diff --git a/app/Jobs/ApplicationDeploymentJob.php b/app/Jobs/ApplicationDeploymentJob.php
index 3c428cf5f..6df9a8623 100644
--- a/app/Jobs/ApplicationDeploymentJob.php
+++ b/app/Jobs/ApplicationDeploymentJob.php
@@ -670,13 +670,20 @@ private function deploy_docker_compose_buildpack()
                 $build_command = "DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 {$build_command}";
             }
 
-            // Append build arguments if not using build secrets (matching default behavior)
+            // Inject build arguments after build subcommand if not using build secrets
             if (! $this->application->settings->use_build_secrets && $this->build_args instanceof \Illuminate\Support\Collection && $this->build_args->isNotEmpty()) {
                 $build_args_string = $this->build_args->implode(' ');
                 // Escape single quotes for bash -c context used by executeInDocker
                 $build_args_string = str_replace("'", "'\\''", $build_args_string);
-                $build_command .= " {$build_args_string}";
-                $this->application_deployment_queue->addLogEntry('Adding build arguments to custom Docker Compose build command.');
+
+                // Inject build args right after 'build' subcommand (not at the end)
+                $original_command = $build_command;
+                $build_command = injectDockerComposeBuildArgs($build_command, $build_args_string);
+
+                // Only log if build args were actually injected (command was modified)
+                if ($build_command !== $original_command) {
+                    $this->application_deployment_queue->addLogEntry('Adding build arguments to custom Docker Compose build command.');
+                }
             }
 
             $this->execute_remote_command(
diff --git a/app/Livewire/Project/Application/General.php b/app/Livewire/Project/Application/General.php
index 71ca9720e..ef474fb02 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Project/Application/General.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Project/Application/General.php
@@ -1018,11 +1018,27 @@ public function getDockerComposeBuildCommandPreviewProperty(): string
         // Use relative path for clarity in preview (e.g., ./backend/docker-compose.yaml)
         // Actual deployment uses absolute path: /artifacts/{deployment_uuid}{base_directory}{docker_compose_location}
         // Build-time env path references ApplicationDeploymentJob::BUILD_TIME_ENV_PATH as source of truth
-        return injectDockerComposeFlags(
+        $command = injectDockerComposeFlags(
             $this->dockerComposeCustomBuildCommand,
             ".{$normalizedBase}{$this->dockerComposeLocation}",
             \App\Jobs\ApplicationDeploymentJob::BUILD_TIME_ENV_PATH
         );
+
+        // Inject build args if not using build secrets
+        if (! $this->application->settings->use_build_secrets) {
+            $buildTimeEnvs = $this->application->environment_variables()
+                ->where('is_buildtime', true)
+                ->get();
+
+            if ($buildTimeEnvs->isNotEmpty()) {
+                $buildArgs = generateDockerBuildArgs($buildTimeEnvs);
+                $buildArgsString = $buildArgs->implode(' ');
+
+                $command = injectDockerComposeBuildArgs($command, $buildArgsString);
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $command;
     }
 
