diff --git a/deploy.sh b/deploy.sh
index f0f0504..df4c6e8 100755
--- a/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy.sh
@@ -29,30 +29,40 @@ MODE=${1:-}
 shift || true
 
 DRY_RUN=false
+FORCE=false
 TARGET_TAG=""
 
+parse_flags() {
+    for arg in "$@"; do
+        case "$arg" in
+            --dry-run) DRY_RUN=true ;;
+            --force)   FORCE=true ;;
+        esac
+    done
+}
+
 case "$MODE" in
     dev)
-        for arg in "$@"; do
-            [[ "$arg" == "--dry-run" ]] && DRY_RUN=true
-        done
+        parse_flags "$@"
         ;;
     prod)
         TARGET_TAG=${1:-}
         shift || true
-        for arg in "$@"; do
-            [[ "$arg" == "--dry-run" ]] && DRY_RUN=true
-        done
+        parse_flags "$@"
         if [[ -z "$TARGET_TAG" ]]; then
-            echo "Usage: $0 prod <tag> [--dry-run]"
+            echo "Usage: $0 prod <tag> [--dry-run] [--force]"
             exit 1
         fi
         ;;
     ""|-h|--help)
         cat <<EOF
 Usage:
-  $(basename "$0") dev [--dry-run]           Deploy latest develop to this server
-  $(basename "$0") prod <tag> [--dry-run]    Deploy a specific tag to this server
+  $(basename "$0") dev [--dry-run] [--force]
+  $(basename "$0") prod <tag> [--dry-run] [--force]
+
+  --dry-run   Show what would change, make no changes.
+  --force     Re-build + re-up even if local HEAD already matches the target.
+              Implied automatically on first deploy (no running container).
 
 Run on the target server. Requires permission to talk to docker.
 EOF
@@ -101,24 +111,39 @@ fi
 TARGET_REV=$(git rev-parse "$TARGET_REF")
 TARGET_SHORT=$(git rev-parse --short "$TARGET_REF")
 
+CONTAINER_RUNNING=false
+if docker compose ps --status running --quiet web 2>/dev/null | grep -q .; then
+    CONTAINER_RUNNING=true
+fi
+
 if [[ "$CURRENT_REV" == "$TARGET_REV" ]]; then
-    echo "Already at $TARGET_SHORT — nothing to do."
-    exit 0
+    if [[ "$CONTAINER_RUNNING" == "false" ]]; then
+        echo "Already at $TARGET_SHORT, but no running container — proceeding to build/up."
+        FORCE=true
+    elif [[ "$FORCE" == "true" ]]; then
+        echo "Already at $TARGET_SHORT — --force passed, re-building and restarting."
+    else
+        echo "Already at $TARGET_SHORT — nothing to do. (Pass --force to rebuild anyway.)"
+        exit 0
+    fi
 fi
 
 echo "Target:  $TARGET_SHORT  $(git log -1 --format='%s' "$TARGET_REF")"
 echo ""
-echo "Commits to apply:"
-git log --oneline "$CURRENT_REV..$TARGET_REV" | head -20
-CHANGE_COUNT=$(git log --oneline "$CURRENT_REV..$TARGET_REV" | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
-if [[ $CHANGE_COUNT -gt 20 ]]; then
-    echo "  ... and $((CHANGE_COUNT - 20)) more"
-fi
-echo ""
 
-if git diff --name-only "$CURRENT_REV" "$TARGET_REV" | grep -qE "(^|/)migrations/versions/"; then
-    echo "Note: Alembic migrations changed — flask db upgrade will run."
+if [[ "$CURRENT_REV" != "$TARGET_REV" ]]; then
+    echo "Commits to apply:"
+    git log --oneline "$CURRENT_REV..$TARGET_REV" | head -20
+    CHANGE_COUNT=$(git log --oneline "$CURRENT_REV..$TARGET_REV" | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
+    if [[ $CHANGE_COUNT -gt 20 ]]; then
+        echo "  ... and $((CHANGE_COUNT - 20)) more"
+    fi
     echo ""
+
+    if git diff --name-only "$CURRENT_REV" "$TARGET_REV" | grep -qE "(^|/)migrations/versions/"; then
+        echo "Note: Alembic migrations changed — flask db upgrade will run."
+        echo ""
+    fi
 fi
 
 if [[ "$DRY_RUN" == "true" ]]; then