diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/auth_bridge/mod.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/auth_bridge/mod.rs
index cd55876..43618af 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/auth_bridge/mod.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/auth_bridge/mod.rs
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ impl AuthBridgeManager {
     pub async fn start(
         &self,
         project_id: String,
-        container_id: String,
+        container: ContainerTarget,
         app: AppHandle,
         store: Arc<ProjectsStore>,
     ) {
@@ -199,12 +199,12 @@ impl AuthBridgeManager {
         log::info!(
             "Auth bridge: starting for project {} (container {})",
             project_id,
-            &container_id[..container_id.len().min(12)]
+            &container.id()[..container.id().len().min(12)]
         );
 
         let poller = tokio::spawn(poll_loop(
             project_id.clone(),
-            ContainerTarget::docker(container_id),
+            container,
             epoch,
             app,
             store,
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/auth_bridge/tunnel.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/auth_bridge/tunnel.rs
index d40588d..4c8ad96 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/auth_bridge/tunnel.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/auth_bridge/tunnel.rs
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ async fn tunnel_connection(
     }
 
     // The bytes already off the socket go back on the wire first, byte-exact.
-    tunnel_into_with_prelude(container, target, stream, port, head.into_buffer()).await
+    tunnel_connection_with_prelude(container, target, stream, port, head.into_buffer()).await
 }
 
 /// What the first bytes of an accepted connection turned out to be.
@@ -514,29 +514,7 @@ pub(crate) fn web_request_verdict(head: &str) -> Verdict {
 /// head off the socket to check a token, and then has to put those same bytes
 /// back on the wire. Passing them here keeps the byte stream exact, rather than
 /// re-serialising a parsed request.
-///
-/// Takes a Docker container id because that is what the browser-view proxy
-/// holds; [`tunnel_into_with_prelude`] is the same thing for a
-/// [`ContainerTarget`] already in hand.
 pub async fn tunnel_connection_with_prelude(
-    container_id: String,
-    target: String,
-    stream: TcpStream,
-    port: u16,
-    prelude: Vec<u8>,
-) {
-    tunnel_into_with_prelude(
-        ContainerTarget::docker(container_id),
-        target,
-        stream,
-        port,
-        prelude,
-    )
-    .await
-}
-
-/// [`tunnel_connection_with_prelude`] for a [`ContainerTarget`].
-pub async fn tunnel_into_with_prelude(
     container: ContainerTarget,
     target: String,
     stream: TcpStream,
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/commands.rs
index 1b4a5af..258b02e 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/commands.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use tauri::{AppHandle, State};
 
 use crate::browser_view::install::{self, BrowserSetupOutcome};
 use crate::browser_view::{manager, page, popout, BrowserViewState, BrowserViewStatus};
+use crate::host::ContainerTarget;
 use crate::AppState;
 
 /// Turn the pane on or off for a project.
@@ -57,12 +58,12 @@ pub async fn set_browser_view_enabled(
         return Ok(manager().status(&project_id, false).await);
     }
 
-    let container_id = running_container(&state, &project_id, "opening the browser view").await?;
+    let container = running_container(&state, &project_id, "opening the browser view").await?;
 
     manager()
         .start(
             project_id,
-            container_id,
+            container,
             app_handle,
             state.projects_store.clone(),
         )
@@ -106,8 +107,8 @@ pub async fn check_browser_view_support(
     project_id: String,
     state: State<'_, AppState>,
 ) -> Result<crate::browser_view::detect::PlaywrightDetection, String> {
-    let container_id = running_container(&state, &project_id, "checking for Playwright").await?;
-    crate::browser_view::detect::detect(&container_id).await
+    let container = running_container(&state, &project_id, "checking for Playwright").await?;
+    crate::browser_view::detect::detect(&container).await
 }
 
 /// Install `playwright` and `@playwright/cli` into the container.
@@ -125,8 +126,8 @@ pub async fn install_browser_view_support(
     app_handle: AppHandle,
     state: State<'_, AppState>,
 ) -> Result<BrowserSetupOutcome, String> {
-    let container_id = running_container(&state, &project_id, "installing Playwright").await?;
-    install::install_packages(&app_handle, &project_id, &container_id).await
+    let container = running_container(&state, &project_id, "installing Playwright").await?;
+    install::install_packages(&app_handle, &project_id, &container).await
 }
 
 /// Install a browser — `chromium` (Playwright's own build, for scripts that
@@ -143,8 +144,8 @@ pub async fn install_browser_view_browser(
     state: State<'_, AppState>,
 ) -> Result<BrowserSetupOutcome, String> {
     let target = install::BrowserTarget::parse(&browser)?;
-    let container_id = running_container(&state, &project_id, "installing a browser").await?;
-    install::install_browser(&app_handle, &project_id, &container_id, target).await
+    let container = running_container(&state, &project_id, "installing a browser").await?;
+    install::install_browser(&app_handle, &project_id, &container, target).await
 }
 
