diff --git a/backend/src/index.ts b/backend/src/index.ts
index 57a6cd26..a3051700 100644
--- a/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -478,13 +478,14 @@ app.post('/api/containers/:id/restart', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
 });
 
 // End of legacy container routes
-app.post('/api/stacks/:stackName/up', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
+app.post('/api/stacks/:stackName/deploy', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
   try {
     const stackName = req.params.stackName as string;
-    composeService.runCommand(stackName, 'up', terminalWs || undefined);
-    res.json({ status: 'Command started' });
-  } catch (error) {
-    res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to start command' });
+    await composeService.deployStack(stackName, terminalWs || undefined);
+    res.json({ message: 'Deployed successfully' });
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    console.error('Failed to deploy stack:', error);
+    res.status(500).json({ error: error.message || 'Failed to deploy stack' });
   }
 });
 
@@ -498,60 +499,33 @@ app.post('/api/stacks/:stackName/down', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
   }
 });
 
-// Direct container restart - bypasses docker compose for legacy container support
 app.post('/api/stacks/:stackName/restart', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
   try {
     const stackName = req.params.stackName as string;
-    const dockerController = DockerController.getInstance();
-    const containers = await dockerController.getContainersByStack(stackName);
-    if (containers && containers.length > 0) {
-      for (const c of containers) {
-        await dockerController.restartContainer(c.Id);
-      }
-    }
-    res.json({ status: 'Containers restarted' });
+    composeService.runCommand(stackName, 'restart', terminalWs || undefined);
+    res.json({ status: 'Command started' });
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Failed to restart containers:', error);
     res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to restart containers' });
   }
 });
 
-// Direct container stop - bypasses docker compose for legacy container support
-// Only stops containers that are currently running to avoid 304 errors
 app.post('/api/stacks/:stackName/stop', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
   try {
     const stackName = req.params.stackName as string;
-    const dockerController = DockerController.getInstance();
-    const containers = await dockerController.getContainersByStack(stackName);
-    if (containers && containers.length > 0) {
-      for (const c of containers) {
-        if (c.State === 'running') {
-          await dockerController.stopContainer(c.Id);
-        }
-      }
-    }
-    res.json({ status: 'Containers stopped' });
+    composeService.runCommand(stackName, 'stop', terminalWs || undefined);
+    res.json({ status: 'Command started' });
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Failed to stop containers:', error);
     res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to stop containers' });
   }
 });
 
-// Direct container start - bypasses docker compose for legacy container support
-// Only starts containers that are not currently running
 app.post('/api/stacks/:stackName/start', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
   try {
     const stackName = req.params.stackName as string;
-    const dockerController = DockerController.getInstance();
-    const containers = await dockerController.getContainersByStack(stackName);
-    if (containers && containers.length > 0) {
-      for (const c of containers) {
-        if (c.State !== 'running') {
-          await dockerController.startContainer(c.Id);
-        }
-      }
-    }
-    res.json({ status: 'Containers started' });
+    composeService.runCommand(stackName, 'start', terminalWs || undefined);
+    res.json({ status: 'Command started' });
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Failed to start containers:', error);
     res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to start containers' });
diff --git a/backend/src/services/ComposeService.ts b/backend/src/services/ComposeService.ts
index 3a22bf4e..a42d5de0 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/ComposeService.ts
+++ b/backend/src/services/ComposeService.ts
@@ -16,14 +16,12 @@ export class ComposeService {
    * CRITICAL: cwd is set to the stack directory so relative paths in compose files
    * resolve correctly inside the isolated stack folder
    */
-  runCommand(stackName: string, action: 'up' | 'down', ws?: WebSocket) {
+  runCommand(stackName: string, action: 'down' | 'start' | 'stop' | 'restart', ws?: WebSocket) {
     const stackDir = path.join(this.baseDir, stackName);
 
     // Run docker compose from within the stack directory
     // This ensures relative paths (e.g., ./data:/config) resolve correctly
-    const args = action === 'up'
-      ? ['compose', 'up', '-d']
-      : ['compose', 'down'];
+    const args = ['compose', '-p', stackName, action];
 
