diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 50e1dbb3a..95d06f8b7 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 
 # In-container working directory and bind mount target for the repo checkout.
 # Override when the host clone lives outside the default GOPATH layout; the
-# value is reused for working_dir, the source bind mount, and every PhotoPrism
-# path env var so they stay in sync.
+# value is reused for the Dockerfile WORKDIR (build arg), working_dir, the
+# source bind mount, and every PhotoPrism path env var so they stay in sync.
 # WORKING_DIR=/go/src/github.com/photoprism/photoprism
 
 # Network interfaces to which Traefik and other services bind on the host.
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 8f70eeb1b..ec6479d6c 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -18,16 +18,19 @@ ENV NPM_CONFIG_IGNORE_SCRIPTS=true
 # FROM photoprism/develop:bullseye # Debian 11 (Bullseye)
 # FROM photoprism/develop:buster   # Debian 10 (Buster)
 
-# Set default working directory.
-WORKDIR "/go/src/github.com/photoprism/photoprism"
+# Set default working directory. Override WORKING_DIR (e.g. via compose build
+# args populated from .env) to match a custom host-side clone layout; the value
+# must stay aligned with compose's working_dir and the source bind mount target.
+ARG WORKING_DIR=/go/src/github.com/photoprism/photoprism
+WORKDIR "${WORKING_DIR}"
 
 # Copy source to image.
 COPY . .
-COPY --chown=root:root /scripts/dist/ /scripts/
+COPY --chown=root:root ./scripts/dist/ /scripts/
 
 # Re-install the dev "mariadb" client config so a custom MARIADB_PORT in .env
 # is honored even when the base image was built before the port=<n> line was
 # removed (no-op once the next dated base image picks up the new .my.cnf).
-COPY --chown=root:root --chmod=644 .my.cnf /etc/my.cnf
+COPY --chown=root:root --chmod=644 ./.my.cnf /etc/my.cnf
 
 RUN sudo /scripts/install-yt-dlp.sh
diff --git a/compose.intel.yaml b/compose.intel.yaml
index 3007dab2d..bf95c530f 100644
--- a/compose.intel.yaml
+++ b/compose.intel.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 services:
   ## PhotoPrism (Development Environment for Intel QSV hardware transcoding)
   photoprism:
-    build: .
+    build:
+      context: .
+      args:
+        WORKING_DIR: "${WORKING_DIR:-/go/src/github.com/photoprism/photoprism}"
     image: photoprism/photoprism:develop
     depends_on:
       - mariadb
diff --git a/compose.nvidia.yaml b/compose.nvidia.yaml
index cb1d2f9c0..1251a14d8 100644
--- a/compose.nvidia.yaml
+++ b/compose.nvidia.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 services:
   ## PhotoPrism (Development Environment for Nvidia)
   photoprism:
-    build: .
+    build:
+      context: .
+      args:
+        WORKING_DIR: "${WORKING_DIR:-/go/src/github.com/photoprism/photoprism}"
     image: photoprism/photoprism:develop
     runtime: nvidia
     depends_on:
diff --git a/compose.yaml b/compose.yaml
index 18772da71..713350975 100644
--- a/compose.yaml
+++ b/compose.yaml
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
 services:
   ## PhotoPrism Build & Test Environment
   photoprism:
-    build: .
+    build:
+      context: .
+      args:
+        WORKING_DIR: "${WORKING_DIR:-/go/src/github.com/photoprism/photoprism}"
     image: photoprism/photoprism:develop
     depends_on:
       - mariadb