diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 0158c44..622d0aa 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -8,9 +8,13 @@ services:
     dns:
       - 1.1.1.1
       - 8.8.8.8
-    # Mount the data directory to persist the database and browser session
+    # Persist the database, browser session, and Matrix credentials in a
+    # named docker volume — a `./data` bind mount gets wiped on every Dokploy
+    # redeploy because the deploy dir is rebuilt, which loses the cookies and
+    # the captured Matrix token and triggers the slow re-login + token-sniff
+    # path on every restart.
     volumes:
-      - ./data:/app/data
+      - reddit_bot_data:/app/data
     # Ports are NOT published to the host. Dokploy/Traefik routes traffic
     # to the container's internal ports via configured domains.
     expose:
@@ -24,3 +28,6 @@ services:
       - BROWSER_HEADLESS=false
       # Required to lock down the VNC endpoint.
       - VNC_PASSWORD=${VNC_PASSWORD}
+
+volumes:
+  reddit_bot_data: