diff --git a/phase2_gitea_fedora.sh b/phase2_gitea_fedora.sh
index 531c006..36c72eb 100755
--- a/phase2_gitea_fedora.sh
+++ b/phase2_gitea_fedora.sh
@@ -33,18 +33,15 @@ FEDORA_DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME="gitea_net"
 # DB helpers and strip_template_block are in lib/common.sh
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Step 1: Create data directories on Fedora
+# Step 1: Ensure data directories on Fedora
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-log_step 1 "Creating data directories on Fedora..."
-if ssh_exec FEDORA "test -d '${DATA_PATH}/data'"; then
-  log_info "Data directory already exists — skipping"
+log_step 1 "Ensuring data directories on Fedora..."
+if [[ "${GITEA_DB_TYPE}" != "sqlite3" ]]; then
+  ssh_exec FEDORA "mkdir -p '${DATA_PATH}/data' '${DATA_PATH}/config' '${DATA_PATH}/db'"
 else
   ssh_exec FEDORA "mkdir -p '${DATA_PATH}/data' '${DATA_PATH}/config'"
-  if [[ "${GITEA_DB_TYPE}" != "sqlite3" ]]; then
-    ssh_exec FEDORA "mkdir -p '${DATA_PATH}/db'"
-  fi
-  log_success "Data directories created"
 fi
+log_success "Data directories ensured"
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Step 2: Create macvlan Docker network (idempotent)
@@ -134,7 +131,7 @@ fi
 # Step 5: Start Gitea container
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 log_step 5 "Starting Gitea container..."
-CONTAINER_STATUS=$(ssh_exec FEDORA "docker ps --filter name=gitea --format '{{.Status}}'" 2>/dev/null || true)
+CONTAINER_STATUS=$(ssh_exec FEDORA "docker ps --filter 'name=^/gitea$' --format '{{.Status}}'" 2>/dev/null || true)
 if [[ "$CONTAINER_STATUS" == *"Up"* ]]; then
   log_info "Gitea container already running — skipping"
 else