diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index baedf1d..504e06a 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ WORKDIR /app
 RUN apt-get update -qq && apt-get install -y -qq openssh-client git && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 # git operations run as root over bind-mounted /repos (may be owned by host uid) -> trust it.
 RUN git config --system --add safe.directory '*'
+# ORCH-58: compose runs the container as uid:gid 1000:1000 (ORCH-40), but the base
+# image has no passwd entry for uid 1000 -> ssh/whoami fail with
+# "No user exists for uid 1000" (rc=255), breaking the detached self-deploy ssh
+# launch (ORCH-36 Phase B). Create a real user 1000 with a home dir so getpwuid()
+# resolves and ssh can start.
+RUN groupadd -g 1000 app && useradd -u 1000 -g 1000 -m -d /home/slin -s /bin/bash slin
 COPY requirements.txt .
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
 COPY src/ ./src/