diff --git a/ci/Dockerfile b/ci/Dockerfile
index 06c1576..d0aa9a0 100755
--- a/ci/Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/Dockerfile
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ RUN --mount=type=secret,id=gitea_token \
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Build & install MOOS-IvP (bundles MOOS core + essentials + geodesy + ivp)
 #   build-moos.sh -m  : skip GUI tools (no FLTK needed)
-#   --with-proj=off   : skip PROJ (its CPM fetch pulls from github)
 #   build-ivp.sh  -n  : skip GUI apps (no FLTK needed)
-#   -u                : skip UTM (depends on PROJ-backed geodesy)
 # Installs libMOOS + MOOSConfig.cmake + ivp headers/libs to /usr/local,
 # matching the layout expected by the project's top-level CMakeLists.txt.
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -56,4 +54,13 @@ RUN ./build-moos.sh -m -j"$(nproc)" && \
     make -C build/ivp install && \
     ldconfig
 
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# netbase provides /etc/protocols, which MOOS needs at runtime
+# (getprotobyname("tcp")). The base image lacks it, so MOOSDB would throw
+# XPCException "Could Not Get Protocol By Name" at startup without it.
+# Kept as a final layer so the (expensive) MOOS-IvP build stays cached.
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends netbase \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
 WORKDIR /src
diff --git a/ci/build-test.sh b/ci/build-test.sh
index 9fc0818..c647c0f 100755
--- a/ci/build-test.sh
+++ b/ci/build-test.sh
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ getent protocols tcp >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "getprotobyname(tcp) OK" || echo "g
 getent hosts localhost >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "gethostbyname(localhost) OK" || echo "gethostbyname(localhost) FAILED"
 echo "ulimit -n: $(ulimit -n)"
 
-"${MOOSDB}" -s --moos_suicide_disable --moos_no_colour "${MISSION_FILE}" > /tmp/moosdb_smoke.log 2>&1 &
+"${MOOSDB}" --moos_suicide_disable --moos_no_colour "${MISSION_FILE}" > /tmp/moosdb_smoke.log 2>&1 &
 MOOSDB_PID=$!
 sleep 3