 /// Detach the view into a window of its own, or raise the one already open.
@@ -240,17 +241,17 @@ pub async fn open_page_in_container_browser(
     if !(trimmed.starts_with("http://") || trimmed.starts_with("https://")) {
         return Err("Only http:// and https:// URLs can be opened in the browser.".to_string());
     }
-    let container_id = running_container(&state, &project_id, "opening a page").await?;
+    let container = running_container(&state, &project_id, "opening a page").await?;
     crate::commands::project_commands::emit_progress(
         &app_handle,
         &project_id,
         "Checking the container for Playwright…",
     );
-    let detection = crate::browser_view::detect::detect(&container_id).await?;
+    let detection = crate::browser_view::detect::detect(&container).await?;
     let opened = page::open(
         &app_handle,
         &project_id,
-        &container_id,
+        &container,
         &detection,
         trimmed,
         page::Viewport::sane(width, height),
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ pub async fn open_page_in_container_browser(
         manager()
             .start(
                 project_id.clone(),
-                container_id,
+                container,
                 app_handle.clone(),
                 state.projects_store.clone(),
             )
@@ -309,8 +310,8 @@ pub async fn set_container_page_viewport(
     height: u32,
     state: State<'_, AppState>,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
-    let container_id = running_container(&state, &project_id, "resizing the page").await?;
-    page::set_viewport(&container_id, page::Viewport::sane(width, height)).await
+    let container = running_container(&state, &project_id, "resizing the page").await?;
+    page::set_viewport(&container, page::Viewport::sane(width, height)).await
 }
 
 /// State of the page this opened, if any. Never fails: "no page" is an answer.
@@ -319,10 +320,10 @@ pub async fn get_container_page_state(
     project_id: String,
     state: State<'_, AppState>,
 ) -> Result<page::PageState, String> {
-    let Ok(container_id) = running_container(&state, &project_id, "reading the page").await else {
+    let Ok(container) = running_container(&state, &project_id, "reading the page").await else {
         return Ok(page::PageState::default());
     };
-    Ok(page::state(&container_id).await)
+    Ok(page::state(&container).await)
 }
 
 /// Close the page this opened, leaving the view itself running.
@@ -331,8 +332,8 @@ pub async fn close_container_page(
     project_id: String,
     state: State<'_, AppState>,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
-    let container_id = running_container(&state, &project_id, "closing the page").await?;
-    page::close(&container_id).await;
+    let container = running_container(&state, &project_id, "closing the page").await?;
+    page::close(&container).await;
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -356,8 +357,8 @@ pub async fn set_browser_view_match_window(
     let Some((width, height)) = popout::inner_size(&app_handle, &project_id) else {
         return Ok(());
     };
-    let container_id = running_container(&state, &project_id, "matching the window").await?;
-    page::set_viewport(&container_id, page::Viewport::sane(width, height)).await
+    let container = running_container(&state, &project_id, "matching the window").await?;
+    page::set_viewport(&container, page::Viewport::sane(width, height)).await
 }
 
 /// Whether match-window mode is on. Read on mount, like the rest of the
@@ -391,28 +392,25 @@ async fn running_container(
     state: &State<'_, AppState>,
     project_id: &str,
     action: &str,
-) -> Result<String, String> {
+) -> Result<ContainerTarget, String> {
     let project = state
         .projects_store
         .get(project_id)
         .ok_or_else(|| format!("Project {} not found", project_id))?;
 
-    let Some(container_id) = project.container_id.clone() else {
+    let Some(container) = ContainerTarget::for_project(&project) else {
         return Err(format!(
             "This project has no container yet. Start it before {}.",
             action
         ));
     };
-    if !crate::docker::container::is_container_running(&container_id)
-        .await
-        .unwrap_or(false)
-    {
+    if !container.is_running().await.unwrap_or(false) {
         return Err(format!(
             "The container for “{}” isn't running. Start it before {}.",
             project.name, action
         ));
     }
-    Ok(container_id)
+    Ok(container)
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/detect.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/detect.rs
index eb88a06..adc5876 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/detect.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/detect.rs
@@ -277,12 +277,7 @@ impl PlaywrightDetection {
 /// Playwright installed with `npm i -g`, or merely *run* once through
 /// `npx @playwright/mcp`, is found as readily as one in
 /// `/workspace/node_modules`.
-pub async fn detect(container_id: &str) -> Result<PlaywrightDetection, String> {
-    detect_in(&ContainerTarget::docker(container_id)).await
-}
-
-/// [`detect`] against a target already in hand.
-pub async fn detect_in(container: &ContainerTarget) -> Result<PlaywrightDetection, String> {
+pub async fn detect(container: &ContainerTarget) -> Result<PlaywrightDetection, String> {
     let output = container
         .exec_oneshot(vec![
             "node".to_string(),
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/install.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/install.rs
index a6c149d..40ea69d 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/install.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/install.rs
@@ -238,16 +238,15 @@ pub struct BrowserSetupOutcome {
 pub async fn install_packages(
     app: &AppHandle,
     project_id: &str,
-    container_id: &str,
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
 ) -> Result<BrowserSetupOutcome, String> {
-    let container = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id);
     emit_progress(
         app,
         project_id,
         &format!("Installing @playwright/cli into {}/node_modules…", INSTALL_DIR),
     );
 
