diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 04fbc225..913486d2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@
 
 # Changelog
 
+## Sprint 164 Tower AI deploy env hardening (2026-07-11)
+
+- Fixed Tower deploy automation so `scripts/deploy_tower.sh` and `scripts/deploy_tower.ps1` source the remote `.env` before building the all-in-one image.
+- Remote `.env` now controls `GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI=true` by default, with explicit local deploy overrides still supported.
+- Added regression coverage so future deploy changes cannot silently build a GIS-only image while runtime YOLO settings are enabled.
+- No API contract, database migration, provider fetching, fake detections, model download or product feature changed.
+
 ## Sprint 163 Guarded YOLO candidate activation (2026-07-11)
 
 - Added `scripts/activate_promoted_yolo_candidate.py` to validate a promotion report and exact candidate key before emitting YOLO `.env` activation updates.
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_docker_runtime_config.py b/backend/tests/test_docker_runtime_config.py
index 4486761e..acadf4d3 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_docker_runtime_config.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_docker_runtime_config.py
@@ -254,8 +254,10 @@ def test_unraid_deploy_passes_ai_build_arg_and_yolo_runtime_env() -> None:
     deploy_sh = (ROOT / "scripts" / "deploy_tower.sh").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
     run_script = (ROOT / "deploy" / "unraid" / "run-dockerman-container.sh").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
 
-    assert "--build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI=${GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-false}" in deploy_sh
-    assert "--build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI='$InstallAi'" in deploy_ps1
+    assert 'DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="${GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-}"' in deploy_sh
+    assert 'docker build --build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="$GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI"' in deploy_sh
+    assert 'docker build --build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="$GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI"' in deploy_ps1
+    assert "DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI" in deploy_ps1
     assert "[string]$InstallAi" in deploy_ps1
 
     assert 'YOLO_ENABLED="${YOLO_ENABLED:-false}"' in run_script
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py b/backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py
index 024310a2..f3e1e08a 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py
@@ -118,6 +118,18 @@ def test_tower_deploy_uses_single_container_unraid_compose() -> None:
         assert "LIVE_SMOKE_CONTAINER=geointel bash scripts/live_migration_smoke.sh" in script
 
 
+def test_tower_deploy_build_uses_remote_env_ai_setting_by_default() -> None:
+    powershell = (ROOT / "scripts" / "deploy_tower.ps1").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    bash = (ROOT / "scripts" / "deploy_tower.sh").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+    for script in (powershell, bash):
+        assert "if [ -f .env ]; then" in script
+        assert ". ./.env" in script
+        assert "DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI" in script
+        assert 'GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="${GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-false}"' in script
+        assert 'docker build --build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="$GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI"' in script
+
+
 def test_live_migration_smoke_supports_dockerman_native_container() -> None:
     script = (ROOT / "scripts" / "live_migration_smoke.sh").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
 
diff --git a/deploy/unraid/README.md b/deploy/unraid/README.md
index d48fa719..12fdae3a 100644
--- a/deploy/unraid/README.md
+++ b/deploy/unraid/README.md
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh
 
 The repository deploy scripts run the same flow automatically. They validate the Compose reference, build the image with the `GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI` build arg, install the DockerMan template/icon, remove any old Compose-owned `geointel` container, preserve/migrate the PostGIS data path and start the final container with DockerMan labels.
 
