diff --git a/docker-compose.yaml b/docker-compose.yaml
index 6f141c5..e920bcf 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ services:
       - "8000:8000"
     env_file:
       - .env
+    volumes:
+      - shared_credentials:/shared:ro  # Mount as read-only 
     depends_on:
       main_db:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -58,7 +60,9 @@ services:
       - soaricarus-network
   # --- storage service ---
   maze:
-    image: dxflrs/garage:v2.3.0
+    build:
+      context: ./garage
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile
     container_name: maze
     restart: unless-stopped
     ports:
@@ -68,11 +72,20 @@ services:
       - "3903:3903"  # Admin API
     volumes:
       - ./garage.toml:/etc/garage.toml:ro
+      - shared_credentials:/shared
       - object_data:/var/lib/garage
+      # - ./scripts:/scripts:ro  # ← ADD THIS - mount the scripts directory
     env_file:
       - .env
+    environment:
+      - AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=${AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID}
+      - AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=${AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY}
+      - GARAGE_RPC_SECRET=${GARAGE_RPC_SECRET}
+      - BUCKET_NAME=${S3_BUCKET_NAME}
     healthcheck:
       test: ["CMD-SHELL", "curl -f http://localhost:3901/v0/status || exit 1"]
+      # test: ["CMD-SHELL", "echo 'What is to be done?'"]
+      # test: ["CMD-SHELL", "nc -z localhost 3900 || exit 1"]
       interval: 10s
       timeout: 5s
       retries: 5
@@ -80,30 +93,6 @@ services:
     networks:
       - soaricarus-network
 
- # --- Storage Initialization ---
-  maze-init:
-    # image: dxflrs/garage:v2.3.0
-    image: docker:dind
-    container_name: maze-init
-    depends_on:
-      maze:
-        condition: service_started
-    volumes:
-      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock  # Mount Docker socket
-      - object_data:/var/lib/garage
-      - ./scripts:/scripts:ro  # ← ADD THIS - mount the scripts directory
-    environment:
-      - AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=${AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID}
-      - AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=${AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY}
-      - GARAGE_RPC_SECRET=${GARAGE_RPC_SECRET}
-      - BUCKET_NAME=${S3_BUCKET_NAME}
-    env_file:
-      - .env
-    entrypoint: ["/bin/sh"]
-    command: ["/scripts/init-garage.sh"]
-    restart: "no"  # Run once and exit
-    networks:
-      - soaricarus-network
 
   # PostgreSQL Database Service
   main_db:
@@ -162,6 +151,8 @@ volumes:
     driver: local # Use the default local driver
   object_data:
     driver: local # Use the default local driver
+  shared_credentials:  # New shared volume
+    driver: local
 
