diff --git a/packages/server/src/constants/index.ts b/packages/server/src/constants/index.ts
index 903e02ae1..f440215ae 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/constants/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/constants/index.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
 import Docker from "dockerode";
 
 export const IS_CLOUD = process.env.IS_CLOUD === "true";
+
 export const DOKPLOY_DOCKER_API_VERSION =
 	process.env.DOKPLOY_DOCKER_API_VERSION;
 export const DOKPLOY_DOCKER_HOST = process.env.DOKPLOY_DOCKER_HOST;
@@ -10,20 +12,79 @@ export const DOKPLOY_DOCKER_PORT = process.env.DOKPLOY_DOCKER_PORT
 	: undefined;
 
 export const CLEANUP_CRON_JOB = "50 23 * * *";
-export const docker = new Docker({
-	...(DOKPLOY_DOCKER_API_VERSION && {
-		version: DOKPLOY_DOCKER_API_VERSION,
-	}),
-	...(DOKPLOY_DOCKER_HOST && {
-		host: DOKPLOY_DOCKER_HOST,
-	}),
-	...(DOKPLOY_DOCKER_PORT && {
-		port: DOKPLOY_DOCKER_PORT,
-	}),
-});
+
+type DockerSocketCandidate = {
+	label: string;
+	path: string;
+};
+
+const getDockerConfig = (): Docker => {
+	const versionOption = DOKPLOY_DOCKER_API_VERSION
+		? { version: DOKPLOY_DOCKER_API_VERSION }
+		: {};
+
+	// Explicit remote Docker host configuration
+	if (DOKPLOY_DOCKER_HOST) {
+		console.info(
+			`Using remote Docker host: ${DOKPLOY_DOCKER_HOST}${DOKPLOY_DOCKER_PORT ? `:${DOKPLOY_DOCKER_PORT}` : ""}`,
+		);
+		return new Docker({
+			host: DOKPLOY_DOCKER_HOST,
+			...(DOKPLOY_DOCKER_PORT && { port: DOKPLOY_DOCKER_PORT }),
+			...versionOption,
+		});
+	}
+
+	// Local socket auto-detection (Rancher Desktop, Colima, standard Docker)
+	const dockerSocketCandidates: Array<DockerSocketCandidate> = [];
+
+	if (process.env.DOCKER_HOST) {
+		dockerSocketCandidates.push({
+			label: "DOCKER_HOST environment variable",
+			path: process.env.DOCKER_HOST.replace("unix://", ""),
+		});
+	}
+
+	if (process.env.HOME) {
+		dockerSocketCandidates.push({
+			label: "Rancher Desktop socket",
+			path: `${process.env.HOME}/.rd/docker.sock`,
+		});
+	}
+
+	dockerSocketCandidates.push({
+		label: "Standard Docker socket",
+		path: "/var/run/docker.sock",
+	});
+
+	for (const candidate of dockerSocketCandidates) {
+		try {
+			if (candidate.path && fs.existsSync(candidate.path)) {
+				console.info(
+					`Using Docker socket (${candidate.label}): ${candidate.path}`,
+				);
+				return new Docker({
+					socketPath: candidate.path,
+					...versionOption,
+				});
+			}
+		} catch (e) {
+			console.info(
+				`Docker socket initialization failed for ${candidate.label} (${candidate.path}): ${e instanceof Error ? e.message : "Unknown error"}`,
+			);
+		}
+	}
+
+	console.info(
+		"Using default Docker configuration. You can set the DOCKER_HOST environment variable to specify a custom Docker socket path.",
+	);
+	return new Docker({ ...versionOption });
+};
+
+export const docker = getDockerConfig();
 
 // When not set, use the legacy default so 2FA remains working for users who
-// enabled it before BETTER_AUTH_SECRET was introduced .
+// enabled it before BETTER_AUTH_SECRET was introduced.
 export const BETTER_AUTH_SECRET =
 	process.env.BETTER_AUTH_SECRET || "better-auth-secret-123456789";