diff --git a/backend/entrypoint.sh b/backend/entrypoint.sh
index 0f0649e..14bd668 100755
--- a/backend/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/backend/entrypoint.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ EOF
 echo "Syncing flavors..."
 python manage.py sync_flavors
 
-# Start the server
-echo "Starting server..."
-python manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000
+# Start the server using Gunicorn
+echo "Starting Gunicorn..."
+exec gunicorn holy_backend.wsgi:application --bind 0.0.0.0:8000 --workers 3
diff --git a/backend/holy_backend/settings.py b/backend/holy_backend/settings.py
index 84c3e38..2da25f1 100644
--- a/backend/holy_backend/settings.py
+++ b/backend/holy_backend/settings.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ ALLOWED_HOSTS = [host.strip() for host in ALLOWED_HOSTS_STRING.split(',')]
 # Application definition
 
 INSTALLED_APPS = [
+    'whitenoise.runserver_nostatic',
     'django.contrib.admin',
     'django.contrib.auth',
     'django.contrib.contenttypes',
@@ -128,7 +129,8 @@ USE_TZ = True
 
 STATIC_URL = 'static/'
 STATIC_ROOT = BASE_DIR / 'staticfiles'
-STATICFILES_STORAGE = 'whitenoise.storage.CompressedManifestStaticFilesStorage'
+STATICFILES_STORAGE = 'whitenoise.storage.CompressedStaticFilesStorage'
+WHITENOISE_INDEX_PAGE = True
 
 MEDIA_URL = 'media/'
 MEDIA_ROOT = BASE_DIR / 'media'
@@ -136,6 +138,7 @@ MEDIA_ROOT = BASE_DIR / 'media'
 # --- Reverse Proxy Configuration ---
 # These settings are crucial for running behind a proxy like Traefik
 USE_X_FORWARDED_HOST = True
+USE_X_FORWARDED_PORT = True
 SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER = ('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO', 'https')
 
 # Read CSRF trusted origins from environment variable
diff --git a/backend/requirements.txt b/backend/requirements.txt
index 61c84df..467e4a2 100644
--- a/backend/requirements.txt
+++ b/backend/requirements.txt
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ markdown>=3.5
 Pillow>=10.2.0
 drf-spectacular>=0.27.0
 whitenoise>=6.6.0
+gunicorn>=21.2.0