-    let mut step = npm_install(app, project_id, &container, &[VIEWER_PACKAGE]).await?;
+    let mut step = npm_install(app, project_id, container, &[VIEWER_PACKAGE]).await?;
     if step.exit_code != 0 {
         return Err(format!(
             "npm couldn't install the viewer package in this container (exit {}).\n\nnpm said:\n{}",
@@ -264,9 +263,9 @@ pub async fn install_packages(
     // see the note on `npm_install`. The pin can only be read after the first
     // install has written the manifest, which is why this stays two commands
     // rather than one.
-    let spec = pinned_playwright_spec(&container).await;
+    let spec = pinned_playwright_spec(container).await;
     emit_progress(app, project_id, &format!("Installing {}…", spec));
-    let second = npm_install(app, project_id, &container, &[VIEWER_PACKAGE, &spec]).await?;
+    let second = npm_install(app, project_id, container, &[VIEWER_PACKAGE, &spec]).await?;
     if second.exit_code != 0 {
         return Err(format!(
             "npm couldn't install {} in this container (exit {}).\n\nnpm said:\n{}",
@@ -278,7 +277,7 @@ pub async fn install_packages(
     step.log = merge_logs(step.log, second.log);
 
     emit_progress(app, project_id, "Re-checking what the container has…");
-    let detection = detect::detect_in(&container).await?;
+    let detection = detect::detect(container).await?;
 
     // A probe that still finds something missing after a successful npm run is
     // the interesting case, so it is surfaced rather than swallowed. And a
@@ -410,11 +409,10 @@ fn merge_logs(first: String, second: String) -> String {
 pub async fn install_browser(
     app: &AppHandle,
     project_id: &str,
-    container_id: &str,
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
     target: BrowserTarget,
 ) -> Result<BrowserSetupOutcome, String> {
-    let container = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id);
-    let before = detect::detect_in(&container).await?;
+    let before = detect::detect(container).await?;
     let Some(cli) = before.playwright_cli.clone() else {
         return Err(
             "Playwright isn't installed in this container yet, so there is nothing to install a \
@@ -458,7 +456,7 @@ pub async fn install_browser(
         project_id,
         "Step 1/3 — checking whether this container already has the browser system libraries…",
     );
-    let state = check_libraries(&container, &cli, target).await;
+    let state = check_libraries(container, &cli, target).await;
     match &state {
         LibraryState::Present => {
             emit_progress(
@@ -482,7 +480,7 @@ pub async fn install_browser(
             let deps = run_step(
                 app,
                 project_id,
-                &container,
+                container,
                 "root",
                 "/tmp",
                 vec![
@@ -530,7 +528,7 @@ pub async fn install_browser(
     let dl = run_step(
         app,
         project_id,
-        &container,
+        container,
         user,
         workdir,
         vec![
@@ -559,7 +557,7 @@ pub async fn install_browser(
         project_id,
         &format!("Step 3/3 — checking that {} actually launches…", target.cli_name()),
     );
-    let verdict = verify_launch(&container, &before, target).await;
+    let verdict = verify_launch(container, &before, target).await;
     push_section(&mut log, &verdict.detail);
     if !verdict.ok {
         warning = merge(
@@ -590,7 +588,7 @@ pub async fn install_browser(
     }
 
     emit_progress(app, project_id, "Re-checking what the container has…");
-    let detection = detect::detect_in(&container).await?;
+    let detection = detect::detect(container).await?;
 
     Ok(BrowserSetupOutcome {
         detection,
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/mod.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/mod.rs
index 374acb3..624bf2c 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/mod.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/mod.rs
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ impl BrowserViewManager {
     pub async fn start(
         &self,
         project_id: String,
-        container_id: String,
+        container: ContainerTarget,
         app: AppHandle,
         store: Arc<ProjectsStore>,
     ) -> Result<BrowserViewStatus, String> {
@@ -299,8 +299,7 @@ impl BrowserViewManager {
             return Ok(self.status(&project_id, true).await);
         }
 
-        let container = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id.as_str());
-        let detection = detect::detect_in(&container).await?;
+        let detection = detect::detect(&container).await?;
         if !detection.is_usable() {
             let blocker = detection.blocker().unwrap_or_else(|| {
                 "Playwright is present but incomplete in this container.".to_string()
@@ -328,7 +327,7 @@ impl BrowserViewManager {
         // `--host 127.0.0.1` is ours to set, so the family is known and there is
         // no need to go back to /proc/net to work it out.
         let proxy = match BrowserViewProxy::bind(
-            container_id.clone(),
+            container.clone(),
             container_port,
             PortFamily::V4,
             token.clone(),
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/page.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/page.rs
index c2d134a..f30c389 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/page.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/page.rs
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ pub struct PageState {
 pub async fn open(
     app: &AppHandle,
     project_id: &str,
-    container_id: &str,
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
     detection: &PlaywrightDetection,
     url: &str,
     viewport: Viewport,
@@ -115,17 +115,17 @@ pub async fn open(
     // Reuse a helper that is already up. Relaunching would throw away the
     // browser's cookies and storage — which for the auth case means signing in
     // again to reach the second page, having just signed in on the first.
-    if state(container_id).await.ready {
+    if state(container).await.ready {
         emit_progress(app, project_id, "Navigating the container's browser…");
-        set_viewport(container_id, viewport).await?;
-        navigate(container_id, url).await?;
-        if let Some(state) = wait_for_url(container_id, url).await {
+        set_viewport(container, viewport).await?;
+        navigate(container, url).await?;
+        if let Some(state) = wait_for_url(container, url).await {
             return Ok(state);
         }
         // It stopped answering; fall through and start a fresh one.
     }
 
