diff --git a/docker/docker-compose-dev.yaml b/docker/docker-compose-dev.yaml
index ee4cfb0..01b5c09 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose-dev.yaml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose-dev.yaml
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "2026:2026"
     volumes:
-      - ./nginx/${NGINX_CONF:-nginx.local.conf}:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf:ro
+      - ./nginx/${NGINX_CONF:-nginx.conf}:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf:ro
     depends_on:
       - frontend
       - gateway
diff --git a/docker/nginx/nginx.conf b/docker/nginx/nginx.conf
index 25423e4..6d7a4ce 100644
--- a/docker/nginx/nginx.conf
+++ b/docker/nginx/nginx.conf
@@ -30,10 +30,6 @@ http {
         server frontend:3000;
     }
 
-    upstream provisioner {
-        server provisioner:8002;
-    }
-
     # ── Main server (path-based routing) ─────────────────────────────────
     server {
         listen 2026 default_server;
@@ -189,8 +185,11 @@ http {
         }
 
         # ── Provisioner API (sandbox management) ────────────────────────
+        # Use a variable so nginx resolves provisioner at request time (not startup).
+        # This allows nginx to start even when provisioner container is not running.
         location /api/sandboxes {
-            proxy_pass http://provisioner;
+            set $provisioner_upstream provisioner:8002;
+            proxy_pass http://$provisioner_upstream;
             proxy_http_version 1.1;
             proxy_set_header Host $host;
             proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
diff --git a/scripts/docker.sh b/scripts/docker.sh
index 03a8d4e..0b72626 100755
--- a/scripts/docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/docker.sh
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ init() {
 # Start Docker development environment
 start() {
     local sandbox_mode
-    local nginx_conf
     local services
 
     echo "=========================================="
@@ -106,10 +105,8 @@ start() {
     sandbox_mode="$(detect_sandbox_mode)"
 
     if [ "$sandbox_mode" = "provisioner" ]; then
-        nginx_conf="nginx.conf"
         services="frontend gateway langgraph provisioner nginx"
     else
-        nginx_conf="nginx.local.conf"
         services="frontend gateway langgraph nginx"
     fi
 
@@ -129,7 +126,7 @@ start() {
     fi
     
     echo "Building and starting containers..."
-    cd "$DOCKER_DIR" && NGINX_CONF="$nginx_conf" $COMPOSE_CMD up --build -d --remove-orphans $services
+    cd "$DOCKER_DIR" && $COMPOSE_CMD up --build -d --remove-orphans $services
     echo ""
     echo "=========================================="
     echo "  DeerFlow Docker is starting!"