diff --git a/scripts/deploy.py b/scripts/deploy.py
index e1fc24f..f2bdda8 100644
--- a/scripts/deploy.py
+++ b/scripts/deploy.py
@@ -806,20 +806,35 @@ def set_service_envs(client: CoolifyClient, service_uuid: str, envs: list[dict])
 
 def create_api_application(client: CoolifyClient, project_uuid: str,
                             environment_name: str, server_uuid: str) -> str | None:
-    """Create the API application from a Git repository.
-    Returns the application UUID or None on failure."""
+    """Create the API application from the Dockerfile in the repo.
+
+    Uses POST /applications/dockerfile with base64-encoded Dockerfile content.
+    Returns the application UUID or None on failure.
+    """
+    import base64 as b64mod
+
+    repo_root = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+    dockerfile_path = os.path.join(repo_root, "Dockerfile")
+    try:
+        with open(dockerfile_path, "r") as f:
+            dockerfile_content = f.read()
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        print(f"  Error: Dockerfile not found at {dockerfile_path}")
+        return None
+
+    dockerfile_b64 = b64mod.b64encode(dockerfile_content.encode()).decode()
+
     try:
         resp = httpx.post(
-            f"{client.base_url}/api/v1/applications",
+            f"{client.base_url}/api/v1/applications/dockerfile",
             headers=client.headers,
             json={
                 "project_uuid": project_uuid,
                 "environment_name": environment_name,
                 "server_uuid": server_uuid,
-                "git_repository": API_GIT_REPO,
-                "git_branch": API_GIT_BRANCH,
-                "build_pack": "dockerfile",
                 "name": "leocrm-api",
+                "dockerfile": dockerfile_b64,
+                "build_pack": "dockerfile",
             },
             timeout=30,
         )