diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3bfc968b..e70b2f73 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 ## Sprint 25 YOLO compatibility smoke hardening (2026-06-17)
 
 - Added an explicit `--check-model-load` mode to `scripts/yolo_preflight.py`.
+- Added the same YOLO preflight entrypoint under `backend/scripts/` so it can run inside the backend Docker container.
 - The smoke loads only a configured local model file through the YOLO adapter, runs no inference and does not download weights.
 - The CLI rejects `--check-model-load` together with `--assume-dependencies` to avoid false-positive AI readiness.
 - Added tests for successful mocked model-load smoke, load failure reporting and CLI guard behavior.
diff --git a/backend/README.md b/backend/README.md
index 37c12543..44555962 100644
--- a/backend/README.md
+++ b/backend/README.md
@@ -224,6 +224,12 @@ Optional local model compatibility smoke:
 python scripts/yolo_preflight.py --model-path /absolute/path/to/local-model.pt --tile-manifest-path /absolute/path/to/manifest.json --check-model-load --json
 ```
 
+In Docker, run the same smoke through the backend container:
+
+```bash
+docker compose exec -T backend python scripts/yolo_preflight.py --model-path /absolute/path/to/local-model.pt --tile-manifest-path /absolute/path/to/manifest.json --check-model-load --json
+```
+
 The smoke loads only the supplied local model file, does not run inference and
 does not download weights.
 
diff --git a/backend/scripts/yolo_preflight.py b/backend/scripts/yolo_preflight.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ebf08fa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/scripts/yolo_preflight.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+BACKEND_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+if str(BACKEND_ROOT) not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, str(BACKEND_ROOT))
+
+from app.core.config import Settings  # noqa: E402
+from app.services.yolo_preflight_service import YoloPreflightService  # noqa: E402
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Run local YOLO configuration preflight without running inference.")
+    parser.add_argument("--model-path", help="Existing local YOLO model path.")
+    parser.add_argument("--tile-manifest-path", help="Existing raster tile manifest path.")
+    parser.add_argument("--enabled", action="store_true", help="Treat YOLO as enabled for this preflight.")
+    parser.add_argument("--max-tiles", type=int, default=100, help="Maximum tile count allowed by preflight.")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--assume-dependencies",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Skip checking installed ultralytics/torch packages; useful for validating local paths on non-AI machines.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--check-model-load",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Explicitly load the configured local model file to verify Ultralytics compatibility; no inference is run.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("--json", action="store_true", help="Print JSON output only.")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    if args.check_model_load and args.assume_dependencies:
+        parser.error("--check-model-load cannot be combined with --assume-dependencies")
+
+    settings = Settings(
+        yolo_enabled=args.enabled or bool(args.model_path),
+        yolo_model_path=args.model_path,
+        yolo_max_tiles=args.max_tiles,
+    )
+    payload = YoloPreflightService.run(
+        settings=settings,
+        tile_manifest_path=args.tile_manifest_path,
+        assume_dependencies=args.assume_dependencies,
+        check_model_load=args.check_model_load,
+    )
+
+    if args.json:
+        print(json.dumps(payload, indent=2, sort_keys=True))
+    else:
+        print("GeoIntel YOLO preflight")
+        print(json.dumps(payload, indent=2, sort_keys=True))
+    return 0 if payload["status"] in {"ready", "not_configured", "dependency_unavailable"} else 1
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_readiness_gate.py b/backend/tests/test_readiness_gate.py
index d49331e4..f56a0542 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_readiness_gate.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_readiness_gate.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def test_readiness_gate_compiles_yolo_preflight_script() -> None:
     content = script.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
 
     assert "-m py_compile scripts/yolo_preflight.py" in content
+    assert "-m py_compile backend/scripts/yolo_preflight.py" in content
 
 
 def test_demo_export_workflow_script_verifies_export_endpoints() -> None:
diff --git a/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md b/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
index 71050c52..0d565728 100644
--- a/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
+++ b/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ## Sprint 25 YOLO compatibility smoke hardening (2026-06-17)
 
 Changed:
-- Added explicit `--check-model-load` support to `scripts/yolo_preflight.py` and `YoloPreflightService`.
+- Added explicit `--check-model-load` support to `scripts/yolo_preflight.py`, `backend/scripts/yolo_preflight.py` and `YoloPreflightService`.
 - The model-load smoke requires real optional AI dependencies, loads only an existing local model file, runs no inference and does not download weights.
 - The CLI rejects `--check-model-load` with `--assume-dependencies` to avoid false-positive AI readiness.
 - Added regression tests for mocked successful load, load failure reporting and CLI guard behavior.
-- Added Python compile validation for `scripts/yolo_preflight.py` to the readiness gate.
-- Updated AI pipeline, scripts, backend, TODO and changelog docs.
+- Added Python compile validation for both YOLO preflight entrypoints to the readiness gate.
+- Updated AI pipeline, scripts, backend, TODO and changelog docs, including Docker runtime usage.
 
 Validation:
 - `python -m py_compile scripts/yolo_preflight.py` passed.
diff --git a/scripts/README.md b/scripts/README.md
index 4d5c38b4..cb31813f 100644
--- a/scripts/README.md
+++ b/scripts/README.md
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ Verify a configured local YOLO model without running inference:
 python scripts/yolo_preflight.py --model-path /absolute/path/to/model.pt --tile-manifest-path /absolute/path/to/manifest.json --check-model-load --json
 ```
 
