diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 789d71f6..780dcf1d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -154,6 +154,29 @@ The CMS will be available at `http://localhost:3002`.
 
 > **Reverse proxy:** This setup is designed to run behind the existing nginx on the host. nginx serves the Nitro/Octane client (`/client/`, `/nitro-client/`) and `/gamedata/` directly from `/var/www/Octane/dist` and `/var/www/Gamedata`, and proxies `/` to the CMS on `127.0.0.1:3002`. Point `APP_URL`/`NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL` at the public site URL.
 
+### Automatic Updates
+
+A cron-safe update script is included: `scripts/docker-update.sh`. It pulls the
+latest `main`, runs CMS migrations on the host, rebuilds the image, recreates the
+container, waits for a healthy status, and makes sure the stale host-side PM2 CMS
+(`pm2 stop next`) stays stopped so it can't clash on port 3002.
+
+```bash
+./scripts/docker-update.sh           # run once manually
+# log: logs/docker-update.log
+```
+
+Set it up as a nightly cron job (03:30 example):
+
+```bash
+crontab -e
+# 30 3 * * * /var/www/atom-nexst/scripts/docker-update.sh >> /var/www/atom-nexst/logs/docker-update.cron.log 2>&1
+```
+
+The script aborts safely (exit 1) if the working tree has uncommitted changes so
+a `git pull` can never clobber local edits, and leaves the container running if
+health fails so you can debug it (exit 3).
+
 ### Docker Commands
 
 | Command                                    | Description                          |
@@ -165,6 +188,7 @@ The CMS will be available at `http://localhost:3002`.
 | `docker compose restart cms`               | Restart the CMS container            |
 | `docker compose pull && docker compose up -d --build` | Update and redeploy     |
 | `pnpm db:migrate` (on the **host**)        | Run database migrations (slim image has no source) |
+| `./scripts/docker-update.sh`               | Full automated update (manual or cron) |
 
 ### How Package Manager Detection Works
 
diff --git a/scripts/docker-update.sh b/scripts/docker-update.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..609bcec9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/docker-update.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# ==============================================================================
+# docker-update.sh — Automatic daily update for the Dockerized EpicNext-CMS.
+#
+# Steps:
+#   1. Verify the working tree is clean (uncommitted changes abort).
+#   2. git pull (fast-forward only).
+#   3. Run CMS migrations on the HOST (the slim runtime container has no source).
+#   4. docker compose build (auto-detects pnpm/yarn/npm via lockfile).
+#   5. docker compose up -d && wait for a healthy container.
+#   6. Record everything in update.log.
+#
+# Exit codes: 0 ok, 1 update skipped, 2 build/deploy failed, 3 health failed.
+# ==============================================================================
+
+set -uo pipefail
+
+DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+cd "$DIR" || exit 2
+
+LOG_FILE="${LOG_FILE:-$DIR/logs/docker-update.log}"
+PM2_APP="${PM2_APP:-next}" # host-side CMS that must stay stopped (port 3002)
+
+log()  { echo "[$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')] $*" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"; }
+die()  { log "ERROR: $*"; exit "${2:-2}"; }
+
+touch "$LOG_FILE"
+
+log "=== Start docker-update ==="
+
+# --- 0. Guard: uncommitted changes would break git pull / taint deploys ---
+if ! { git diff --quiet --exit-code && git diff --cached --quiet --exit-code; }; then
+  die "working tree has uncommitted changes; commit or stash first" 1
+fi
+
+# --- 1. Pull latest ---
+git pull --ff-only --quiet 2>>"$LOG_FILE"
+pull_status=$?
+if [ $pull_status -ne 0 ]; then
+  die "git pull failed (status $pull_status)" 1
+fi
+log "git pull OK: $(git rev-parse --short HEAD)"
+
+# --- 2. Host-side migrations (idempotent; only applies CMS-owned tables) ---
+if [ -f pnpm-lock.yaml ] && command -v pnpm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  pnpm db:migrate >>"$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 || die "db:migrate (pnpm) failed"
+elif command -v npm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  npm run db:migrate >>"$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 || die "db:migrate (npm) failed"
+else
+  die "no package manager found for migrations" 2
+fi
+log "db:migrate OK"
+
+# --- 3. Rebuild the image ---
+docker compose build >>"$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 || die "docker compose build failed" 2
+log "docker compose build OK"
+
+# --- 4. Recreate the container ---
+docker compose up -d >>"$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 || die "docker compose up failed" 2
+log "docker compose up OK"
+
+# --- 5. Wait for health (up to ~4 min) ---
+healthy=0
+for i in $(seq 1 16); do
+  status="$(docker inspect --format='{{.State.Health.Status}}' epicnext-cms 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  case "$status" in
+    healthy) healthy=1; break ;;
+    unhealthy) break ;;
+  esac
+  sleep 15
+done
+
+if [ "$healthy" -eq 1 ]; then
+  log "CMS healthy after update (commit $(git rev-parse --short HEAD))"
+else
+  log "WARNING: container not healthy (status='${status:-unknown}')"
+  # Leave the container running so it can be debugged; report failure exit.
+  exit 3
+fi
+
+# --- 6. Make sure the stale host-side PM2 CMS stays stopped ---
+if command -v pm2 >/dev/null 2>&1 && pm2 jlist >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  if pm2 list 2>/dev/null | grep -q "${PM2_APP}"; then
+    pm2 stop "$PM2_APP" >/dev/null 2>&1 && log "pm2 '${PM2_APP}' kept stopped (avoids port 3002 clash)"
+  fi
+fi
+
+log "=== docker-update finished OK ==="
+exit 0
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