diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 7ce4f3f..b8daa36 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -5,9 +5,13 @@
 # --- image source (prod pulls from the house Gitea registry) ------------------
 # The registry namespace; combined with the image name + TAG below.
 REGISTRY=git.infra.msai.al/mca/parking_solution
-# Moving branch tag to deploy: `main` for production, `dev` for staging. A push to
-# that branch republishes this tag, so `booth.sh update` pulls the latest of it.
-TAG=main
+# Image tag to deploy. CI publishes TWO tags per build: a MOVING branch tag
+# (`dev`, and `main` once that branch is built) republished on every push, and an
+# IMMUTABLE per-commit `dev-<sha>` (e.g. dev-830993b). Use the moving tag for a
+# self-updating booth (`booth.sh update` pulls the latest); pin the `<branch>-<sha>`
+# form for a reproducible, deterministic deploy. NOTE: `main` images only exist once
+# something is built on main — until then deploy from `dev`.
+TAG=dev
 
 # --- secrets (NO safe defaults — the server refuses to boot without a real one) -
 # JWT signing secret. Generate yourself, never share it:  openssl rand -hex 32
diff --git a/scripts/booth.sh b/scripts/booth.sh
index 0a8edf5..6d98916 100755
--- a/scripts/booth.sh
+++ b/scripts/booth.sh
@@ -5,18 +5,21 @@
 # Wraps the three compose files (base + a dev/prod override) so the operator runs
 # one command instead of a long `docker compose -f … -f … --env-file …` line.
 #
-#   ./scripts/booth.sh up        # start the stack (detached)
-#   ./scripts/booth.sh update    # pull newer images + recreate (the "there are
-#                                #   new images" case) — see `update` below
-#   ./scripts/booth.sh down      # stop the stack
-#   ./scripts/booth.sh restart   # restart without pulling
-#   ./scripts/booth.sh status    # what's running
-#   ./scripts/booth.sh logs      # follow logs (Ctrl-C to stop)
-#   ./scripts/booth.sh ps|pull|config|exec …
+#   ./booth.sh up        # start the stack (detached)
+#   ./booth.sh update    # pull newer images + recreate (the "there are new
+#                        #   images" case) — see `update` below
+#   ./booth.sh down      # stop the stack
+#   ./booth.sh restart   # restart without pulling
+#   ./booth.sh status    # what's running
+#   ./booth.sh logs      # follow logs (Ctrl-C to stop)
+#   ./booth.sh ps|pull|config|exec …
+#
+# Runs from wherever it sits next to the compose files (the booth deploys them
+# flat, e.g. /opt/parking_systems/) or from the repo at scripts/booth.sh.
 #
 # Environment is PROD by default (the booth runs prod: pull pinned registry images,
 # Caddy on :80, fast_alpr). Override with ENV=dev for a local build/dev run:
-#   ENV=dev ./scripts/booth.sh up
+#   ENV=dev ./booth.sh up
 #
 # Config comes from an .env file next to the compose files (REGISTRY, TAG,
 # JWT_SECRET, …). Copy .env.example → .env and fill it in. See
@@ -24,9 +27,23 @@
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
-# --- locate the repo (this script lives in <repo>/scripts) --------------------
-SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
-REPO_DIR="$(cd -- "$SCRIPT_DIR/.." && pwd)"
+# --- locate the compose files -------------------------------------------------
+# The script must work in BOTH layouts: in the repo at <repo>/scripts/booth.sh
+# (files one level up), AND deployed flat on the booth (booth.sh sits next to the
+# compose files, e.g. /opt/parking_systems/). So we don't assume a `scripts/`
+# parent — we look for docker-compose.yml in the script's own dir, then ../,
+# then $PWD, and cd there. (An absolute SELF is also kept for usage()/sed.)
+SELF="$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)/$(basename -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")"
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(dirname -- "$SELF")"
+REPO_DIR=""
+for d in "$SCRIPT_DIR" "$SCRIPT_DIR/.." "$PWD"; do
+  if [ -f "$d/docker-compose.yml" ]; then REPO_DIR="$(cd -- "$d" && pwd)"; break; fi
+done
+[ -n "$REPO_DIR" ] || {
+  printf 'ERROR: docker-compose.yml not found (looked in %s, its parent, and %s).\n' \
+    "$SCRIPT_DIR" "$PWD" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
 cd "$REPO_DIR"
 
 # --- environment selection (prod by default; the booth is prod) ---------------
@@ -52,7 +69,7 @@ warn() { printf '%s!! %s%s\n' "$Y" "$*" "$N" >&2; }
 die()  { printf '%sERROR:%s %s\n' "$R" "$N" "$*" >&2; exit 1; }
 
 usage() {
-  sed -n '3,30p' "$0" | sed 's/^# \{0,1\}//'
+  sed -n '3,26p' "$SELF" | sed 's/^# \{0,1\}//'
   exit "${1:-0}"
 }