diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index baf52bf..ffa5fa3 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ BASIC_AUTH_USER=
 BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=
 
 # Optional: client build only — skip RxResume steps in the onboarding wizard (search without PDF export).
-# Set when running `npm run build:client` / Vite dev server; not read by the Docker Node server.
+# - Local dev: set here or export before `npm run dev` / `npm run build:client` in orchestrator.
+# - Docker: set at IMAGE BUILD time (Dockerfile ARG / docker-compose build args), not runtime .env.
 # VITE_SKIP_RXRESUME_ONBOARDING=true
 
 # Public base URL used to generate tracer links when PDFs are created by
diff --git a/DEPLOY_GITEA_VM_CRON_TELEGRAM.md b/DEPLOY_GITEA_VM_CRON_TELEGRAM.md
index f47681f..0327db3 100644
--- a/DEPLOY_GITEA_VM_CRON_TELEGRAM.md
+++ b/DEPLOY_GITEA_VM_CRON_TELEGRAM.md
@@ -48,9 +48,11 @@ git add -A && git commit -m "Your message" && git push gitea main
 4. Start:
 
    ```bash
-   docker compose up -d
+   docker compose up -d --build
    ```
 
+   The image build sets `VITE_SKIP_RXRESUME_ONBOARDING=true` by default so the first-run wizard only asks for **LLM** (Reactive Resume / PDF template steps are skipped; configure those in **Settings** if needed). Rebuild after changing that build arg.
+
 5. Open the UI: `http://<VM-IP>:3005` (port mapped in `docker-compose.yml`).
 
 6. Persist data: compose mounts `./data` — back up that directory.
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index c1c6917..6f62599 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ COPY extractors/ukvisajobs ./extractors/ukvisajobs
 WORKDIR /app/docs-site
 RUN npm run build
 
-# Build client bundle
+# Build client bundle (Vite inlines VITE_* at compile time — not read from runtime .env)
+# Default: skip Reactive Resume steps in onboarding; configure PDFs via Settings or env on the server.
+ARG VITE_SKIP_RXRESUME_ONBOARDING=true
+ENV VITE_SKIP_RXRESUME_ONBOARDING=${VITE_SKIP_RXRESUME_ONBOARDING}
 WORKDIR /app/orchestrator
 RUN npm run build:client
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 9718e28..50a053e 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ services:
     build:
       context: .
       dockerfile: Dockerfile
+      args:
+        # Set "false" only if you want Reactive Resume steps in the first-run wizard (rebuild image).
+        VITE_SKIP_RXRESUME_ONBOARDING: "true"
     image: job-ops:local
     container_name: job-ops
     ports: