diff --git a/video_worker/center_dispatch/scripts/start.sh b/video_worker/center_dispatch/scripts/start.sh
index 002a8bc..0745706 100644
--- a/video_worker/center_dispatch/scripts/start.sh
+++ b/video_worker/center_dispatch/scripts/start.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ if ! docker compose version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+CONTAINER_NAME="video-worker-center-dispatch"
+EXISTING_ID="$(docker ps -aq -f "name=^${CONTAINER_NAME}$" || true)"
+if [ -n "$EXISTING_ID" ]; then
+  echo "[WARN] found existing container ${CONTAINER_NAME} (${EXISTING_ID}), removing it"
+  docker rm -f "$EXISTING_ID" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+fi
+
 PORT=$(grep '^EDGE_DISPATCH_PORT=' .env | tail -n1 | cut -d'=' -f2- || true)
 PORT="${PORT:-8060}"