diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/compose/deploy_docker.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/compose/deploy_docker.py
index 0efaa10f..4134621a 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/compose/deploy_docker.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/compose/deploy_docker.py
@@ -48,10 +48,21 @@ class DockerDeployer(Deployer):
         self.compose_project_name = compose_project_name
         self.compose_env_file = compose_env_file
 
-    def up(self, detach, skip_cluster_management, services, image_overrides=None):
+    def up(
+        self,
+        detach,
+        skip_cluster_management,
+        services,
+        image_overrides=None,
+        force_recreate=False,
+    ):
         if not opts.o.dry_run:
             try:
-                return self.docker.compose.up(detach=detach, services=services)
+                return self.docker.compose.up(
+                    detach=detach,
+                    services=services,
+                    force_recreate=force_recreate,
+                )
             except DockerException as e:
                 raise DeployerException(e)
 
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deploy.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deploy.py
index fb32f91c..268f1b12 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deploy.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deploy.py
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ def up_operation(
     stay_attached=False,
     skip_cluster_management=False,
     image_overrides=None,
+    force_recreate=False,
 ):
     global_context = ctx.parent.parent.obj
     deploy_context = ctx.obj
@@ -161,6 +162,7 @@ def up_operation(
         skip_cluster_management=skip_cluster_management,
         services=services_list,
         image_overrides=image_overrides,
+        force_recreate=force_recreate,
     )
     for post_start_command in cluster_context.post_start_commands:
         _run_command(global_context, cluster_context.cluster, post_start_command)
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deployer.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deployer.py
index 107658ce..f96c6aeb 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deployer.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deployer.py
@@ -20,7 +20,14 @@ from typing import Optional
 
 class Deployer(ABC):
     @abstractmethod
-    def up(self, detach, skip_cluster_management, services, image_overrides=None):
+    def up(
+        self,
+        detach,
+        skip_cluster_management,
+        services,
+        image_overrides=None,
+        force_recreate=False,
+    ):
         pass
 
     @abstractmethod
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deployment.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deployment.py
index e0031561..3c4566d0 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deployment.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/deployment.py
@@ -471,12 +471,18 @@ def restart(ctx, stack_path, spec_file, config_file, force, expected_ip, image):
             ctx, deployment_context, maintenance_svc, image_overrides
         )
     else:
+        # force_recreate=True so source-file edits (alert rules, dashboards,
+        # entrypoint scripts, etc. mounted via bind volumes) are picked up.
+        # docker compose up -d alone is a no-op when the service definition
+        # itself is unchanged, leaving the running container with stale
+        # in-memory state.
         up_operation(
             ctx,
             services_list=None,
             stay_attached=False,
             skip_cluster_management=True,
             image_overrides=image_overrides or None,
+            force_recreate=True,
         )
 
     # Restore cwd after both create_operation and up_operation have run.
@@ -514,12 +520,15 @@ def _restart_with_maintenance(
 
     # Step 1: Apply the full deployment (creates/updates all pods + services)
     # This ensures maintenance pod exists before we swap Ingress to it.
+    # force_recreate intent matches the non-maintenance restart path; the
+    # k8s deployer currently ignores the flag (TODO in deploy_k8s.up).
     up_operation(
         ctx,
         services_list=None,
         stay_attached=False,
         skip_cluster_management=True,
         image_overrides=image_overrides or None,
+        force_recreate=True,
     )
 
     # Parse maintenance service spec: "container-name:port"
diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
index dcaf40b2..dd5a1586 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/deploy/k8s/deploy_k8s.py
@@ -987,7 +987,19 @@ class K8sDeployer(Deployer):
                     else:
                         raise
 
-    def up(self, detach, skip_cluster_management, services, image_overrides=None):
+    def up(
+        self,
+        detach,
+        skip_cluster_management,
+        services,
+        image_overrides=None,
+        force_recreate=False,
+    ):
+        # TODO: honor force_recreate by stamping the
+        # kubectl.kubernetes.io/restartedAt annotation on managed
+        # Deployments so a rollout occurs even when the manifest is
+        # unchanged. Today this method is a no-op for that flag.
+        # Tracked separately from the compose-side fix.
         # Merge spec-level image overrides with CLI overrides
         spec_overrides = self.cluster_info.spec.get("image-overrides", {})
         if spec_overrides: