diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0bfd10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+# Dependencies
+node_modules
+.pnpm-store
+
+# Build outputs
+**/dist
+**/build
+**/.next
+**/.nuxt
+
+# Testing
+**/__tests__
+**/*.test.ts
+**/*.test.js
+**/*.spec.ts
+**/*.spec.js
+**/coverage
+**/.vitest
+
+# Environment files (should be injected at runtime)
+**/.env
+**/.env.*
+!**/.env.example
+
+# Development files
+**/*.log
+**/.DS_Store
+**/npm-debug.log*
+**/yarn-debug.log*
+**/yarn-error.log*
+**/pnpm-debug.log*
+
+# IDE
+**/.idea
+**/.vscode
+**/.vs
+**/*.swp
+**/*.swo
+**/*~
+
+# Git
+.git
+.gitignore
+.gitattributes
+
+# Documentation (not needed in production image)
+**/*.md
+!**/README.md
+
+# CI/CD
+.github
+**/.gitlab-ci.yml
+**/cloudbuild.yaml
+**/.circleci
+
+# Misc
+**/.turbo
+**/tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
+**/.cache
+**/tmp
+**/temp
+
diff --git a/apps/api/Dockerfile b/apps/api/Dockerfile
index a725a45..bd5019a 100644
--- a/apps/api/Dockerfile
+++ b/apps/api/Dockerfile
@@ -61,13 +61,17 @@ RUN pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --prod && pnpm store prune
 # ==============================================================================
 FROM base AS staging
 
-# Copy production dependencies (from workspace root)
-COPY --from=prod-deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
-
 # Copy built api application
 COPY --from=build /app/apps/api/dist ./apps/api/dist
 COPY --from=build /app/apps/api/package.json ./apps/api/package.json
 
+# Copy shared packages (needed for workspace resolution)
+COPY --from=prod-deps /app/packages ./packages
+
+# Install production dependencies
+# This ensures proper symlink structure for pnpm
+RUN pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --prod --filter @xtablo/api...
+
 # Set working directory to api app
 WORKDIR /app/apps/api
 
@@ -93,13 +97,17 @@ CMD ["pnpm", "start"]
 # ==============================================================================
 FROM base AS production
 
-# Copy production dependencies (from workspace root)
-COPY --from=prod-deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
-
 # Copy built api application
 COPY --from=build /app/apps/api/dist ./apps/api/dist
 COPY --from=build /app/apps/api/package.json ./apps/api/package.json
 
+# Copy shared packages (needed for workspace resolution)
+COPY --from=prod-deps /app/packages ./packages
+
+# Install production dependencies
+# This ensures proper symlink structure for pnpm
+RUN pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --prod --filter @xtablo/api...
+
 # Set working directory to api app
 WORKDIR /app/apps/api
 
diff --git a/apps/api/tsconfig.json b/apps/api/tsconfig.json
index a1ac90f..42a2da2 100644
--- a/apps/api/tsconfig.json
+++ b/apps/api/tsconfig.json
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
     "skipLibCheck": true,
     "target": "es2022",
     "module": "NodeNext",
+    "rootDir": "./src",
     "outDir": "./dist",
     "allowJs": true,
     "moduleDetection": "force",
@@ -11,5 +12,6 @@
     "verbatimModuleSyntax": true,
     "types": ["node"]
   },
+  "include": ["src/**/*"],
   "exclude": ["node_modules", "dist"]
 }