     const child = spawn('docker', args, {
       cwd: stackDir,  // CRITICAL: Set working directory to stack folder
@@ -53,6 +51,54 @@ export class ComposeService {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Deploy stack: executes up -d --remove-orphans and awaits completion.
+   */
+  async deployStack(stackName: string, ws?: WebSocket): Promise<void> {
+    const stackDir = path.join(this.baseDir, stackName);
+
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      const args = ['compose', '-p', stackName, 'up', '-d', '--remove-orphans'];
+      const child = spawn('docker', args, {
+        cwd: stackDir,
+        env: {
+          ...process.env,
+          PATH: process.env.PATH || '/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin'
+        }
+      });
+
+      let errorLog = '';
+
+      if (ws) {
+        child.stdout.on('data', (data: Buffer) => ws.send(data.toString()));
+        child.stderr.on('data', (data: Buffer) => {
+          const text = data.toString();
+          errorLog += text;
+          ws.send(text);
+        });
+        child.on('close', (code: number | null) => {
+          ws.send(`Command exited with code ${code}\n`);
+          if (code === 0) resolve();
+          else reject(new Error(errorLog.trim() || `Command failed with code ${code}`));
+        });
+      } else {
+        child.stderr.on('data', (data: Buffer) => {
+          errorLog += data.toString();
+        });
+        child.on('close', (code: number | null) => {
+          if (code === 0) resolve();
+          else reject(new Error(errorLog.trim() || `Command failed with code ${code}`));
+        });
+      }
+
+      child.on('error', (error: Error) => {
+        console.error(`Docker Compose Deploy Error for ${stackName}:`, error.message);
+        if (ws) ws.send(`Error: ${error.message}\n`);
+        reject(error);
+      });
+    });
+  }
+
   /**
    * Stream docker logs for a stack via WebSocket.
    * Supervisors: Fetches containers via DockerController and spawns `docker logs -f` for each.
@@ -199,7 +245,7 @@ export class ComposeService {
     // Step 1: Pull images
     sendOutput('=== Pulling latest images ===\n');
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
-      const pullProcess = spawn('docker', ['compose', 'pull'], {
+      const pullProcess = spawn('docker', ['compose', '-p', stackName, 'pull'], {
         cwd: stackDir,
         env: {
           ...process.env,
@@ -235,7 +281,7 @@ export class ComposeService {
     // Step 2: Recreate containers with new images
     sendOutput('=== Recreating containers ===\n');
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
-      const upProcess = spawn('docker', ['compose', 'up', '-d'], {
+      const upProcess = spawn('docker', ['compose', '-p', stackName, 'up', '-d', '--remove-orphans'], {
         cwd: stackDir,
         env: {
           ...process.env,
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout.tsx b/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout.tsx
index 83106c03..1a185121 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { AlertDialog, AlertDialogAction, AlertDialogCancel, AlertDialogContent,
 import { Tabs, TabsList, TabsTrigger } from './ui/tabs';
 import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from './ui/card';
 import { Badge } from './ui/badge';
-import { Plus, Trash2, Play, Square, Save, Terminal, Sun, Moon, RotateCw, CloudDownload, Pencil, X, Home, LogOut, Brush, ExternalLink, Bell, Settings, MoreVertical, BellRing } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Plus, Trash2, Play, Square, Save, Terminal, Sun, Moon, RotateCw, CloudDownload, Pencil, X, Home, LogOut, Brush, ExternalLink, Bell, Settings, MoreVertical, BellRing, Rocket } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useAuth } from '@/context/AuthContext';
 import { apiFetch } from '@/lib/api';
 import { toast } from 'sonner';
@@ -346,16 +346,18 @@ export default function EditorLayout() {
     const stackName = selectedFile.replace(/\.(yml|yaml)$/, '');
     setIsActionLoading(true);
     try {
-      await apiFetch(`/stacks/${stackName}/up`, {
+      await apiFetch(`/stacks/${stackName}/deploy`, {
         method: 'POST',
       });
+      toast.success("Stack deployed successfully!");
       // Refresh containers after deploy
       const containersRes = await apiFetch(`/stacks/${stackName}/containers`);
       const conts = await containersRes.json();
       setContainers(Array.isArray(conts) ? conts : []);
       await refreshStacks(true);
-    } catch (error) {
+    } catch (error: any) {
       console.error('Failed to deploy:', error);
+      toast.error(error.message || "Failed to deploy stack");
     } finally {
       setIsActionLoading(false);
     }
@@ -831,12 +833,10 @@ export default function EditorLayout() {
                         <CardTitle className="text-2xl font-bold">{stackName}</CardTitle>
                         {/* Action Bar */}
                         <div className="flex items-center gap-2 flex-wrap">
-                          {!isDeployed && (
-                            <Button type="button" size="sm" className="rounded-lg" onClick={deployStack} disabled={isActionLoading}>
-                              <Play className="w-4 h-4 mr-2" />
-                              {isActionLoading ? 'Working...' : 'Deploy'}
-                            </Button>
-                          )}
+                          <Button type="button" size="sm" variant="default" className="rounded-lg" onClick={deployStack} disabled={isActionLoading}>
+                            <Rocket className="w-4 h-4 mr-2" />
+                            {isActionLoading ? 'Deploying...' : 'Deploy'}
+                          </Button>
                           {isDeployed && (
                             <>
                               {isRunning ? (
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ export default function EditorLayout() {
                                   {isActionLoading ? 'Working...' : 'Stop'}
                                 </Button>
                               ) : (
-                                <Button type="button" size="sm" className="rounded-lg" onClick={startStack} disabled={isActionLoading}>
+                                <Button type="button" size="sm" variant="outline" className="rounded-lg" onClick={startStack} disabled={isActionLoading}>
                                   <Play className="w-4 h-4 mr-2" />
                                   {isActionLoading ? 'Working...' : 'Start'}
                                 </Button>