diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 328accd9..0dda6698 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -57,3 +57,25 @@ jobs:
           JIRA_USER_EMAIL: dummy@example.com
           GITHUB_TOKEN: dummy
         run: uv run pytest tests/unit/ -q
+
+  container-build:
+    name: Container Build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Build production image
+        run: docker build --tag forge-ci:${{ github.sha }} .
+
+      - name: Verify application imports
+        run: >-
+          docker run --rm
+          --env JIRA_BASE_URL=https://example.atlassian.net
+          --env JIRA_API_TOKEN=dummy
+          --env JIRA_USER_EMAIL=dummy@example.com
+          --env GITHUB_TOKEN=dummy
+          forge-ci:${{ github.sha }}
+          python -c "import forge; from forge.main import app; assert app is not None"
+
+      - name: Verify Forge CLI entry point
+        run: docker run --rm forge-ci:${{ github.sha }} forge --help
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 026e74f4..4a22ff9f 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -10,8 +10,11 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     git \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
-# Install Python dependencies
+
+# Install Python dependencies and copy application code
 COPY pyproject.toml README.md ./
+COPY src/ ./src/
+
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir build && \
     pip wheel --no-cache-dir --wheel-dir /wheels -e .
 
@@ -30,9 +33,6 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
 COPY --from=builder /wheels /wheels
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir /wheels/* && rm -rf /wheels
 
-# Copy application code
-COPY src/ ./src/
-
 # Switch to non-root user
 USER forge