-    close(container_id).await;
+    close(container).await;
     // Cold start: a browser launch plus a page load, which is the several
     // seconds the user would otherwise spend wondering whether the click
     // registered.
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ pub async fn open(
         shell_quote(&script),
         HELPER_LOG
     );
-    ContainerTarget::docker(container_id)
+    container
         .exec_oneshot_as(
             "claude",
             vec!["sh".to_string(), "-c".to_string(), launcher],
@@ -160,36 +160,36 @@ pub async fn open(
         .map_err(|e| format!("Could not start the browser helper: {}", e))?;
 
     emit_progress(app, project_id, "Waiting for the page to load…");
-    wait_until_ready(container_id).await
+    wait_until_ready(container).await
 }
 
 /// Resize the open page. Cheap enough to call from a window-resize handler.
-pub async fn set_viewport(container_id: &str, viewport: Viewport) -> Result<(), String> {
+pub async fn set_viewport(container: &ContainerTarget, viewport: Viewport) -> Result<(), String> {
     write_control(
-        container_id,
+        container,
         serde_json::json!({ "viewport": viewport }).to_string(),
     )
     .await
 }
 
 /// Navigate the open page without relaunching the browser.
-pub async fn navigate(container_id: &str, url: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
-    write_control(container_id, serde_json::json!({ "url": url }).to_string()).await
+pub async fn navigate(container: &ContainerTarget, url: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    write_control(container, serde_json::json!({ "url": url }).to_string()).await
 }
 
 /// Ask the helper to shut down. Best effort: a container that has none is the
 /// normal case, and the caller is usually about to start one anyway.
-pub async fn close(container_id: &str) {
-    let _ = write_control(container_id, serde_json::json!({ "close": true }).to_string()).await;
+pub async fn close(container: &ContainerTarget) {
+    let _ = write_control(container, serde_json::json!({ "close": true }).to_string()).await;
 }
 
 /// Current state, or a default when no helper has ever run here.
-pub async fn state(container_id: &str) -> PageState {
+pub async fn state(container: &ContainerTarget) -> PageState {
     let script = format!(
         "try{{process.stdout.write(require('fs').readFileSync('{}','utf8'));}}catch(e){{}}",
         STATE_PATH
     );
-    let Ok((out, _)) = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id)
+    let Ok((out, _)) = container
         .exec_oneshot_as(
             "claude",
             vec!["node".to_string(), "-e".to_string(), script],
@@ -204,12 +204,12 @@ pub async fn state(container_id: &str) -> PageState {
 
 /// Write the control file through Node rather than a shell redirect, so a URL
 /// is never interpreted by `sh`.
-async fn write_control(container_id: &str, json: String) -> Result<(), String> {
+async fn write_control(container: &ContainerTarget, json: String) -> Result<(), String> {
     let script = format!(
         "require('fs').writeFileSync('{}',process.argv[1]);",
         CONTROL_PATH
     );
-    ContainerTarget::docker(container_id)
+    container
         .exec_oneshot_as(
             "claude",
             vec!["node".to_string(), "-e".to_string(), script, json],
@@ -225,10 +225,10 @@ async fn write_control(container_id: &str, json: String) -> Result<(), String> {
 /// Bounded much tighter than a cold start: the browser is already up, so this
 /// is one navigation. `None` means it stopped answering, and the caller starts
 /// a fresh helper rather than reporting a page that isn't there.
-async fn wait_for_url(container_id: &str, url: &str) -> Option<PageState> {
+async fn wait_for_url(container: &ContainerTarget, url: &str) -> Option<PageState> {
     let deadline = std::time::Instant::now() + REUSE_TIMEOUT;
     loop {
-        let state = state(container_id).await;
+        let state = state(container).await;
         if state.ready && state.url.as_deref() == Some(url) {
             return Some(state);
         }
@@ -240,10 +240,10 @@ async fn wait_for_url(container_id: &str, url: &str) -> Option<PageState> {
 }
 