 networks:
   soaricarus-network:
diff --git a/garage/Dockerfile b/garage/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a0a6e15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/garage/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# FROM dxflrs/garage:v2.3.0
+# Stage 1: Extract the garage binary from the official image
+FROM dxflrs/garage:v2.3.0 as garage-base
+
+# Stage 2: Create a new image with a shell
+FROM alpine:latest
+
+# Install necessary tools (curl, busybox for sh, etc.)
+# The Garage image is based on Alpine, so we use apk
+RUN apk add --no-cache curl busybox
+
+# Copy the garage binary from the official image
+COPY --from=garage-base /garage /usr/local/bin/garage
+
+# Copy the init script
+COPY init-garage.sh /init-garage.sh
+RUN chmod +x /init-garage.sh
+
+# Use the init script as the entrypoint
+# It will run setup, then exec garage
+ENTRYPOINT ["/init-garage.sh"]
diff --git a/garage/full-init-garage.sh b/garage/full-init-garage.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c93be4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/garage/full-init-garage.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+BUCKET_NAME="${BUCKET_NAME:-soaricarus-storage}"
+CREDENTIALS_FILE="/shared/garage-credentials.env"
+SETUP_DONE="/shared/setup.done"
+
+# Function to write credentials to shared volume
+write_credentials() {
+    local access_key="$1"
+    local secret_key="$2"
+    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$CREDENTIALS_FILE")"
+    cat > "$CREDENTIALS_FILE" << EOF
+GARAGE_ACCESS_KEY_ID=$access_key
+GARAGE_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=$secret_key
+GARAGE_BUCKET_NAME=$BUCKET_NAME
+GARAGE_ENDPOINT=http://maze:3900
+EOF
+    touch "$SETUP_DONE"
+    echo "✅ Credentials saved to $CREDENTIALS_FILE"
+}
+
+# Check if setup already done
+if [ -f "$SETUP_DONE" ]; then
+    echo "ℹ️  Setup already completed. Starting Garage..."
+    # Source credentials if needed for the main Garage process
+    # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+    [ -f "$CREDENTIALS_FILE" ] && . "$CREDENTIALS_FILE"
+    exec /usr/local/bin/garage "$@"
+fi
+
+echo "🔧 Running initial setup..."
+
+# Start Garage in background for setup
+echo "⏳ Starting Garage in background..."
+/usr/local/bin/garage "$@" &
+GARAGE_PID=$!
+
+# Wait for Garage API to be ready
+echo "⏳ Waiting for Garage API..."
+# until curl -s -f "http://localhost:3900/v0/status" > /dev/null 2>&1; do
+#    echo "   Not ready yet, sleeping 2s..."
+#    sleep 2
+#done
+echo "✅ Garage API is responding!"
+
+# Apply layout if not already applied
+if ! /usr/local/bin/garage layout show 2>/dev/null | grep -q "Current cluster layout"; then
+    echo "📦 Applying cluster layout..."
+    NODE_ID=$(/usr/local/bin/garage node id | head -n1)
+    /usr/local/bin/garage layout assign --version 1 "$NODE_ID"
+    /usr/local/bin/garage layout apply --version 1
+    echo "   ✅ Layout applied"
+    sleep 3
+else
+    echo "ℹ️  Layout already applied"
+fi
+
+echo "Laid out"
+
+# Create bucket if it doesn't exist
+if ! /usr/local/bin/garage bucket info "$BUCKET_NAME" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "📦 Creating bucket: $BUCKET_NAME"
+    /usr/local/bin/garage bucket create "$BUCKET_NAME"
+else
+    echo "ℹ️  Bucket $BUCKET_NAME already exists"
+fi
+
+# Create or import key
+# We'll use the credentials from .env if provided, otherwise generate new ones
+if [ -n "$AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID" ] && [ -n "$AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY" ]; then
+    echo "🔑 Using pre-defined AWS credentials from .env"
+    if ! /usr/local/bin/garage key info "$AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID" 2>/dev/null; then
+        # Key doesn't exist, import it
+        /usr/local/bin/garage key import "$AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID" "$AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY" "app-key"
+        echo "   ✅ Key imported: $AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"
+    else
+        echo "   ℹ️  Key already exists: $AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"
+    fi
+    ACCESS_KEY="$AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"
+    SECRET_KEY="$AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY"
+else
+    echo "🔑 Generating new key..."
+    KEY_OUTPUT=$(/usr/local/bin/garage key create --name "app-key")
+    echo "$KEY_OUTPUT"
+    ACCESS_KEY=$(echo "$KEY_OUTPUT" | grep 'Key ID:' | awk '{print $3}')
+    SECRET_KEY=$(echo "$KEY_OUTPUT" | grep 'Secret key:' | awk '{print $3}')
+    echo "   ✅ Key generated: $ACCESS_KEY"
+fi
+
+# Grant permissions
+/usr/local/bin/garage bucket allow --read --write --owner "$BUCKET_NAME" --key "$ACCESS_KEY"
+echo "   ✅ Permissions granted"
+
+# Write credentials to shared volume
+write_credentials "$ACCESS_KEY" "$SECRET_KEY"
+
+echo "🎉 Setup complete!"
+echo "   Bucket: $BUCKET_NAME"
+echo "   Access Key: $ACCESS_KEY"
+
+# Stop the background Garage process
+echo "⏹️  Stopping background Garage process..."
+kill "$GARAGE_PID"
+wait "$GARAGE_PID" 2>/dev/null || true
+
+echo "🚀 Starting Garage in foreground..."
+exec /usr/local/bin/garage "$@"
+
diff --git a/garage/init-garage.sh b/garage/init-garage.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1650ede
--- /dev/null
+++ b/garage/init-garage.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+BUCKET_NAME="${BUCKET_NAME:-soaricarus-storage}"
+CREDENTIALS_FILE="/shared/garage-credentials.env"
+SETUP_DONE="/shared/setup.done"
+
+echo "🔧 Running initial setup..."
+
+# Start Garage in background for setup
+echo "⏳ Starting Garage in background..."
+/usr/local/bin/garage "$@" &
+GARAGE_PID=$!
+
+# Wait for Garage API to be ready
+echo "⏳ Waiting for Garage API..."
+# until curl -s -f "http://localhost:3900/v0/status" > /dev/null 2>&1; do
+#    echo "   Not ready yet, sleeping 2s..."
+#    sleep 2
+#done
+echo "✅ Garage API is responding!"
+
+# Apply layout if not already applied
+#if ! /usr/local/bin/garage layout show 2>/dev/null | grep -q "Current cluster layout"; then
+#    echo "📦 Applying cluster layout..."
+#    NODE_ID=$(/usr/local/bin/garage node id | head -n1)
+#    echo $NODE_ID
+    # /usr/local/bin/garage layout assign --version 1 "$NODE_ID"
+    # /usr/local/bin/garage layout apply --version 1
+#    echo "   ✅ Layout applied"
+#    sleep 3
+#else
+    # echo "ℹ️  Layout already applied"
+# fi
+
+echo "Laid out"
diff --git a/scripts/init-garage.sh b/scripts/init-garage.sh
index 2f26dd7..b6b3792 100755
--- a/scripts/init-garage.sh
+++ b/scripts/init-garage.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ set -e
 BUCKET_NAME="soaricarus-storage"
 
 echo "⏳ Waiting for Garage to be ready..."
-until docker exec maze curl -s -f "http://localhost:3901/v0/status" > /dev/null 2>&1; do
+# until docker exec maze curl -s -f "http://localhost:3901/v0/status" > /dev/null 2>&1; do
+until docker exec maze nc -z "localhost 3900" > /dev/null 2>&1; do
   echo "   Garage not ready yet, retrying in 2s..."
   sleep 2
 done