diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 3105b5e..edd7f2b 100644
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ NC='\033[0m' # No Color
 COMPOSE_FILE="docker-compose.prod.yml"
 ENV_FILE=".env.production"
 
+# Helper: full docker compose command with env file
+dc() {
+  ${DOCKER_SUDO:-} docker compose --env-file "$ENV_FILE" -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" "$@"
+}
+
 # ─── Helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 info()    { echo -e "${BLUE}[INFO]${NC} $*"; }
@@ -294,13 +299,13 @@ echo ""
 info "Building Docker images (this may take a few minutes on first run)..."
 echo ""
 
-${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" build --no-cache
+dc build --no-cache
 
 echo ""
 info "Starting services..."
 echo ""
 
-${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" up -d
+dc up -d
 
 # ─── Step 6: Health Check ───────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -313,11 +318,11 @@ INTERVAL=5
 
 while [[ $ELAPSED -lt $MAX_WAIT ]]; do
   # Check database
-  DB_HEALTHY=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps --format json 2>/dev/null | \
+  DB_HEALTHY=$(dc ps --format json 2>/dev/null | \
     grep -o '"db"[^}]*"healthy"' 2>/dev/null && echo "yes" || echo "no")
 
   # Check app
-  APP_RUNNING=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps --status running --format json 2>/dev/null | \
+  APP_RUNNING=$(dc ps --status running --format json 2>/dev/null | \
     grep -o '"app"' 2>/dev/null && echo "yes" || echo "no")
 
   if [[ "$DB_HEALTHY" == *"yes"* ]] && [[ "$APP_RUNNING" == *"yes"* ]]; then
@@ -335,7 +340,7 @@ echo ""
 SERVICES_UP=true
 
 for service in db minio app; do
-  STATUS=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps "$service" --format "{{.Status}}" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
+  STATUS=$(dc ps "$service" --format "{{.Status}}" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
   if echo "$STATUS" | grep -qi "up\|running\|healthy"; then
     success "$service: $STATUS"
   else
@@ -345,17 +350,17 @@ for service in db minio app; do
 done
 
 # Check migrate completed
-MIGRATE_STATUS=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps migrate --format "{{.Status}}" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
+MIGRATE_STATUS=$(dc ps migrate --format "{{.Status}}" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
 if echo "$MIGRATE_STATUS" | grep -qi "exited (0)\|completed"; then
   success "migrate: completed successfully"
 else
-  warn "migrate: $MIGRATE_STATUS (check logs: ${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs migrate)"
+  warn "migrate: $MIGRATE_STATUS (check logs: docker compose --env-file $ENV_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs migrate)"
 fi
 
 if [[ "$SERVICES_UP" == "false" ]]; then
   echo ""
   error "Some services failed to start. Check logs:"
-  echo "  ${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs"
+  echo "  docker compose --env-file $ENV_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs"
   exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -388,11 +393,12 @@ echo ""
 echo -e "  ${BOLD}App URL:${NC}       ${APP_URL_CHECK}"
 echo -e "  ${BOLD}Config file:${NC}   $(pwd)/$ENV_FILE"
 echo ""
+DC_CMD="docker compose --env-file $ENV_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE"
 echo -e "  ${BOLD}Useful commands:${NC}"
-echo "    View logs:     docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs -f"
-echo "    Stop:          docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE down"
-echo "    Restart:       docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE restart"
-echo "    Rebuild:       docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE up -d --build"
+echo "    View logs:     $DC_CMD logs -f"
+echo "    Stop:          $DC_CMD down"
+echo "    Restart:       $DC_CMD restart"
+echo "    Rebuild:       $DC_CMD up -d --build"
 echo ""
 echo -e "  ${BOLD}${YELLOW}Next steps:${NC}"
 echo "    1. Open ${APP_URL_CHECK} and create your account"