 /// Poll the state file until the helper says the page is up, or says why not.
-async fn wait_until_ready(container_id: &str) -> Result<PageState, String> {
+async fn wait_until_ready(container: &ContainerTarget) -> Result<PageState, String> {
     let deadline = std::time::Instant::now() + READY_TIMEOUT;
     loop {
-        let state = state(container_id).await;
+        let state = state(container).await;
         if let Some(error) = state.error.clone() {
             return Err(error);
         }
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/popout.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/popout.rs
index 1b84cf3..0b5bb8f 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/popout.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/popout.rs
@@ -255,15 +255,15 @@ fn on_resized(app: &AppHandle, project_id: &str, width: u32, height: u32) {
         }
 
         let state = app.state::<crate::AppState>();
-        let Some(container_id) = state
+        let Some(container) = state
             .projects_store
             .get(&project_id)
-            .and_then(|p| p.container_id)
+            .and_then(|p| crate::host::ContainerTarget::for_project(&p))
         else {
             return;
         };
         if let Err(e) = super::page::set_viewport(
-            &container_id,
+            &container,
             super::page::Viewport::sane(width, height),
         )
         .await
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/proxy.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/proxy.rs
index 522f6dd..8d4c42c 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/proxy.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/browser_view/proxy.rs
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ use tokio::task::{JoinHandle, JoinSet};
 
 use crate::auth_bridge::proc_net::PortFamily;
 use crate::auth_bridge::tunnel::tunnel_connection_with_prelude;
+use crate::host::ContainerTarget;
 
 /// Host loopback ports the pane may be served on, and therefore the exact set of
 /// origins enumerated in the app's `frame-src`. Keep the two in sync: adding a
@@ -103,9 +104,9 @@ impl Drop for BrowserViewProxy {
 
 impl BrowserViewProxy {
     /// Take the first free port in [`PROXY_PORTS`] on the host loopback and
-    /// start gating connections into `container_id`'s `container_port`.
+    /// start gating connections into `container`'s `container_port`.
     pub async fn bind(
-        container_id: String,
+        container: ContainerTarget,
         container_port: u16,
         family: PortFamily,
         token: String,
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ impl BrowserViewProxy {
                 Ok(listener) => {
                     let task = tokio::spawn(accept_loop(
                         listener,
-                        container_id,
+                        container,
                         family.socat_target(container_port),
                         container_port,
                         token,
@@ -172,7 +173,7 @@ fn host_authorities(port: u16) -> Vec<String> {
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 async fn accept_loop(
     listener: TcpListener,
-    container_id: String,
+    container: ContainerTarget,
     target: String,
     container_port: u16,
     token: String,
@@ -195,7 +196,7 @@ async fn accept_loop(
                 let _ = stream.set_nodelay(true);
                 conns.spawn(serve_connection(
                     stream,
-                    container_id.clone(),
+                    container.clone(),
                     target.clone(),
                     container_port,
                     token.clone(),
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ async fn accept_loop(
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 async fn serve_connection(
     mut stream: TcpStream,
-    container_id: String,
+    container: ContainerTarget,
     target: String,
     container_port: u16,
     token: String,
@@ -249,7 +250,7 @@ async fn serve_connection(
 
     // Authorized: hand the socket to the same socat-over-Docker-exec tunnel the
     // auth bridge uses, replaying the head we had to buffer to make the call.
-    tunnel_connection_with_prelude(container_id, target, stream, container_port, head).await;
+    tunnel_connection_with_prelude(container, target, stream, container_port, head).await;
 }
 
 /// Read bytes until the end of the HTTP request head (`\r\n\r\n`), or fail.
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/auth_bridge_commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/auth_bridge_commands.rs
index dddff71..70bb354 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/auth_bridge_commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/auth_bridge_commands.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 use tauri::{AppHandle, State};
 
 use crate::auth_bridge::AuthBridgeStatus;
+use crate::host::ContainerTarget;
 use crate::AppState;
 
 /// Turn the bridge on or off for a project and return the resulting status.
@@ -29,16 +30,13 @@ pub async fn set_auth_bridge_enabled(
             .projects_store
             .get(&project_id)
             .ok_or_else(|| format!("Project {} not found", project_id))?;
-        if let Some(container_id) = project.container_id {
-            if crate::docker::container::is_container_running(&container_id)
-                .await
-                .unwrap_or(false)
-            {
+        if let Some(container) = ContainerTarget::for_project(&project) {
+            if container.is_running().await.unwrap_or(false) {
                 state
                     .auth_bridge
                     .start(
                         project_id.clone(),
-                        container_id,
+                        container,
                         app_handle,
                         state.projects_store.clone(),
                     )
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/file_commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/file_commands.rs
index 1a472df..27458f7 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/file_commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/file_commands.rs
@@ -1202,15 +1202,12 @@ pub(crate) struct FetchedFile {
 /// file — or the whole *directory tree*, since the type check happens after the
 /// read — landed in host RAM twice. This function buffers, so every caller of
 /// it must name a ceiling.
-///
-/// Takes a container id rather than a [`ContainerTarget`] because the file
-/// viewer's commands call it with the id they already hold.
 pub(crate) async fn fetch_container_file(
-    container_id: &str,
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
     container_path: &str,
     max_bytes: u64,
 ) -> Result<FetchedFile, String> {
-    let mut stream = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id).download_archive(container_path);
+    let mut stream = container.download_archive(container_path);
 
     // A tar member is a 512-byte header plus payload padded to 512. 8 KiB of
     // slack past the payload cap guarantees the header and the whole capped
@@ -1297,7 +1294,7 @@ pub async fn read_container_file(
         .ok_or_else(|| "Container not running".to_string())?;
 
     let cap = max_bytes.unwrap_or(MAX_READ_BYTES).min(MAX_READ_BYTES);
-    let fetched = fetch_container_file(target.id(), &path, cap).await?;
+    let fetched = fetch_container_file(&target, &path, cap).await?;
 
