diff --git a/app/Dockerfile b/app/Dockerfile
index 1e6d6d2..37d4626 100644
--- a/app/Dockerfile
+++ b/app/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 FROM python:3.12-slim
+ARG APP_VERSION=unknown
 ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1 \
-    PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+    PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 \
+    APP_VERSION=$APP_VERSION
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     build-essential libpq-dev postgresql-client \
diff --git a/app/core/context_processors.py b/app/core/context_processors.py
index 189d6bd..9fb63cc 100644
--- a/app/core/context_processors.py
+++ b/app/core/context_processors.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 _VERSION = None
@@ -6,9 +7,20 @@ _VERSION = None
 def app_version(request):
     global _VERSION
     if _VERSION is None:
-        version_file = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent / "VERSION"
-        try:
-            _VERSION = version_file.read_text().strip()
-        except FileNotFoundError:
-            _VERSION = "unknown"
+        # 1. Environment variable (set in Docker/deployment)
+        _VERSION = os.environ.get("APP_VERSION", "").strip()
+        if not _VERSION:
+            # 2. Try VERSION file at common locations
+            base = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent  # app/
+            for candidate in [
+                base.parent / "VERSION",  # repo root (local dev)
+                base / "VERSION",          # app/ dir (Docker)
+            ]:
+                try:
+                    _VERSION = candidate.read_text().strip()
+                    break
+                except FileNotFoundError:
+                    continue
+            else:
+                _VERSION = "unknown"
     return {"APP_VERSION": _VERSION}
diff --git a/compose.yml b/compose.yml
index f64c8c6..4d74933 100644
--- a/compose.yml
+++ b/compose.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ services:
     image: redis:7-alpine
 
   web:
-    build: ./app
+    build:
+      context: ./app
+      args:
+        APP_VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-unknown}
     depends_on:
       db:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -62,7 +65,10 @@ services:
     command: ["gunicorn", "core.wsgi:application", "--bind", "0.0.0.0:8000", "--workers", "3"]
 
   worker:
-    build: ./app
+    build:
+      context: ./app
+      args:
+        APP_VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-unknown}
     environment:
       - POSTGRES_DB=${POSTGRES_DB}
       - POSTGRES_USER=${POSTGRES_USER}
@@ -88,7 +94,10 @@ services:
     command: ["celery", "-A", "core", "worker", "-l", "info"]
 
   beat:
-    build: ./app
+    build:
+      context: ./app
+      args:
+        APP_VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-unknown}
     environment:
       - POSTGRES_DB=${POSTGRES_DB}
       - POSTGRES_USER=${POSTGRES_USER}
@@ -114,7 +123,10 @@ services:
     command: ["celery", "-A", "core", "beat", "-l", "info"]
 
   mcp:
-    build: ./app
+    build:
+      context: ./app
+      args:
+        APP_VERSION: ${APP_VERSION:-unknown}
     depends_on:
       db:
         condition: service_healthy