     public function getDockerComposeStartCommandPreviewProperty(): string
diff --git a/bootstrap/helpers/docker.php b/bootstrap/helpers/docker.php
index 4a0faaec1..f6d69ef60 100644
--- a/bootstrap/helpers/docker.php
+++ b/bootstrap/helpers/docker.php
@@ -1376,3 +1376,62 @@ function injectDockerComposeFlags(string $command, string $composeFilePath, stri
     // Replace only first occurrence to avoid modifying comments/strings/chained commands
     return preg_replace('/docker\s+compose/', $dockerComposeReplacement, $command, 1);
 }
+
+/**
+ * Inject build arguments right after build-related subcommands in docker/docker compose commands.
+ * This ensures build args are only applied to build operations, not to push, pull, up, etc.
+ *
+ * Supports:
+ * - docker compose build
+ * - docker buildx build
+ * - docker builder build
+ * - docker build (legacy)
+ *
+ * Examples:
+ * - Input:  "docker compose -f file.yml build"
+ *   Output: "docker compose -f file.yml build --build-arg X --build-arg Y"
+ *
+ * - Input:  "docker buildx build --platform linux/amd64"
+ *   Output: "docker buildx build --build-arg X --build-arg Y --platform linux/amd64"
+ *
+ * - Input:  "docker builder build --tag myimage:latest"
+ *   Output: "docker builder build --build-arg X --build-arg Y --tag myimage:latest"
+ *
+ * - Input:  "docker compose build && docker compose push"
+ *   Output: "docker compose build --build-arg X --build-arg Y && docker compose push"
+ *
+ * - Input:  "docker compose push"
+ *   Output: "docker compose push" (unchanged - no build command found)
+ *
+ * @param  string  $command  The docker command
+ * @param  string  $buildArgsString  The build arguments to inject (e.g., "--build-arg X --build-arg Y")
+ * @return string The modified command with build args injected after build subcommand
+ */
+function injectDockerComposeBuildArgs(string $command, string $buildArgsString): string
+{
+    // Early return if no build args to inject
+    if (empty(trim($buildArgsString))) {
+        return $command;
+    }
+
+    // Match build-related commands:
+    // - ' builder build' (docker builder build)
+    // - ' buildx build' (docker buildx build)
+    // - ' build' (docker compose build, docker build)
+    // Followed by either:
+    // - whitespace (allowing service names, flags, or any valid arguments)
+    // - end of string ($)
+    // This regex ensures we match build subcommands, not "build" in other contexts
+    // IMPORTANT: Order matters - check longer patterns first (builder build, buildx build) before ' build'
+    $pattern = '/( builder build| buildx build| build)(?=\s|$)/';
+
+    // Replace the first occurrence of build command with build command + build-args
+    $modifiedCommand = preg_replace(
+        $pattern,
+        '$1 '.$buildArgsString,
+        $command,
+        1  // Only replace first occurrence
+    );
+
+    return $modifiedCommand ?? $command;
+}
diff --git a/tests/Unit/ApplicationDeploymentCustomBuildCommandTest.php b/tests/Unit/ApplicationDeploymentCustomBuildCommandTest.php
index fc29f19c3..3dd18ee6c 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/ApplicationDeploymentCustomBuildCommandTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/ApplicationDeploymentCustomBuildCommandTest.php
@@ -615,3 +615,58 @@
         expect($path)->not->toContain('//', "Double slash found for baseDir: {$case['baseDir']}");
     }
 });
+
+// Tests for injectDockerComposeBuildArgs() helper function
+it('injects build args when building specific service', function () {
+    $command = 'docker compose build web';
+    $buildArgs = '--build-arg ENV=prod';
+
+    $result = injectDockerComposeBuildArgs($command, $buildArgs);
+
+    expect($result)->toBe('docker compose build --build-arg ENV=prod web');
+});
+
+it('injects build args with service name containing hyphens', function () {
+    $command = 'docker compose build my-service-name';
+    $buildArgs = '--build-arg TEST=value';
+
+    $result = injectDockerComposeBuildArgs($command, $buildArgs);
+
+    expect($result)->toBe('docker compose build --build-arg TEST=value my-service-name');
+});
+
+it('injects build args with service name containing underscores', function () {
+    $command = 'docker compose build my_service_name';
+    $buildArgs = '--build-arg TEST=value';
+
+    $result = injectDockerComposeBuildArgs($command, $buildArgs);
+
+    expect($result)->toBe('docker compose build --build-arg TEST=value my_service_name');
+});
+
+it('injects build args before service name and existing flags', function () {
+    $command = 'docker compose build backend --no-cache';
+    $buildArgs = '--build-arg FOO=bar';
+
+    $result = injectDockerComposeBuildArgs($command, $buildArgs);
+
+    expect($result)->toBe('docker compose build --build-arg FOO=bar backend --no-cache');
+});
+
+it('handles buildx with target and flags', function () {
+    $command = 'docker buildx build --platform linux/amd64 -t myimage:latest .';
+    $buildArgs = '--build-arg VERSION=1.0';
+
+    $result = injectDockerComposeBuildArgs($command, $buildArgs);
+
+    expect($result)->toBe('docker buildx build --build-arg VERSION=1.0 --platform linux/amd64 -t myimage:latest .');
+});
+
+it('handles docker compose build with no arguments', function () {
+    $command = 'docker compose build';
+    $buildArgs = '--build-arg FOO=bar';
+
+    $result = injectDockerComposeBuildArgs($command, $buildArgs);
+
+    expect($result)->toBe('docker compose build --build-arg FOO=bar');
+});