     Ok(FileContents {
         contents_base64: BASE64.encode(&fetched.bytes),
@@ -1451,14 +1448,14 @@ pub(crate) fn not_running_message(action: &str, why: &str) -> String {
 /// upload it surfaces even less usefully: `resolve_container_dir`'s `realpath`
 /// is the first thing to touch the container, so a stopped project fails inside
 /// path *validation* and reads like the path was the problem.
-///
-/// Takes a container id rather than a [`ContainerTarget`] because the file
-/// viewer's commands call it with the id they already hold.
-pub(crate) async fn require_running(container_id: &str, action: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+pub(crate) async fn require_running(
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
+    action: &str,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
     // An unreachable daemon is an error; an inspect failure (container gone)
     // reads as "not running" — `is_running`'s contract, and what this did
     // when it inspected the container itself.
-    let running = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id).is_running().await?;
+    let running = container.is_running().await?;
     if running {
         return Ok(());
     }
@@ -1532,7 +1529,7 @@ pub async fn download_container_file(
     let target = ContainerTarget::for_project(&project)
         .ok_or_else(|| "No container exists for this project yet — start it first".to_string())?;
 
-    require_running(target.id(), "saving a file to the host").await?;
+    require_running(&target, "saving a file to the host").await?;
 
     let Some(chosen) = pick_save_path(&window, &suggested_save_name(&container_path)).await else {
         // Dismissed. Not an error, and deliberately distinguishable from one:
@@ -1887,7 +1884,7 @@ pub async fn upload_files_to_container(
 
     // Both checks before the dialog, so a project that cannot receive files
     // says so instead of asking the user to choose some first.
-    require_running(target.id(), "uploading files").await?;
+    require_running(&target, "uploading files").await?;
     resolve_container_dir(&target, "Upload", &container_dir).await?;
 
     let Some(picked) = pick_files_to_upload(&window).await else {
@@ -2241,7 +2238,7 @@ pub async fn download_container_backup(
     let target = ContainerTarget::for_project(&project)
         .ok_or_else(|| "No container exists for this project yet — start it first".to_string())?;
 
-    require_running(target.id(), "backing up").await?;
+    require_running(&target, "backing up").await?;
 
     let path = container_path.unwrap_or_else(|| "/workspace".to_string());
     // Read-only source: `tar -C` it, so absoluteness and `..` are what matter.
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/file_viewer_commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/file_viewer_commands.rs
index dc9f65f..8e8fb11 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/file_viewer_commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/file_viewer_commands.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use crate::file_viewer::registry::{
 use crate::file_viewer::resolve::{candidate_paths, fallback_candidate_paths, probe_candidates};
 use crate::file_viewer::window::open_viewer_window;
 use crate::file_viewer::write::{sha256_hex, write_file, SavedFile, MAX_WRITE_BYTES};
+use crate::host::ContainerTarget;
 use crate::models::Project;
 use crate::AppState;
 
@@ -113,13 +114,11 @@ fn project_of(state: &AppState, project_id: &str) -> Result<Project, String> {
 }
 
 /// `action` completes "Start the project before …", e.g. "saving this file".
-async fn running_container_of(project: &Project, action: &str) -> Result<String, String> {
-    let container_id = project
-        .container_id
-        .clone()
+async fn running_container_of(project: &Project, action: &str) -> Result<ContainerTarget, String> {
+    let container = ContainerTarget::for_project(project)
         .ok_or_else(|| not_running_message(action, "files live in its container"))?;
-    require_running(&container_id, action).await?;
-    Ok(container_id)
+    require_running(&container, action).await?;
+    Ok(container)
 }
 
 /// The container of the project a viewer window belongs to, if it is running.
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ async fn running_container_for(
     state: &AppState,
     target: &ViewerTarget,
     action: &str,
-) -> Result<String, String> {
+) -> Result<ContainerTarget, String> {
     running_container_of(&project_of(state, &target.project_id)?, action).await
 }
 
@@ -156,17 +155,17 @@ pub async fn open_file_viewer(
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
     require_main(window.label())?;
     let project = project_of(&state, &project_id)?;
-    let container_id = running_container_of(&project, "opening files").await?;
+    let container = running_container_of(&project, "opening files").await?;
 
