diff --git a/project-context.md b/project-context.md
index 2b2b470..c395191 100644
--- a/project-context.md
+++ b/project-context.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Havenllo (Haven + Trello) is a lightweight, single-user, no-authentication kanba
 
 - Go module `havenllo`, Go 1.24.
 - Backend: `modernc.org/sqlite`, pure Go and CGO-free.
-- Frontend runtime: `preact`, `commonmark`, and `dompurify`; build tooling: `@preact/preset-vite`, `@types/commonmark`, `typescript`, and `vite`.
+- Frontend runtime: `preact`, `commonmark`, and `dompurify`; build tooling: `@preact/preset-vite`, `@types/commonmark`, `@types/node`, `typescript`, and `vite`.
 - Card movement: custom Pointer Events interaction; no DnD library.
 - Static SPA assets are embedded with Go `embed` from `web/dist`.
 - Runtime port: `8080`; `HAVENLLO_LISTEN_ADDR` defaults to `:8080` and `HAVENLLO_DATABASE_PATH` defaults to `/data/havenllo.db`.
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Havenllo (Haven + Trello) is a lightweight, single-user, no-authentication kanba
 
 ### Embedding bridge
 
-- `web/embed.go`: embeds `web/dist` and exports it as `web.Files` after stripping the `dist/` prefix. `web/dist` is generated and ignored; Docker rebuilds it.
+- `web/embed.go`: embeds `web/dist` and exports it as `web.Files` after stripping the `dist/` prefix. `web/dist` is generated and ignored except for its tracked `.gitkeep` placeholder, which keeps Go embeds valid before Vite runs; `web/vite.config.ts` recreates that placeholder after every build. Docker rebuilds the real bundle.
 
 ## Backend Architecture
 
diff --git a/web/dist/.gitkeep b/web/dist/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/web/package-lock.json b/web/package-lock.json
index 83a1dd5..dd7aca3 100644
--- a/web/package-lock.json
+++ b/web/package-lock.json
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
       "devDependencies": {
         "@preact/preset-vite": "^2.10.1",
         "@types/commonmark": "^0.27.10",
+        "@types/node": "^26.1.1",
         "typescript": "^5.8.3",
         "vite": "^6.3.5"
       }
@@ -1344,6 +1345,16 @@
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT"
     },
+    "node_modules/@types/node": {
+      "version": "26.1.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-26.1.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-nxAkRSVkN1Y0JC1W8ky/fTfkGsMmcrRsbx+3XoZE+rMOX71kLYTV7fLXpqud1GpbpP5TuffXFqfX7fH2GgZREw==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "undici-types": "~8.3.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@types/trusted-types": {
       "version": "2.0.7",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/trusted-types/-/trusted-types-2.0.7.tgz",
@@ -2048,6 +2059,13 @@
         "node": ">=14.17"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/undici-types": {
+      "version": "8.3.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/undici-types/-/undici-types-8.3.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-j375ScV60dom+YkPFIfTLcOiPxkN/buHz5GobjLhixFuANaNs3C9l4GmrWqejgXWJ7BbJcFYpTEUkS1Ge8bpZQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/update-browserslist-db": {
       "version": "1.2.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/update-browserslist-db/-/update-browserslist-db-1.2.3.tgz",
diff --git a/web/package.json b/web/package.json
index 8e63695..0952222 100644
--- a/web/package.json
+++ b/web/package.json
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "@preact/preset-vite": "^2.10.1",
     "@types/commonmark": "^0.27.10",
+    "@types/node": "^26.1.1",
     "typescript": "^5.8.3",
     "vite": "^6.3.5"
   },
diff --git a/web/vite.config.ts b/web/vite.config.ts
index cedf533..631cda3 100644
--- a/web/vite.config.ts
+++ b/web/vite.config.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,21 @@
+import { writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { defineConfig } from "vite";
 import preact from "@preact/preset-vite";
 
+const embedPlaceholder = new URL("./dist/.gitkeep", import.meta.url);
+
 export default defineConfig({
-  plugins: [preact()],
+  plugins: [
+    preact(),
+    {
+      name: "preserve-go-embed-placeholder",
+      closeBundle() {
+        writeFileSync(embedPlaceholder, "");
+      }
+    }
+  ],
   build: {
     outDir: "dist",
     emptyOutDir: true
   }
 });
-