diff --git a/workspace/sprint_1_2/CODEBASE/deps/implementation/backend_deploy/gitea_modal_build.py b/workspace/sprint_1_2/CODEBASE/deps/implementation/backend_deploy/gitea_modal_build.py
index 92a19d4..db3fe34 100644
--- a/workspace/sprint_1_2/CODEBASE/deps/implementation/backend_deploy/gitea_modal_build.py
+++ b/workspace/sprint_1_2/CODEBASE/deps/implementation/backend_deploy/gitea_modal_build.py
@@ -22,64 +22,30 @@ import json
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 import subprocess
-
-
 import modal
 
 # =============================================================================
-# Configuration - Dynamic paths relative to this script
+# Configuration
 # =============================================================================
-
-# Get the directory where this script actually lives on the machine running it
-SCRIPT_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
-
-# When running inside Modal, the project files are baked into /workspace.
-# When running locally, walk up from the script location.
-_MODAL_WORKSPACE = Path("/workspace")
-if (_MODAL_WORKSPACE / "backend").exists():
-    PROJECT_ROOT = _MODAL_WORKSPACE
-    DOCKERFILE_PATH = _MODAL_WORKSPACE / "deps" / "implementation" / "backend_deploy" / "Dockerfile"
-else:
-    PROJECT_ROOT = SCRIPT_DIR
-    while not (PROJECT_ROOT / "backend").exists() and PROJECT_ROOT != PROJECT_ROOT.parent:
-        PROJECT_ROOT = PROJECT_ROOT.parent
-    DOCKERFILE_PATH = SCRIPT_DIR / "Dockerfile"
-
-print(f"--- Environment Verification ---")
-print(f"Script location: {SCRIPT_DIR}")
-print(f"Resolved PROJECT_ROOT: {PROJECT_ROOT} (Exists: {PROJECT_ROOT.exists()})")
-print(f"Resolved DOCKERFILE_PATH: {DOCKERFILE_PATH} (Exists: {DOCKERFILE_PATH.exists()})")
-print(f"----------------------------------------")
-
-# Project layout variables
-BACKEND_SOURCE = "backend"
-REQUIREMENTS_FILE = "requirements.txt"
-
-# Default registry/image settings
 DEFAULT_REGISTRY = "public.ecr.aws/i9a4e3f6/msk-cv-inference-server"
 DEFAULT_IMAGE_NAME = "msk-lumina-backend"
 DEFAULT_TAG = "latest"
-
-# Modal app configuration
 APP_NAME = "msk-lumina-backend-builder"
 
 # =============================================================================
-# Modal Image Definition - Kaniko-based builder (no Docker daemon required)
+# Modal Image Definition
 # =============================================================================
-
-# Install Kaniko from chainguard-forks and AWS auth dependencies.
-# The project source files are baked into the image at /workspace so Kaniko
-# can access the build context and Dockerfile at runtime.
 builder_image = (
-    modal.Image.debian_slim()
+    # 1. Start from Kaniko debug (includes a basic shell, necessary for Modal)
+    modal.Image.from_registry("gcr.io/kaniko-project/executor:debug")
+    
+    # 2. Inject python-pip and dependencies natively on top of the image
     .apt_install("curl", "ca-certificates")
-    .run_commands(
-        "curl -sSL https://github.com/chainguard-forks/kaniko/releases/latest/download/kaniko -o /usr/local/bin/kaniko",
-        "chmod +x /usr/local/bin/kaniko",
-    )
-    .pip_install("boto3")  # for ECR auth token retrieval
+    .pip_install("boto3")
+    
+    # 3. Mount your local project directory context to /workspace
     .add_local_dir(
-        str(PROJECT_ROOT),
+        os.getcwd(), # Or your dynamic project root lookup path
         remote_path="/workspace",
     )
 )
@@ -89,14 +55,11 @@ app = modal.App(APP_NAME, image=builder_image)
 # =============================================================================
 # Build and Push Function (Kaniko)
 # =============================================================================
-
 @app.function(
-    timeout=900,  # 15 min for heavy ML deps (torch, transformers, etc.)
+    timeout=900,
     cpu=4,
-    memory=8192,  # 8GB RAM - plenty for wheel building
-    secrets=[
-        modal.Secret.from_name("aws-secrets"),  # AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID, AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY, AWS_REGION
-    ],
+    memory=8192,
+    secrets=[modal.Secret.from_name("aws-secrets")],
 )
 def build_and_push(
     registry: str = DEFAULT_REGISTRY,
@@ -105,23 +68,15 @@ def build_and_push(
     push: bool = True,
     platform: str = "linux/amd64",
 ) -> dict:
-    """
-    Build the backend Docker image with Kaniko and push to registry.
-
-    Args:
-        registry: Container registry hostname (e.g., public.ecr.aws/vkist-project)
-        image_name: Image name (e.g., vkist-backend)
-        tag: Image tag (e.g., v1.2.3, latest, git-sha)
-        push: Whether to push to registry
-        platform: Target platform (linux/amd64, linux/arm64)
-
-    Returns:
-        Dict with image reference and build status
-    """
     import boto3
     full_image = f"{registry}/{image_name}:{tag}"
     print(f"Building {full_image} for {platform}")
 
+    # Explicitly use the inside-container paths
+    workspace_root = Path("/workspace")
+    # Adjust this path if your Dockerfile lives in a specific subdirectory inside your workspace
+    dockerfile_path = workspace_root / "Dockerfile" 
+
     # Prepare docker config for Kaniko if pushing to ECR
     docker_config_dir = None
     if push and ("ecr.aws" in registry or "ecr." in registry):
@@ -142,16 +97,16 @@ def build_and_push(
             }
         }
 
-        docker_config_dir = PROJECT_ROOT / ".kaniko"
+        docker_config_dir = workspace_root / ".kaniko"
         docker_config_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
         (docker_config_dir / "config.json").write_text(json.dumps(config))
         print(f"ECR auth configured for {registry}")  
 
     # Build with Kaniko
     kaniko_cmd = [
-        "/usr/local/bin/kaniko",
-        "--context", str(PROJECT_ROOT),
-        "--dockerfile", str(DOCKERFILE_PATH),
+        "/kaniko/executor", # Correct path inside the official debug image
+        "--context", str(workspace_root),
+        "--dockerfile", str(dockerfile_path),
         "--destination", full_image,
         "--platform", platform,
         "--verbosity", "info",