diff --git a/docs/guides/DOCKER_GUIDE.md b/docs/guides/DOCKER_GUIDE.md
index b1e6968cfc..3180c10e3b 100644
--- a/docs/guides/DOCKER_GUIDE.md
+++ b/docs/guides/DOCKER_GUIDE.md
@@ -196,14 +196,14 @@ Measured on this tree (`--target runner-base`, `OMNIROUTE_BUILD_MEMORY_MB=6144`)
 
 ### Runtime defaults
 
-Defaults exported by `runner-base`: `PORT=20128`, `HOSTNAME=0.0.0.0`, `NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=512`, `DATA_DIR=/app/data`, `OMNIROUTE_MIGRATIONS_DIR=/app/migrations`.
+Defaults exported by `runner-base`: `PORT=20128`, `HOSTNAME=0.0.0.0`, `OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB=1024`, `NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=1024`, `DATA_DIR=/app/data`, `OMNIROUTE_MIGRATIONS_DIR=/app/migrations`.
 
 Memory behavior in Docker:
 
-- `NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=512` is baked into the image as a fallback.
+- The image sets `OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB=1024` and derives `NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=1024` from it.
 - The actual server process is started by the standalone launcher, which reads `OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB` and appends `--max-old-space-size=<OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB>`.
 - Node uses the last repeated `--max-old-space-size` value, so setting `OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB` controls the effective Docker heap limit.
-- If `OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB` is unset, the launcher uses `512`.
+- Because the image always sets it, the launcher's own RAM-calibrated fallback never applies under Docker. Raise it explicitly (`-e OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB=2048`) on a host with headroom.
 
 ## Critical Environment Variables
 
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ Beyond the defaults documented in [ENVIRONMENT.md](../reference/ENVIRONMENT.md),
 | `REDIS_PORT`                  | Host-side port for the bundled Redis container                                                      | `6379`                   |
 | `REDIS_BIND_HOST`             | Host interface the bundled Redis port is published on (loopback unless you add AUTH)                | `127.0.0.1`              |
 | `AUTO_UPDATE_HOST_REPO_DIR`   | Host path mounted into `cli` profile at `/workspace/omniroute` for self-update workflows            | `.` (current directory)  |
-| `OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB`         | Runtime Node heap ceiling for the Docker standalone server; overrides the image fallback above      | `512`                    |
+| `OMNIROUTE_MEMORY_MB`         | Runtime Node heap ceiling for the Docker standalone server; overrides the image default above       | `1024`                   |
 | `DASHBOARD_PORT` / `API_PORT` | Override exposed ports for dashboard (20128) and API (20129)                                        | `20128` / `20129`        |
 | `OMNIROUTE_BASE_PATH`         | URL subpath when the app is published behind a reverse proxy (e.g. `/omniroute`)                    | _(empty = root)_         |
 | `NEXT_PUBLIC_BASE_URL`        | Public browser origin including the subpath (e.g. `https://host/omniroute`)                         | unset                    |