diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 400b87c..9d74469 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -36,4 +36,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Start services
         run: |
           cd "${{ vars.PROD_APP_DIR }}"
+          docker compose up -d minio
+          docker compose rm -sf minio_init
+          docker compose run --rm minio_init
           docker compose up -d
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 36f9231..214e000 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 
 help:
 	@echo "Available commands:"
-	@echo "  make start               - Start services without building (uses existing images)"
-	@echo "  make start-build         - Start services and build images if needed"
+	@echo "  make start               - Start services and initialize MinIO (uses existing images)"
+	@echo "  make start-build         - Build, start services, and initialize MinIO"
 	@echo "  make stop                - Stop running services"
 	@echo "  make build               - Build Docker images only"
 	@echo "  make down                - Stop and remove containers/networks"
@@ -19,11 +19,17 @@ help:
 	@echo "  make test                - Run PHPUnit tests"
 
 start:
+	docker compose up -d minio
+	docker compose rm -sf minio_init
+	docker compose run --rm minio_init
 	docker compose up -d
 
 start-build:
 	composer i
 	bun run build
+	docker compose up -d --build minio
+	docker compose rm -sf minio_init
+	docker compose run --rm minio_init
 	docker compose up -d --build
 
 stop:
diff --git a/compose.yaml b/compose.yaml
index 867d4e1..8d18ea1 100644
--- a/compose.yaml
+++ b/compose.yaml
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ services:
       start_period: 10s
   minio_init:
     image: minio/minio:RELEASE.2025-09-07T16-13-09Z-cpuv1
+    profiles: ['bootstrap']
     restart: "no"
     container_name: '${APP_NAME}-minio-init'
     depends_on:
diff --git a/docker/minio-init.sh b/docker/minio-init.sh
index 5ac7278..d390e64 100755
--- a/docker/minio-init.sh
+++ b/docker/minio-init.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 set -e
 
-echo "[minio-init] Configuring alias..."
-mc alias set local http://minio:9000 "$MINIO_ROOT_USER" "$MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD"
+echo "[minio-init] Waiting for MinIO..."
+until mc alias set local http://minio:9000 "$MINIO_ROOT_USER" "$MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD" > /dev/null 2>&1; do
+    sleep 2
+done
+
+echo "[minio-init] Configuring bucket..."
 
 if mc ls local/mineseeker > /dev/null 2>&1; then
     echo "[minio-init] Already initialized, skipping."
diff --git a/docs/MINIO_INITIALIZATION.md b/docs/MINIO_INITIALIZATION.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6372e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/MINIO_INITIALIZATION.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# MinIO Initialization
+
+The `minio_init` Compose service creates the `mineseeker` bucket and applies
+its public read policy. It is an idempotent bootstrap task: after the bucket
+exists, it exits without changing it.
+
+It belongs to the `bootstrap` Compose profile, so normal `docker compose up`
+does not create a stopped `mineseeker-minio-init` container.
+
+`make start`, `make start-build`, and the production deployment workflow run
+the bootstrap task automatically with `docker compose run --rm minio_init`.
+They also remove any stopped legacy initializer container first. The temporary
+container is removed as soon as the task succeeds.
+
+To run it manually when needed:
+
+```bash
+docker compose run --rm minio_init
+```
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 872c079..e15c449 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ Quick command reference for testing:
 ### [Scheduled Tasks](./SCHEDULER.md)
 Symfony Scheduler tasks and the Docker worker that runs them.
 
+### [MinIO Initialization](./MINIO_INITIALIZATION.md)
+Automatic, one-shot setup of the MinIO bucket and its access policy.
+
 ### [CI/CD Integration Guide](./CI_CD.md)
 Comprehensive guide for continuous integration and deployment:
 - Gitea Actions workflows (CI and CD pipelines)