diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ebe52b4f..dd7c4e39 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 - Added a PNG DockerMan icon and made the Unraid template name match the running `geointel` container.
 - Added DockerMan labels to the all-in-one Compose service so Unraid can associate the running container with web UI and icon metadata.
 - Added `deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh` so repo deploys automatically replace Compose-owned containers with a DockerMan-native `geointel` container while preserving/migrating persisted data.
+- Switched Tower deploy image creation from `docker compose build` to plain `docker build` to avoid Compose metadata labels on the final DockerMan-managed container.
 - Updated Tower deploy scripts to install `/boot/config/plugins/dockerMan/templates-user/my-geointel.xml` and `/boot/config/plugins/dockerMan/images/geointel-icon.png`.
 - Updated Tower deploy scripts to stop the old multi-container stack without removing volumes and start the all-in-one stack.
 - Updated the Unraid template so the Docker can be edited from Unraid with one web port, storage path, PostGIS data path and app icon.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9058e000..63c46a2a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Copy the Unraid env template to `.env` in the checkout and edit ports/paths ther
 cd /mnt/user/appdata/geointel
 cp deploy/unraid/geointel.env.example .env
 nano .env
-docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel
+docker build -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest .
 bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh
 ```
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ GEOINTEL_POSTGIS_DATA_PATH=/mnt/user/appdata/geointel/postgres-data
 
 The backend and PostGIS ports are intentionally not exposed to the LAN in the all-in-one runtime. See `deploy/unraid/README.md` for full setup, port-change and cleanup notes.
 
-On Tower/Unraid, `scripts/deploy_tower.ps1` and `scripts/deploy_tower.sh` automatically install the editable DockerMan template as `/boot/config/plugins/dockerMan/templates-user/my-geointel.xml`, install the PNG icon as `/boot/config/plugins/dockerMan/images/geointel-icon.png`, remove any old Compose-owned `geointel` container and start the final container with DockerMan labels.
+On Tower/Unraid, `scripts/deploy_tower.ps1` and `scripts/deploy_tower.sh` validate the Compose reference but build with plain `docker build`, then automatically install the editable DockerMan template as `/boot/config/plugins/dockerMan/templates-user/my-geointel.xml`, install the PNG icon as `/boot/config/plugins/dockerMan/images/geointel-icon.png`, remove any old Compose-owned `geointel` container and start the final container with DockerMan labels.
 
 ## Sprint 2 quick start
 
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py b/backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py
index c66d42f6..aefb65ba 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_sprint31_unraid_template.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def test_unraid_readme_explains_port_changes_and_safe_cleanup() -> None:
 
     assert "cp deploy/unraid/geointel.env.example .env" in readme
     assert "GEOINTEL_FRONTEND_PORT=1203" in readme
-    assert "docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel" in readme
+    assert "docker build -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest ." in readme
     assert "bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh" in readme
     assert "net.unraid.docker.managed=dockerman" in readme
     assert "curl -fsS" in readme
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ def test_tower_deploy_uses_single_container_unraid_compose() -> None:
 
     for script in (powershell, bash):
         assert "docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml config" in script
-        assert "docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel" in script
+        assert "docker build -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest ." in script
+        assert "docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel" not in script
         assert "bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh" in script
         assert "LIVE_SMOKE_CONTAINER=geointel bash scripts/live_migration_smoke.sh" in script
 
diff --git a/deploy/unraid/README.md b/deploy/unraid/README.md
index 2213fc75..4b9bc0cf 100644
--- a/deploy/unraid/README.md
+++ b/deploy/unraid/README.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ http://<unraid-ip>:${GEOINTEL_FRONTEND_PORT}/geointel-icon.png
 
 ## Files
 
-- `docker-compose.unraid.yml`: build definition for the all-in-one image.
+- `docker-compose.unraid.yml`: config validation reference for the all-in-one image.
 - `deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one`: builds the single container.
 - `deploy/unraid/all-in-one-start.sh`: starts embedded PostGIS, backend and nginx.
 - `deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh`: starts/replaces the running container with DockerMan labels and editable Unraid metadata.
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ cd /mnt/user/appdata/geointel
 cp deploy/unraid/geointel.env.example .env
 nano .env
 docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml config
-docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel
+docker build -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest .
 bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh
 ```
 
-The repository deploy scripts run the same flow automatically. They build the image, 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.
+The repository deploy scripts run the same flow automatically. They validate the Compose reference, build the image with plain `docker build`, 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.
 
 Validate:
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ GEOINTEL_CORS_ORIGINS=http://localhost:1203,http://127.0.0.1:1203,http://192.168
 Apply:
 
 ```bash
-docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel
+docker build -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest .
 bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh
 ```
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ GEOINTEL_POSTGIS_DATA_PATH=/mnt/user/appdata/geointel/postgres-data
 cd /mnt/user/appdata/geointel
 git fetch origin main
 git reset --hard origin/main
-docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel
+docker build -f deploy/unraid/Dockerfile.all-in-one -t geointel-all-in-one:latest .
 bash deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md b/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
index c1f6917f..0c2096e7 100644
--- a/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
+++ b/docs/CODEX_EXECUTION_LOG.md
@@ -1523,10 +1523,11 @@ Expected Unraid behavior:
 
 Changed:
 - Added `deploy/unraid/run-dockerman-container.sh` as the single source of truth for the final Unraid container launch.
-- Updated Tower deploy scripts so repository deploys build the image with Compose but start the final container with `docker run` and DockerMan labels.
+- Updated Tower deploy scripts so repository deploys validate the Compose reference, build the image with plain `docker build` and start the final container with `docker run` plus DockerMan labels.
 - The launch script installs the DockerMan template/icon, removes old `geointel` containers, preserves/migrates the old Compose PostGIS volume when needed and starts the final `geointel` container as DockerMan-managed.
 - Updated live migration smoke to support direct container execution through `LIVE_SMOKE_CONTAINER=geointel`.
 
 Expected Unraid behavior:
 - A deploy from the repo should no longer leave the final app as a plain Compose-owned container.
+- The final image/container should avoid Compose metadata labels that can confuse Unraid's Docker page.
 - The running `geointel` container should expose `net.unraid.docker.managed=dockerman`, web UI metadata and icon metadata immediately after deploy.
diff --git a/scripts/deploy_tower.ps1 b/scripts/deploy_tower.ps1
index 8d873fa3..7ad1408f 100644
--- a/scripts/deploy_tower.ps1
+++ b/scripts/deploy_tower.ps1
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ git reset --hard 'origin/$RemoteBranch'
 chmod +x scripts/*.sh backend/docker_start.sh deploy/unraid/*.sh || true
 
 docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml config >/dev/null
-docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel
+docker build -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
diff --git a/scripts/deploy_tower.sh b/scripts/deploy_tower.sh
index 75d9b641..a71508e7 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy_tower.sh
+++ b/scripts/deploy_tower.sh
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ git checkout -B "$REMOTE_BRANCH" "origin/$REMOTE_BRANCH"
 chmod +x scripts/*.sh backend/docker_start.sh deploy/unraid/*.sh || true
 
 docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml config >/dev/null
-docker compose -f docker-compose.unraid.yml build geointel
+docker build -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