diff --git a/docker/php/entrypoint.sh b/docker/php/entrypoint.sh
index 0fa6e78..e34c869 100755
--- a/docker/php/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker/php/entrypoint.sh
@@ -59,21 +59,26 @@ fi
 echo "[✓] .env file ready."
 
 # -----------------------------------------------
-# 2. Application key
+# 2. Application key (persisted in storage volume)
 # -----------------------------------------------
-if grep -q "^APP_KEY=$" .env; then
+KEY_FILE="/var/www/html/storage/app/.app_key"
+
+if [ -f "$KEY_FILE" ]; then
+    # Restore key from persistent volume
+    STORED_KEY=$(cat "$KEY_FILE")
+    sed -i "s|^APP_KEY=.*|APP_KEY=${STORED_KEY}|" .env
+    echo "[✓] Application key restored from storage."
+elif grep -q "^APP_KEY=$" .env; then
+    # No stored key and .env has empty key: generate new one
     echo "[*] Generating application key..."
     php artisan key:generate --ansi
-    echo ""
-    echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗"
-    echo "║  IMPORTANT: Save this APP_KEY in Dokploy env vars!  ║"
-    echo "║  Otherwise encrypted data will be lost on redeploy. ║"
-    echo "╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  APP_KEY=$(grep '^APP_KEY=' .env | cut -d= -f2-)"
-    echo ""
+    # Save to persistent volume
+    grep '^APP_KEY=' .env | cut -d= -f2- > "$KEY_FILE"
+    echo "[✓] Application key saved to persistent storage."
 else
-    echo "[✓] Application key already set."
+    # .env already has a key (from env var override or .env.example), persist it
+    grep '^APP_KEY=' .env | cut -d= -f2- > "$KEY_FILE"
+    echo "[✓] Application key already set, saved to persistent storage."
 fi
 
 # -----------------------------------------------