep 3
-done
+log "Found app.ini at $GITEA_CUSTOM/conf/app.ini"
 
-if [ "$MIGRATE_OK" = false ]; then
-  log "WARNING: Migrations may not have completed — starting anyway"
+if [ -z "$GITEA_ADMIN_USER" ] || [ -z "$GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD" ] || [ -z "$GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL" ]; then
+  log "No GITEA_ADMIN_USER/PASSWORD/EMAIL set — skipping"
+  exit 0
 fi
 
-# --- Step 2: Create admin user if credentials provided ---
-if [ -n "$GITEA_ADMIN_USER" ] && [ -n "$GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD" ] && [ -n "$GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL" ]; then
-  log "Creating admin user '${GITEA_ADMIN_USER}'..."
-  if gitea admin user create --admin \
-    --username "$GITEA_ADMIN_USER" \
-    --password "$GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD" \
-    --email "$GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL" \
-    --must-change-password false 2>&1; then
-    log "Admin user created successfully"
-  else
-    log "Admin user already exists (or creation skipped)"
-  fi
+# Create admin user (idempotent — returns non-zero if user exists)
+log "Creating admin user '${GITEA_ADMIN_USER}' (${GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL})..."
+if gitea admin user create --admin \
+  --username "$GITEA_ADMIN_USER" \
+  --password "$GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD" \
+  --email "$GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL" \
+  --must-change-password false 2>&1; then
+  log "Admin user created successfully"
 else
-  log "No GITEA_ADMIN_USER/PASSWORD/EMAIL set — skipping admin creation"
+  log "Admin user already exists (or creation skipped)"
 fi
 
-# --- Step 3: Start Gitea web server ---
-log "Starting Gitea web server..."
-exec gitea web
+log "Done"