diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index fb0108e..a2ab820 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ name: SyncForge CI
 
 on:
   push:
-    branches:
-      - main
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
@@ -52,8 +50,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build frontend
         run: npm run build
 
-  docker-build:
-    name: Docker Build
+  docker-smoke-test:
+    name: Docker Build and Smoke Test
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs:
       - backend-tests
@@ -68,3 +66,37 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build Docker images
         run: docker compose build
+
+      - name: Start Docker Compose stack
+        run: docker compose up -d
+
+      - name: Wait for backend health
+        run: |
+          for i in {1..30}; do
+            if curl -fsS http://localhost:8080/actuator/health; then
+              echo "Backend is healthy"
+              exit 0
+            fi
+
+            echo "Waiting for backend..."
+            sleep 5
+          done
+
+          echo "Backend did not become healthy"
+          docker compose logs syncforge-api
+          exit 1
+
+      - name: Check frontend response
+        run: curl -fsS http://localhost:3000 > /dev/null
+
+      - name: Show running containers
+        if: always()
+        run: docker compose ps
+
+      - name: Show logs on failure
+        if: failure()
+        run: docker compose logs
+
+      - name: Stop Docker Compose stack
+        if: always()
+        run: docker compose down -v
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 14842c1..61fae85 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ services:
     restart: unless-stopped
     ports:
       - "8080:8080"
+    environment:
+      SYNCFORGE_SECURITY_JWT_SECRET: "ci-local-dev-secret-key-12345678901234567890"
+      SYNCFORGE_SECURITY_JWT_ACCESS_TOKEN_MINUTES: "15"
+      SYNCFORGE_SECURITY_REFRESH_TOKEN_DAYS: "7"
     depends_on:
       mysql:
         condition: service_healthy