diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index e93a55c..fa2f076 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -15,16 +15,18 @@ RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --upgrade pip && \
 COPY src/ /app/src/
 COPY wordlists.json /app/
 COPY entrypoint.sh /app/
+COPY start.sh /app/
 COPY config.yaml /app/
 
 RUN useradd -m -u 1000 krawl && \
     mkdir -p /app/logs /app/data /app/exports && \
     chown -R krawl:krawl /app && \
-    chmod +x /app/entrypoint.sh
+    chmod +x /app/entrypoint.sh /app/start.sh
 
-EXPOSE 5000
+EXPOSE 5010
+EXPOSE 5123
 
 ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
 
 ENTRYPOINT ["/app/entrypoint.sh"]
-CMD ["uvicorn", "app:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "5000", "--app-dir", "src"]
+CMD ["/app/start.sh"]
diff --git a/config.yaml b/config.yaml
index cef8e52..9e21b45 100644
--- a/config.yaml
+++ b/config.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Krawl Honeypot Configuration
 
 server:
-  port: 5000
+  port: 5010
   delay: 100  # Response delay in milliseconds
 
   # manually set the server header, if null a random one will be used.
@@ -20,10 +20,9 @@ canary:
   token_tries: 10
 
 dashboard:
-  # if set to "null" this will Auto-generates random path if not set
-  # can be set to "/dashboard" or similar <-- note this MUST include a forward slash
-  # secret_path: super-secret-dashboard-path
-  secret_path: null
+  port: 5123
+  # Set to empty string "" to serve dashboard at root "/" on its own dedicated port
+  secret_path: ""
 
   # Password for accessing protected dashboard panels.
   # If null, a random password will be generated and printed in the logs.
diff --git a/docker-compose.yaml b/docker-compose.yaml
index feab0f5..428d85d 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 ---
-# THIS IS FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES
 services:
   krawl:
     build:
@@ -7,12 +6,15 @@ services:
       dockerfile: Dockerfile
     container_name: krawl-server
     ports:
-      - "5000:5000"
+      - "5010:5010"   # Honeypot (crawler trap)
+      - "5123:5123"   # Dashboard (public UI)
     environment:
       - CONFIG_LOCATION=config.yaml
       # Uncomment to set a custom dashboard password (auto-generated if not set)
       # - KRAWL_DASHBOARD_PASSWORD=your-secret-password
-      # set this to change timezone, alternatively mount /etc/timezone or /etc/localtime based on the time system management of the host environment
+      # Override ports if needed
+      # - HONEYPOT_PORT=5010
+      # - DASHBOARD_PORT=5123
       # - TZ=${TZ}
     volumes:
       - ./wordlists.json:/app/wordlists.json:ro
diff --git a/src/app.py b/src/app.py
index d3d8e7b..6f1ca86 100644
--- a/src/app.py
+++ b/src/app.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import os
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
 
 from fastapi import FastAPI, Request, Response
-from fastapi.staticfiles import StaticFiles
 
 from config import get_config
 from tracker import AccessTracker, set_tracker
@@ -72,21 +71,7 @@ async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
     tasks_master = get_tasksmaster()
     tasks_master.run_scheduled_tasks()
 
-    password_line = ""
-    if config.dashboard_password_generated:
-        password_line = (
-            f"\n\nDASHBOARD PASSWORD (auto-generated)\n{config.dashboard_password}"
-        )
-
-    banner = f"""
-
-============================================================
-DASHBOARD AVAILABLE AT
-{config.dashboard_secret_path}{password_line}
-============================================================
-    """
-    app_logger.info(banner)
-    app_logger.info(f"Starting deception server on port {config.port}...")
+    app_logger.info(f"Starting honeypot deception server on port {config.port}...")
     if config.canary_token_url:
         app_logger.info(
             f"Canary token will appear after {config.canary_token_tries} tries"
@@ -155,29 +140,10 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
             access_logger.info(f"[{method}] {client_ip} - {path} - {status}")
         return response
 
-    # Mount static files for the dashboard
-    config = get_config()
-    secret = config.dashboard_secret_path.lstrip("/")
-    static_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "templates", "static")
-    application.mount(
-        f"/{secret}/static",
-        StaticFiles(directory=static_dir),
-        name="dashboard-static",
-    )
-
     # Import and include routers
     from routes.honeypot import router as honeypot_router
-    from routes.api import router as api_router
-    from routes.dashboard import router as dashboard_router
-    from routes.htmx import router as htmx_router
 
-    # Dashboard/API/HTMX routes (prefixed with secret path, before honeypot catch-all)
-    dashboard_prefix = f"/{secret}"
-    application.include_router(dashboard_router, prefix=dashboard_prefix)
-    application.include_router(api_router, prefix=dashboard_prefix)
-    application.include_router(htmx_router, prefix=dashboard_prefix)
-
-    # Honeypot routes (catch-all must be last)
+    # Honeypot routes (catch-all)
     application.include_router(honeypot_router)
 
