diff --git a/scripts/container-doctor.sh b/scripts/container-doctor.sh
index dc5dd35a..d7f2ada3 100755
--- a/scripts/container-doctor.sh
+++ b/scripts/container-doctor.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #   9. Missing rootless port listeners while Podman still shows published ports
 #  10. Nginx Proxy Manager public hosts not mirrored into host nginx
 #  11. BTCPay stores producing unpayable Lightning invoices (route hints off)
+#  12. Missing catatonit (Podman init binary) — init-enabled deploys fail
 #
 # Safe to run multiple times (idempotent). Never blocks deploy (exit 0 always).
 #
@@ -594,6 +595,25 @@ fix_btcpay_route_hints() {
     return 1
 }
 
+# ── Fix 13: Missing catatonit (container init binary) ────────
+# Podman resolves `--init` (and any Portainer/compose deploy with
+# "init: true") through catatonit; Debian's podman package only
+# Recommends it, so a node installed or upgraded without it fails those
+# deploys with a missing-init error (observed on shorty-s 2026-07-10
+# deploying sites via Portainer). install-podman.sh covers fresh ISO
+# installs; this heals nodes that predate it.
+fix_missing_catatonit() {
+    command -v catatonit >/dev/null 2>&1 && return 1
+    command -v apt-get >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 1
+
+    if DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y catatonit >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        log "Installed catatonit (init-enabled container deploys were failing)"
+        return 0
+    fi
+    log "WARNING: catatonit missing and apt-get install failed — init-enabled deploys will fail"
+    return 1
+}
+
 # ── Main ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 # If remote host provided, run via SSH
@@ -625,6 +645,7 @@ run_fix "stopped-core"    fix_stopped_core_containers
 run_fix "rootless-ports" fix_missing_rootless_ports
 run_fix "npm-public-hosts" fix_npm_public_hosts
 run_fix "btcpay-route-hints" fix_btcpay_route_hints
+run_fix "catatonit"       fix_missing_catatonit
 
 echo ""
 if [ $FIXES_APPLIED -gt 0 ]; then