+`scripts/deploy_tower.sh` and `scripts/deploy_tower.ps1` source the remote
+`.env` before building the image. That means `GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI=true` in
+`/mnt/user/appdata/geointel/.env` is enough for the automatic deploy to build
+the AI-enabled image. Set `GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI` in the local shell or pass
+`-InstallAi true/false` to the PowerShell wrapper only when you intentionally
+want to override the remote `.env` for that deploy.
+
 Database credentials are runtime configuration, not image metadata. The
 all-in-one image does not bake `GEOINTEL_POSTGRES_PASSWORD` into the Dockerfile;
 set it through `.env`, the Unraid template or `docker run -e`.
diff --git a/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md b/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
index 963d0a1e..247ee2b3 100644
--- a/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
+++ b/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,18 @@
+## Sprint 164 Tower AI deploy env hardening (2026-07-11)
+
+Changed:
+- Hardened `scripts/deploy_tower.sh` and `scripts/deploy_tower.ps1` so the remote Tower `.env` is sourced before building the all-in-one image.
+- `GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI=true` in `/mnt/user/appdata/geointel/.env` now drives the automatic image build by default; explicit local overrides remain possible for one-off deploys.
+- Documented the deploy behavior in `deploy/unraid/README.md`.
+
+Why:
+- A manual `docker compose up -d --build` against the multi-container compose file failed on Tower because Docker had exhausted default bridge address pools. The healthy runtime is the Unraid all-in-one container, which should be redeployed through the Dockerman-native scripts instead.
+- The previous deploy script path could build a GIS-only image while the remote runtime `.env` enabled YOLO, leaving the configured detector in `dependency_unavailable`.
+
+Tested:
+- Red step: `python -m pytest backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py::test_tower_deploy_build_uses_remote_env_ai_setting_by_default` failed because the deploy scripts did not source remote `.env` before `docker build`.
+- `python -m pytest backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py::test_tower_deploy_build_uses_remote_env_ai_setting_by_default backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py::test_tower_deploy_uses_single_container_unraid_compose backend/tests/test_docker_runtime_config.py::test_unraid_deploy_passes_ai_build_arg_and_yolo_runtime_env` (`3 passed`).
+
 ## Sprint 150 YOLO label visible-ratio gate (2026-07-09)
 
 Changed:
diff --git a/scripts/deploy_tower.ps1 b/scripts/deploy_tower.ps1
index 0aee7a8e..69480e23 100644
--- a/scripts/deploy_tower.ps1
+++ b/scripts/deploy_tower.ps1
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ param(
     [string]$RemoteRepo = "gitea-widefrog:NuklearRabbit/geointel.git",
     [string]$SshKey = "$HOME/.ssh/widefrog_unraid_deploy",
     [string]$FrontendUrl = "http://192.168.10.150:1202",
-    [string]$InstallAi = $(if ($env:GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI) { $env:GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI } else { "false" }),
+    [string]$InstallAi = $(if ($env:GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI) { $env:GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI } else { "" }),
     [switch]$Bootstrap
 )
 
@@ -13,29 +13,41 @@ $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
 
 $bootstrapValue = if ($Bootstrap) { "1" } else { "0" }
 
-$remoteScript = @"
+$remoteScript = @'
 set -euo pipefail
-git config --global --add safe.directory '$RemotePath'
-cd '$RemotePath'
+DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI='__INSTALL_AI__'
+git config --global --add safe.directory '__REMOTE_PATH__'
+cd '__REMOTE_PATH__'
 
 if [ ! -d .git ]; then
-  if [ '$bootstrapValue' != '1' ]; then
-    echo 'No git checkout found in $RemotePath.'
+  if [ '__BOOTSTRAP__' != '1' ]; then
+    echo 'No git checkout found in __REMOTE_PATH__.'
     echo 'Re-run with -Bootstrap for the first deployment bootstrap.'
     exit 2
   fi
   git init
-  git remote add origin '$RemoteRepo'
+  git remote add origin '__REMOTE_REPO__'
 fi
 
-git remote get-url origin >/dev/null 2>&1 || git remote add origin '$RemoteRepo'
-git fetch origin '$RemoteBranch'
-git reset --hard 'origin/$RemoteBranch'
-  git branch -M '$RemoteBranch'
+git remote get-url origin >/dev/null 2>&1 || git remote add origin '__REMOTE_REPO__'
+git fetch origin '__REMOTE_BRANCH__'
+git reset --hard 'origin/__REMOTE_BRANCH__'
+git branch -M '__REMOTE_BRANCH__'
 chmod +x scripts/*.sh backend/docker_start.sh deploy/unraid/*.sh || true
 
