diff --git a/scripts/deploy.py b/scripts/deploy.py
index f2bdda8..2d444ef 100644
--- a/scripts/deploy.py
+++ b/scripts/deploy.py
@@ -936,10 +936,15 @@ def deploy_initial() -> int:
         return 1
     _print_result(steps[-1][1])
 
-    # Step 4: Create Worker service
+    # Step 4: Create Worker service (with API image reference)
     print("\n[4/7] Creating Worker service...")
+    # Generate worker compose with the API application's UUID as image name
+    worker_compose = WORKER_COMPOSE_YAML.replace(
+        "stvabl4vaqru7jclx4ittzr3:latest",
+        f"{api_uuid}:latest",
+    )
     worker_uuid = create_service(client, PROJECT_UUID, ENVIRONMENT_NAME, SERVER_UUID,
-                                 WORKER_COMPOSE_YAML, "leocrm-worker")
+                                 worker_compose, "leocrm-worker")
     if worker_uuid:
         print(f"  Worker service created: {worker_uuid[:12]}")
         # Set connect_to_docker_network
@@ -959,7 +964,17 @@ def deploy_initial() -> int:
 
     # Step 5: Deploy API (builds image + runs migrations via prestart.sh)
     print("\n[5/7] Deploying API (build + migrations)...")
-    r = deploy_api(client, skip_build=False)
+    # Use the newly created API application UUID for deployment
+    try:
+        result = client.deploy_application(api_uuid)
+        deploy_uuid = _extract_deploy_uuid(result)
+        if deploy_uuid:
+            print(f"  Deploy queued: {deploy_uuid[:12]}")
+            r = _wait_deployment(client, deploy_uuid, timeout=300)
+        else:
+            r = StepResult(True, "Deploy triggered (no UUID)")
+    except Exception as e:
+        r = StepResult(False, f"Deploy failed: {e}")
     steps.append(("API deploy", r))
     _print_result(r)
     if not r.success:
@@ -968,11 +983,11 @@ def deploy_initial() -> int:
 
     # Step 6: Deploy Worker
     print("\n[6/7] Deploying Worker...")
-    # Tag the latest API image as :latest
+    # Tag the latest API image as :latest (using the new API UUID)
     tag_code, tag_output = ssh_run(
-        'docker images --format "{{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}}" | '
-        'grep "^stvabl4vaqru7jclx4ittzr3:" | grep -v latest | head -1 | '
-        'xargs -I{} docker tag {} stvabl4vaqru7jclx4ittzr3:latest'
+        f'docker images --format "{{{{.Repository}}}}:{{{{.Tag}}}}" | '
+        f'grep "^{api_uuid}:" | grep -v latest | head -1 | '
+        f'xargs -I{{}} docker tag {{}} {api_uuid}:latest'
     )
     # Deploy worker
     result = client.deploy_application(worker_uuid)