     return application
diff --git a/src/app_dashboard.py b/src/app_dashboard.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d62895
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app_dashboard.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+"""
+FastAPI application for the Krawl dashboard.
+Runs on a dedicated port (default 5123) and serves the dashboard at /.
+"""
+
+import os
+from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
+
+from fastapi import FastAPI, Request, Response
+from fastapi.staticfiles import StaticFiles
+
+from config import get_config
+from database import initialize_database
+from tasks_master import get_tasksmaster
+from logger import initialize_logging, get_app_logger
+
+
+@asynccontextmanager
+async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
+    """Dashboard application startup and shutdown lifecycle."""
+    config = get_config()
+    # Force dashboard path to empty (root) for this dedicated app
+    config.dashboard_secret_path = ""
+
+    initialize_logging(log_level=config.log_level)
+    app_logger = get_app_logger()
+
+    try:
+        app_logger.info(f"Initializing database at: {config.database_path}")
+        initialize_database(config.database_path)
+        app_logger.info("Database ready")
+    except Exception as e:
+        app_logger.warning(
+            f"Database initialization failed: {e}. Continuing with in-memory only."
+        )
+
+    app.state.config = config
+
+    # Start scheduled tasks (handles cache warming, backups, etc.)
+    tasks_master = get_tasksmaster()
+    tasks_master.run_scheduled_tasks()
+
+    password_line = ""
+    if config.dashboard_password_generated:
+        password_line = (
+            f"\n\nDASHBOARD PASSWORD (auto-generated)\n{config.dashboard_password}"
+        )
+
+    banner = f"""
+
+============================================================
+DASHBOARD AVAILABLE AT http://0.0.0.0:{config.dashboard_port}/{password_line}
+============================================================
+    """
+    app_logger.info(banner)
+    app_logger.info(f"Starting dashboard server on port {config.dashboard_port}...")
+
+    yield
+
+    app_logger.info("Dashboard server shutting down...")
+
+
+def create_dashboard_app() -> FastAPI:
+    """Create and configure the dashboard FastAPI application."""
+    application = FastAPI(
+        docs_url=None,
+        redoc_url=None,
+        openapi_url=None,
+        lifespan=lifespan,
+    )
+
+    # Mount static files at /static
+    static_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "templates", "static")
+    application.mount(
+        "/static",
+        StaticFiles(directory=static_dir),
+        name="dashboard-static",
+    )
+
+    from routes.api import router as api_router
+    from routes.dashboard import router as dashboard_router
+    from routes.htmx import router as htmx_router
+
+    # All dashboard routes at root prefix
+    application.include_router(dashboard_router, prefix="")
+    application.include_router(api_router, prefix="")
+    application.include_router(htmx_router, prefix="")
+
+    return application
+
+
+app = create_dashboard_app()
diff --git a/src/config.py b/src/config.py
index be0cf93..cb2c4c8 100644
--- a/src/config.py
+++ b/src/config.py
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ import yaml
 class Config:
     """Configuration class for the deception server"""
 
-    port: int = 5000
+    port: int = 5010
+    dashboard_port: int = 5123
     delay: int = 100  # milliseconds
     server_header: str = ""
     links_length_range: Tuple[int, int] = (5, 15)
@@ -173,6 +174,8 @@ class Config:
         dashboard_path = dashboard.get("secret_path")
         if dashboard_path is None:
             dashboard_path = f"/{os.urandom(16).hex()}"
+        elif dashboard_path == "":
+            dashboard_path = ""
         else:
             # ensure the dashboard path starts with a /
             if dashboard_path[:1] != "/":
@@ -186,7 +189,8 @@ class Config:
             dashboard_password_generated = True
 
         return cls(
-            port=server.get("port", 5000),
+            port=server.get("port", 5010),
+            dashboard_port=dashboard.get("port", 5123),
             delay=server.get("delay", 100),
             server_header=server.get("server_header", ""),
             links_length_range=(
diff --git a/src/routes/dashboard.py b/src/routes/dashboard.py
index 37f9d51..e9c150f 100644
--- a/src/routes/dashboard.py
+++ b/src/routes/dashboard.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ router = APIRouter()
 @router.get("/")
 async def dashboard_page(request: Request):
     config = request.app.state.config
-    dashboard_path = "/" + config.dashboard_secret_path.lstrip("/")
+    _path = config.dashboard_secret_path.strip("/")
+    dashboard_path = f"/{_path}" if _path else ""
 
     # Serve from pre-computed cache when available, fall back to live queries
     if is_warm():
@@ -50,7 +51,8 @@ async def ip_page(ip_address: str, request: Request):
     try:
         stats = db.get_ip_stats_by_ip(ip_address)
         config = request.app.state.config
-        dashboard_path = "/" + config.dashboard_secret_path.lstrip("/")
+        _path = config.dashboard_secret_path.strip("/")
+        dashboard_path = f"/{_path}" if _path else ""
 
         if stats:
             # Transform fields for template compatibility
diff --git a/src/routes/htmx.py b/src/routes/htmx.py
index 7452e8a..5c8cd76 100644
--- a/src/routes/htmx.py
+++ b/src/routes/htmx.py
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ router = APIRouter()
 
 def _dashboard_path(request: Request) -> str:
     config = request.app.state.config
-    return "/" + config.dashboard_secret_path.lstrip("/")
+    path = config.dashboard_secret_path.strip("/")
+    return f"/{path}" if path else ""
 
 
 # ── Honeypot Triggers ────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e337a2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+HONEYPOT_PORT=${HONEYPOT_PORT:-5010}
+DASHBOARD_PORT=${DASHBOARD_PORT:-5123}
+
+echo "Starting Krawl honeypot on port $HONEYPOT_PORT..."
+uvicorn app:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port "$HONEYPOT_PORT" --app-dir src &
+HONEYPOT_PID=$!
+
+echo "Starting Krawl dashboard on port $DASHBOARD_PORT..."
+uvicorn app_dashboard:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port "$DASHBOARD_PORT" --app-dir src &
+DASHBOARD_PID=$!
+
+# Wait for either process to exit; if one dies, kill the other
+wait -n 2>/dev/null || wait
+kill $HONEYPOT_PID $DASHBOARD_PID 2>/dev/null || true