diff --git a/dockerfile b/dockerfile
index 9c0f969..5807c20 100644
--- a/dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfile
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ COPY . .
 
 # Ensure env exists (optional safety for containers)
 RUN if [ ! -f .env ] && [ -f .env.example ]; then cp .env.example .env; fi
+# Required by prisma generate during image build
+ARG DATABASE_URL="postgresql://postgres:postgres@localhost:5432/postgres"
+ENV DATABASE_URL=$DATABASE_URL
 
 # Generate Prisma Client for the Linux environment
 RUN npx prisma generate