+Against the Docker runtime:
+
+```bash
+docker compose exec -T backend python scripts/yolo_preflight.py --model-path /absolute/path/to/model.pt --tile-manifest-path /absolute/path/to/manifest.json --check-model-load --json
+```
+
 The model-load smoke is opt-in, requires real optional AI dependencies, refuses
 `--assume-dependencies`, loads only the supplied local file and does not download
 weights or run prediction.
diff --git a/scripts/run_readiness_check.sh b/scripts/run_readiness_check.sh
index bf26a7f6..f16a2923 100755
--- a/scripts/run_readiness_check.sh
+++ b/scripts/run_readiness_check.sh
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ ${PYTHON_BIN} scripts/validate_m14_launch_assets.py
 ${PYTHON_BIN} -m py_compile scripts/gis_import_smoke.py
 ${PYTHON_BIN} -m py_compile scripts/seed_demo_workflow.py
 ${PYTHON_BIN} -m py_compile scripts/yolo_preflight.py
+${PYTHON_BIN} -m py_compile backend/scripts/yolo_preflight.py
 ${PYTHON_BIN} -m py_compile scripts/cleanup_demo_artifacts.py
 ${PYTHON_BIN} -m py_compile backend/scripts/cleanup_demo_artifacts.py
 ${PYTHON_BIN} -m compileall backend/app
diff --git a/scripts/yolo_preflight.py b/scripts/yolo_preflight.py
index 69f019ac..780846be 100644
--- a/scripts/yolo_preflight.py
+++ b/scripts/yolo_preflight.py
@@ -1,59 +1,22 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import argparse
-import json
-import sys
+import importlib.util
 from pathlib import Path
+from types import ModuleType
 
 
-ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
-BACKEND_ROOT = ROOT / "backend"
-if str(BACKEND_ROOT) not in sys.path:
-    sys.path.insert(0, str(BACKEND_ROOT))
-
-from app.core.config import Settings  # noqa: E402
-from app.services.yolo_preflight_service import YoloPreflightService  # noqa: E402
+def load_backend_script() -> ModuleType:
+    script = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "backend" / "scripts" / "yolo_preflight.py"
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("backend_yolo_preflight", script)
+    if spec is None or spec.loader is None:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Could not load YOLO preflight implementation from {script}")
+    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+    return module
 
 
-def main() -> int:
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Run local YOLO configuration preflight without loading a model.")
-    parser.add_argument("--model-path", help="Existing local YOLO model path.")
-    parser.add_argument("--tile-manifest-path", help="Existing raster tile manifest path.")
-    parser.add_argument("--enabled", action="store_true", help="Treat YOLO as enabled for this preflight.")
-    parser.add_argument("--max-tiles", type=int, default=100, help="Maximum tile count allowed by preflight.")
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--assume-dependencies",
-        action="store_true",
-        help="Skip checking installed ultralytics/torch packages; useful for validating local paths on non-AI machines.",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--check-model-load",
-        action="store_true",
-        help="Explicitly load the configured local model file to verify Ultralytics compatibility; no inference is run.",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument("--json", action="store_true", help="Print JSON output only.")
-    args = parser.parse_args()
-    if args.check_model_load and args.assume_dependencies:
-        parser.error("--check-model-load cannot be combined with --assume-dependencies")
-
-    settings = Settings(
-        yolo_enabled=args.enabled or bool(args.model_path),
-        yolo_model_path=args.model_path,
-        yolo_max_tiles=args.max_tiles,
-    )
-    payload = YoloPreflightService.run(
-        settings=settings,
-        tile_manifest_path=args.tile_manifest_path,
-        assume_dependencies=args.assume_dependencies,
-        check_model_load=args.check_model_load,
-    )
-
-    if args.json:
-        print(json.dumps(payload, indent=2, sort_keys=True))
-    else:
-        print("GeoIntel YOLO preflight")
-        print(json.dumps(payload, indent=2, sort_keys=True))
-    return 0 if payload["status"] in {"ready", "not_configured", "dependency_unavailable"} else 1
+_impl = load_backend_script()
+main = _impl.main
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":