     let mounts: Vec<String> = project.paths.iter().map(|p| p.mount_name.clone()).collect();
     let mut candidates = candidate_paths(&path, &mounts)?;
-    let mut matches = probe_candidates(&container_id, &candidates).await?;
+    let mut matches = probe_candidates(&container, &candidates).await?;
     // Not in the project: try home and /tmp, as a second exec so a project file
     // never becomes a chooser because a namesake sits in /tmp.
     if matches.is_empty() {
         let fallbacks = fallback_candidate_paths(&path);
         if !fallbacks.is_empty() {
-            matches = probe_candidates(&container_id, &fallbacks).await?;
+            matches = probe_candidates(&container, &fallbacks).await?;
             candidates.extend(fallbacks);
         }
     }
@@ -253,9 +252,9 @@ pub async fn viewer_read_file(
 ) -> Result<ViewerFile, String> {
     let (_label, target) = own_target(&window, &registry)?;
     let path = resolved_path(&target)?;
-    let container_id = running_container_for(&state, &target, "opening files").await?;
+    let container = running_container_for(&state, &target, "opening files").await?;
     let cap = max_bytes.clamp(1, MAX_READ_BYTES);
-    let fetched = fetch_container_file(&container_id, &path, cap).await?;
+    let fetched = fetch_container_file(&container, &path, cap).await?;
     let (editable, readonly_reason) = match validate_container_write_path("File", &path) {
         Ok(()) => (true, None),
         Err(reason) => (false, Some(reason)),
@@ -278,8 +277,8 @@ pub async fn viewer_poll_file(
 ) -> Result<ViewerPoll, String> {
     let (_label, target) = own_target(&window, &registry)?;
     let path = resolved_path(&target)?;
-    let container_id = running_container_for(&state, &target, "checking this file for changes").await?;
-    poll_file(&container_id, &path).await
+    let container = running_container_for(&state, &target, "checking this file for changes").await?;
+    poll_file(&container, &path).await
 }
 
 /// Errors from `write_file` pass through unchanged: the frontend matches the
@@ -302,8 +301,8 @@ pub async fn viewer_write_file(
     let bytes = BASE64
         .decode(contents_base64.as_bytes())
         .map_err(|_| "The editor sent malformed content.".to_string())?;
-    let container_id = running_container_for(&state, &target, "saving this file").await?;
-    write_file(&container_id, &state.exec_manager, &path, &bytes, &base_hash).await
+    let container = running_container_for(&state, &target, "saving this file").await?;
+    write_file(&container, &state.exec_manager, &path, &bytes, &base_hash).await
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/marketplace_commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/marketplace_commands.rs
index c346224..c59a127 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/marketplace_commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/marketplace_commands.rs
@@ -945,10 +945,10 @@ pub async fn apply_marketplace_now(
     let mut results = Vec::new();
     for p in projects {
         let running = match ContainerTarget::for_project(&p) {
-            Some(target) => target.is_running().await.unwrap_or(false),
-            None => false,
+            Some(target) if target.is_running().await.unwrap_or(false) => Some(target),
+            _ => None,
         };
-        if !running {
+        let Some(target) = running else {
             if project_id.is_some() {
                 return Err(format!(
                     "\"{}\" is not running. Its marketplace items are applied when it starts.",
@@ -956,9 +956,8 @@ pub async fn apply_marketplace_now(
                 ));
             }
             continue;
-        }
-        let cid = p.container_id.clone().unwrap_or_default();
-        let report = mk::sync_project(&state.marketplace, &settings, &p, &cid).await;
+        };
+        let report = mk::sync_project(&state.marketplace, &settings, &p, &target).await;
         let _ = app_handle.emit(
             mk::SYNC_FINISHED_EVENT,
             serde_json::json!({ "project_id": p.id, "report": report }),
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
index a52a17b..becd18c 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
@@ -1491,7 +1491,8 @@ async fn start_project_container_locked(
             .auth_bridge
             .start(
                 project_id.clone(),
-                container_id.clone(),
+                // phase 1b: lifecycle will hand out the target
+                crate::host::ContainerTarget::docker(container_id.clone()),
                 app_handle.clone(),
                 state.projects_store.clone(),
             )
@@ -1695,12 +1696,12 @@ pub async fn reconcile_project_statuses(
             // bridge lives in this process, so re-arm it here. `start` is
             // idempotent, so a bridge that is already polling is untouched.
             if project.auth_bridge_enabled {
-                if let Some(ref container_id) = project.container_id {
+                if let Some(target) = crate::host::ContainerTarget::for_project(&project) {
                     state
                         .auth_bridge
                         .start(
                             project.id.clone(),
-                            container_id.clone(),
+                            target,
                             app_handle.clone(),
                             state.projects_store.clone(),
                         )
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/poll.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/poll.rs
index 28dd359..905e172 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/poll.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/poll.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ pub fn parse_poll_output(code: i64, stdout: &str) -> ViewerPoll {
     ViewerPoll { exists: true, hash, size }
 }
 
-pub async fn poll_file(container_id: &str, container_path: &str) -> Result<ViewerPoll, String> {
+pub async fn poll_file(
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
+    container_path: &str,
+) -> Result<ViewerPoll, String> {
     let cmd = vec![
         "sh".to_string(),
         "-c".to_string(),
@@ -48,7 +51,7 @@ pub async fn poll_file(container_id: &str, container_path: &str) -> Result<Viewe
         "poll".to_string(),
         container_path.to_string(),
     ];
-    let (stdout, stderr, code) = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id)
+    let (stdout, stderr, code) = container
         .exec_oneshot_streams_as("claude", cmd, Vec::new())
         .await?;
     if code != 0 && code != 4 {
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/resolve.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/resolve.rs
index 8ceeffc..320e4e6 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/resolve.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/resolve.rs
@@ -131,12 +131,12 @@ pub fn parse_probe_output(stdout: &str) -> Vec<String> {
 }
 