+if [ -f .env ]; then
+  set -a
+  . ./.env
+  set +a
+fi
+
+if [ -n "${DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-}" ]; then
+  GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="$DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI"
+fi
+GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="${GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-false}"
+
 docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml config >/dev/null
-docker build --build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI='$InstallAi' -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest .
+docker build --build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="$GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI" -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest .
 bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh
 
 if [ -x scripts/live_migration_smoke.sh ]; then
@@ -43,8 +55,15 @@ if [ -x scripts/live_migration_smoke.sh ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ -x scripts/verify_browser_runtime.sh ]; then
-  bash scripts/verify_browser_runtime.sh '$FrontendUrl'
+  bash scripts/verify_browser_runtime.sh '__FRONTEND_URL__'
 fi
-"@
+'@
+
+$remoteScript = $remoteScript.Replace("__INSTALL_AI__", $InstallAi)
+$remoteScript = $remoteScript.Replace("__REMOTE_PATH__", $RemotePath)
+$remoteScript = $remoteScript.Replace("__BOOTSTRAP__", $bootstrapValue)
+$remoteScript = $remoteScript.Replace("__REMOTE_REPO__", $RemoteRepo)
+$remoteScript = $remoteScript.Replace("__REMOTE_BRANCH__", $RemoteBranch)
+$remoteScript = $remoteScript.Replace("__FRONTEND_URL__", $FrontendUrl)
 
 ssh -o BatchMode=yes -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -i $SshKey $RemoteHost $remoteScript
diff --git a/scripts/deploy_tower.sh b/scripts/deploy_tower.sh
index ec59a366..c4dfed00 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy_tower.sh
+++ b/scripts/deploy_tower.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ REMOTE_REPO="${REMOTE_REPO:-gitea-widefrog:NuklearRabbit/geointel.git}"
 SSH_KEY="${SSH_KEY:-$HOME/.ssh/widefrog_unraid_deploy}"
 FRONTEND_URL="${FRONTEND_URL:-http://192.168.10.150:1202}"
 BOOTSTRAP="${DEPLOY_BOOTSTRAP:-0}"
+DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="${GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-}"
 
 ssh_opts=(-o BatchMode=yes -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new)
 if [[ -f "$SSH_KEY" ]]; then
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ if [[ -f "$SSH_KEY" ]]; then
 fi
 
 ssh "${ssh_opts[@]}" "$REMOTE_HOST" \
-  "REMOTE_PATH='$REMOTE_PATH' REMOTE_BRANCH='$REMOTE_BRANCH' REMOTE_REPO='$REMOTE_REPO' FRONTEND_URL='$FRONTEND_URL' DEPLOY_BOOTSTRAP='$BOOTSTRAP' bash -s" <<'REMOTE_SCRIPT'
+  "REMOTE_PATH='$REMOTE_PATH' REMOTE_BRANCH='$REMOTE_BRANCH' REMOTE_REPO='$REMOTE_REPO' FRONTEND_URL='$FRONTEND_URL' DEPLOY_BOOTSTRAP='$BOOTSTRAP' DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI='$DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI' bash -s" <<'REMOTE_SCRIPT'
 set -euo pipefail
 
 cd "$REMOTE_PATH"
@@ -34,8 +35,20 @@ git fetch origin "$REMOTE_BRANCH"
 git checkout -B "$REMOTE_BRANCH" "origin/$REMOTE_BRANCH"
 chmod +x scripts/*.sh backend/docker_start.sh deploy/unraid/*.sh || true
 
+if [ -f .env ]; then
+  set -a
+  # shellcheck disable=SC1091
+  . ./.env
+  set +a
+fi
+
+if [ -n "${DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-}" ]; then
+  GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="$DEPLOY_GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI"
+fi
+GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="${GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-false}"
+
 docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml config >/dev/null
-docker build --build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI=${GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI:-false} -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest .
+docker build --build-arg GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI="$GEOINTEL_INSTALL_AI" -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest .
 bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh
 
 if [[ -x scripts/live_migration_smoke.sh ]]; then