diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yaml
index 220b8ec..bf27ce2 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yaml
@@ -31,61 +31,37 @@ on:
 jobs:
   deploy:
     name: Deploy Nexus
-    runs-on: deploy  # only on runners with 'deploy' label
+    runs-on: deploy
     if: ${{ gitea.event_name != 'workflow_run' || gitea.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'success' }}
     steps:
       - name: Checkout latest code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
-
-      - name: Install rsync
-        run: apt-get update -qq && apt-get install -y -qq rsync
-
-      - name: Sync to deploy path
-        run: |
-          rsync -a --delete \
-            --exclude='.git' \
-            --exclude='.env' \
-            --exclude='backend-tests/bin' \
-            --exclude='backend-tests/obj' \
-            --exclude='backend/bin' \
-            --exclude='backend/obj' \
-            --exclude='frontend/dist' \
-            --exclude='frontend/node_modules' \
-            ${{ gitea.workspace }}/ /workspace/nexus/
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          fetch-tags: true
 
       - name: Version Bump
-        working-directory: /workspace/nexus
         run: |
-          # Read current version
           CURRENT_VERSION=$(cat VERSION)
           echo "📦 Current version: $CURRENT_VERSION"
 
-          # Parse major.minor.patch
           MAJOR=$(echo $CURRENT_VERSION | cut -d. -f1)
           MINOR=$(echo $CURRENT_VERSION | cut -d. -f2)
           PATCH=$(echo $CURRENT_VERSION | cut -d. -f3)
 
-          # Bump according to input
           case "${{ inputs.bump_version }}" in
             major)
-              MAJOR=$((MAJOR + 1))
-              MINOR=0
-              PATCH=0
-              ;;
+              MAJOR=$((MAJOR + 1)); MINOR=0; PATCH=0 ;;
             minor)
-              MINOR=$((MINOR + 1))
-              PATCH=0
-              ;;
+              MINOR=$((MINOR + 1)); PATCH=0 ;;
             patch|*)
-              PATCH=$((PATCH + 1))
-              ;;
+              PATCH=$((PATCH + 1)) ;;
           esac
 
           NEW_VERSION="${MAJOR}.${MINOR}.${PATCH}"
           echo "🏷️  New version: $NEW_VERSION"
           echo "$NEW_VERSION" > VERSION
 
-          # Commit & push version bump
           git config user.email "devops@noveria.net"
           git config user.name "DevOps"
           git add VERSION
@@ -98,7 +74,6 @@ jobs:
         run: docker buildx create --use 2>/dev/null || true
 
       - name: Build & Deploy
-        working-directory: /workspace/nexus
         run: |
           BUILD_ARGS=""
           if [ "${{ inputs.no_cache }}" = "true" ]; then
@@ -119,9 +94,9 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           sleep 5
           echo "🏥 Health check..."
-          curl -sf --max-time 10 https://nexus.noveria.net/health || echo "⚠️ Health check failed"
+          curl -sf --max-time 30 --retry 3 --retry-delay 5 https://nexus.noveria.net/health || echo "⚠️ Health check failed (may need more time)"
           echo ""
-          docker compose -f /workspace/nexus/compose.yaml ps
+          docker compose ps
 
       - name: Verify (smoke test)
         run: |