diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index df1dad5e..5f7a290f 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ test-servers/build
 storybook-static
 coverage
 
+# Docs/specs aren't referenced by the build — trim them from the context.
+# (test-servers/ stays: `tsc -b` typechecks the integration tests that import
+# the `@modelcontextprotocol/inspector-test-server` alias.)
+specification
+docs
+
 # Packed tarballs (the image makes its own)
 *.tgz
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 2e4fbf0c..fbdd32a0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
       - name: Log in to the Container registry
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        uses: docker/login-action@v4
         with:
           registry: ghcr.io
           username: ${{ github.actor }}
@@ -174,15 +174,23 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker
         id: meta
-        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@v6
         with:
           images: ghcr.io/${{ github.repository }}
+          # Be explicit rather than relying on `flavor.latest=auto`: on a release
+          # cut both the version tags and `latest` land, so the README's bare
+          # `ghcr.io/…/inspector` (implicit `:latest`) never 404s.
+          tags: |
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}}
+            type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}}
+          flavor: |
+            latest=true
 
       - name: Set up QEMU
         uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
 
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v4
 
       - name: Build and push Docker image
         id: push
@@ -195,7 +203,7 @@ jobs:
           labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
 
       - name: Generate artifact attestation
-        uses: actions/attest-build-provenance@v3
+        uses: actions/attest-build-provenance@v4
         with:
           subject-name: ghcr.io/${{ github.repository }}
           subject-digest: ${{ steps.push.outputs.digest }}
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 07fddb10..c41c415e 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -31,6 +31,17 @@ ENV HOST=0.0.0.0 \
     MCP_AUTO_OPEN_ENABLED=false
 EXPOSE 6274
 
+# Run as the non-root `node` user the base image ships. Its home (/home/node) is
+# where the inspector writes runtime state (the default catalog, OAuth token
+# storage), so use it as the working directory.
+USER node
+WORKDIR /home/node
+
+# Report readiness by probing the served SPA (`/` needs no auth). Uses Node's
+# global fetch — no curl/wget in the slim image.
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=5s --start-period=20s --retries=3 \
+    CMD node -e "fetch('http://127.0.0.1:'+(process.env.CLIENT_PORT||6274)+'/').then(r=>process.exit(r.ok?0:1)).catch(()=>process.exit(1))"
+
 # Default to the web UI; override the args to run --cli / --tui.
 ENTRYPOINT ["mcp-inspector"]
 CMD ["--web"]