diff --git a/src/lib/server/fleet/create.ts b/src/lib/server/fleet/create.ts
index f326080..1c6466d 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/fleet/create.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/fleet/create.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
     komodoDeploy,
     komodoDestroyDeployment,
     komodoDeleteDeployment,
+    komodoInspectHealthy,
     type CreateDeploymentSpec,
     type DeploymentEnvVar
 } from '../integrations/komodo.js';
@@ -222,12 +223,25 @@ export async function destroyServer(name: string): Promise<DestroyServerResult>
 
     const warnings: string[] = [];
 
-    // 1 + 2: Komodo teardown. Try both endpoints even if one fails — the
-    // deployment entity might already be gone while the container is still up.
+    // 1: stop + remove the container. execute/DestroyDeployment queues the
+    // teardown; the response comes back before the container is actually gone.
     const destroyRes = await komodoDestroyDeployment(name);
     if (!destroyRes.ok) {
         warnings.push(`DestroyDeployment failed: ${destroyRes.message}`);
     }
+
+    // 2: wait for the container to actually disappear. Komodo refuses to
+    // DeleteDeployment while a container still exists for it, so poll the
+    // health probe until it stops reporting a running state. `ok:false` here
+    // is the *success* signal — it means the container is no longer inspectable.
+    const pollDeadline = Date.now() + 30_000;
+    while (Date.now() < pollDeadline) {
+        const health = await komodoInspectHealthy(name);
+        if (!health.ok) break;
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1500));
+    }
+
+    // 3: remove the deployment entity itself.
     const deleteRes = await komodoDeleteDeployment(name);
     if (!deleteRes.ok) {
         warnings.push(`DeleteDeployment failed: ${deleteRes.message}`);