 pub async fn probe_candidates(
-    container_id: &str,
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
     candidates: &[String],
 ) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
     let mut cmd: Vec<String> = vec!["sh".into(), "-c".into(), PROBE_SCRIPT.into(), "probe".into()];
     cmd.extend(candidates.iter().cloned());
-    let (stdout, _stderr, _code) = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id)
+    let (stdout, _stderr, _code) = container
         .exec_oneshot_streams_as("claude", cmd, Vec::new())
         .await?;
     Ok(parse_probe_output(&stdout))
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/write.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/write.rs
index d11315c..28172f2 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/write.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/file_viewer/write.rs
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ fn saved_file(outcome: WriteOutcome, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<SavedFile, String>
 }
 
 pub async fn write_file(
-    container_id: &str,
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
     exec_manager: &ExecSessionManager,
     target: &str,
     bytes: &[u8],
@@ -180,9 +180,8 @@ pub async fn write_file(
 ) -> Result<SavedFile, String> {
     check_write_input(bytes.len(), base_hash)?;
     let tmp_name = format!("triple-c-viewer-{}", uuid::Uuid::new_v4().simple());
-    let container = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id);
     let tmp_path = exec_manager
-        .write_file_to_container(&container, &tmp_name, bytes)
+        .write_file_to_container(container, &tmp_name, bytes)
         .await?;
     let cmd = write_command(target, &tmp_path, base_hash);
     let (stdout, stderr, code) = container
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/mod.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/mod.rs
index 010b130..bec3b98 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/mod.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/mod.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ use crate::models::marketplace::{
     effective_installs, CatalogItem, ItemKind, ItemUpdate, Marketplace, MarketplaceInstall, MarketplaceSnapshot,
     SyncReport,
 };
+use crate::host::ContainerTarget;
 use crate::models::{AppSettings, Project};
 use catalog::{item_fingerprint, parse_catalog};
 use tree::GitTree;
@@ -505,7 +506,7 @@ pub async fn sync_project(
     mgr: &MarketplaceManager,
     settings: &AppSettings,
     project: &Project,
-    container_id: &str,
+    container: &ContainerTarget,
 ) -> SyncReport {
     let lock = mgr.sync_lock(&project.id);
     let _sync_guard = lock.lock().await;
@@ -533,7 +534,7 @@ pub async fn sync_project(
                 items,
                 p.skipped.len()
             );
-            let result = sync::sync_container(container_id, &p).await;
+            let result = sync::sync_container(container, &p).await;
             sync::with_payload_skips(sync::report_from_result(result), &p.skipped)
         }
         Err(e) => sync::report_from_result(Err(e)),
@@ -561,8 +562,13 @@ pub fn spawn_project_sync(
     if !should_sync(&mgr, &settings, &project) {
         return;
     }
+    // phase 1b: lifecycle will hand out the target. Until then the start path
+    // only has the fresh container's id: `project.container_id` is written
+    // after this is called, so `ContainerTarget::for_project` could name a
+    // container that was just replaced, or none at all.
+    let container = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id);
     tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async move {
-        let report = sync_project(&mgr, &settings, &project, &container_id).await;
+        let report = sync_project(&mgr, &settings, &project, &container).await;
         if !report.errors.is_empty() {
             log::warn!(
                 "Marketplace sync for project {} reported errors: {:?}",
@@ -1132,9 +1138,10 @@ mod tests {
 
         let lock = mgr.sync_lock(&project.id);
         let guard = lock.lock().await;
+        let nowhere = ContainerTarget::docker("no-such-container");
         let blocked = tokio::time::timeout(
             std::time::Duration::from_millis(300),
-            sync_project(&mgr, &settings, &project, "no-such-container"),
+            sync_project(&mgr, &settings, &project, &nowhere),
         )
         .await;
         assert!(blocked.is_err(), "sync must wait while another sync holds the lock");
@@ -1143,7 +1150,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         // No Docker (or no such container) here: the failure becomes a stored
         // report instead of an error.
-        let report = sync_project(&mgr, &settings, &project, "no-such-container").await;
+        let report = sync_project(&mgr, &settings, &project, &nowhere).await;
         assert_eq!(report.errors.len(), 1, "{report:?}");
         assert!(!report.finished_at.is_empty());
         assert_eq!(mgr.report(&project.id), Some(report));
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/sync.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/sync.rs
index 7c7352b..0c84a08 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/sync.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/marketplace/sync.rs
@@ -92,9 +92,11 @@ fn tail(text: &str, max: usize) -> &str {
 
 /// Wait for readiness, upload the payload and the script, run the script as
 /// `claude`, and return its report.
-pub async fn sync_container(container_id: &str, payload: &Payload) -> Result<SyncReport, String> {
-    let target = ContainerTarget::docker(container_id);
-    wait_until_ready(&target).await?;
+pub async fn sync_container(
+    target: &ContainerTarget,
+    payload: &Payload,
+) -> Result<SyncReport, String> {
+    wait_until_ready(target).await?;
 
     let (out, code) = target
         .exec_oneshot_as("root", sh(PREPARE_SCRIPT), vec![])