diff --git a/scripts/deploy.py b/scripts/deploy.py
index 24c8ebd..77af471 100644
--- a/scripts/deploy.py
+++ b/scripts/deploy.py
@@ -260,25 +260,38 @@ def deploy_api(client: CoolifyClient, skip_build: bool = False) -> StepResult:
 
 
 def deploy_worker(client: CoolifyClient, skip_build: bool = False) -> StepResult:
-    """Restart the worker service via Coolify API.
+    """Deploy the worker service via Coolify API.
 
     The worker is a Coolify Service that uses the same Docker image as the
     API application (stvabl4vaqru7jclx4ittzr3:latest).  After the API is
-    rebuilt, the worker just needs a restart to pick up the new image.
+    rebuilt, the worker needs a deploy to pick up the new image.
 
-    We do NOT call update_service because that would overwrite the Coolify
-    service's compose definition (which has all the correct environment
-    variables, volumes, and network settings configured via the Coolify UI).
+    Uses POST /deploy with the service UUID — this is the correct way to
+    deploy a Coolify Service (not restart, which only restarts an existing
+    container, and not start, which fails if the container was removed).
 
-    After restart, we ensure:
-    1. The :latest tag points to the most recent build (Coolify tags with
+    We also ensure:
+    1. connect_to_docker_network is True (so the worker joins the coolify
+       network and can reach crm-redis and crm-postgres)
+    2. The :latest tag points to the most recent build (Coolify tags with
        commit hashes, not :latest)
-    2. The worker container is connected to the coolify network (needed to
-       reach crm-redis and crm-postgres)
     """
     print("  Deploying worker service via Coolify API...")
 
     try:
+        # Step 0: Ensure connect_to_docker_network is True
+        print("  Ensuring coolify network connection...")
+        # Set connect_to_docker_network via API (does not overwrite compose)
+        import httpx
+        resp = httpx.patch(
+            f"{client.base_url}/api/v1/services/{WORKER_UUID}",
+            headers=client.headers,
+            json={"connect_to_docker_network": True},
+            timeout=30,
+        )
+        if resp.status_code != 200:
+            print(f"  Warning: could not set connect_to_docker_network ({resp.status_code})")
+
         # Step 1: Tag the latest API image as :latest (Coolify uses commit-hash tags)
         print("  Tagging latest API image as :latest...")
         tag_code, tag_output = ssh_run(
@@ -289,19 +302,19 @@ def deploy_worker(client: CoolifyClient, skip_build: bool = False) -> StepResult
         if tag_code != 0:
             print(f"  Warning: could not tag :latest ({tag_output.strip()})")
 
-        # Step 2: Restart the service to pick up the latest image
-        print("  Restarting worker service...")
-        client.restart_service(WORKER_UUID)
-        time.sleep(5)
+        # Step 2: Deploy the service via POST /deploy (creates new container)
+        print("  Deploying worker service...")
+        result = client.deploy_application(WORKER_UUID)
+        deploy_uuid = _extract_deploy_uuid(result)
+        if deploy_uuid:
+            print(f"  Worker deploy queued: {deploy_uuid[:12]}")
+            dep_result = _wait_deployment(client, deploy_uuid, timeout=120)
+            if not dep_result.success:
+                return dep_result
+        else:
+            print("  No deployment UUID returned, waiting for healthy...")
 
-        # Step 3: Ensure worker is connected to coolify network
-        print("  Ensuring coolify network connection...")
-        net_code, net_output = ssh_run(
-            'docker network connect coolify worker-asxqaq3566to108xordck0ff 2>/dev/null; '
-            'echo done'
-        )
-
-        # Step 4: Wait for service to be healthy
+        # Step 3: Wait for service to be healthy
         return _wait_service_healthy(client, WORKER_UUID, timeout=120)
 
     except Exception as e: