diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 567609b..1bf1e0a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 build/
+/tuxreaperd
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index bf82d92..682a191 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -95,4 +95,9 @@ if(BUILD_TESTING)
 
   add_test(NAME tux-dock-docker-integration-tests
            COMMAND sh ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/test_docker_integration.sh)
+
+  add_test(NAME tuxreaperd-zombie-tests
+           COMMAND sh ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/test_tuxreaperd.sh
+                   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/tuxreaperd
+                   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tuxreaperd.c)
 endif()
diff --git a/DEVLOG.md b/DEVLOG.md
index a464156..636bffb 100644
--- a/DEVLOG.md
+++ b/DEVLOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,22 @@
 # Tux-Dock Development Log
 
+## 0.2-beta
+
+This release introduces `tuxreaperd`, a micro init system for containers.
+
+### Micro init
+
+- Added `tuxreaperd.c`, a small C daemon used as PID 1 inside containers created by tux-dock.
+- Runs as a subreaper (`PR_SET_CHILD_SUBREAPER`) with a SIGCHLD handler that reaps every reparented/terminated descendant, so orphaned processes never accumulate as zombies.
+- Forwards SIGTERM/SIGINT/SIGHUP to the primary workload and propagates its exit status (128 + signal for signal deaths).
+- `compile.sh` statically builds it (`gcc -O2 -static -Wall -Wextra tuxreaperd.c -o build/tuxreaperd`) alongside the rest of the tree.
+- `DockerManager::createContainer` bind-mounts `tuxreaperd` into the container as PID 1 and resolves the binary next to the `tux-dock` executable when it is not in the current directory.
+
+### Tests
+
+- Added `tuxreaperd-zombie-tests`, an in-container test suite that boots a container with `tuxreaperd` as PID 1 and verifies orphaned grandchildren are reaped (zero zombies), exit status is propagated, and `docker stop` cleanly shuts down via forwarded SIGTERM (exit 143).
+- The HTML web test view now includes a "Tuxreaperd Zombie Reaping" section alongside the Docker integration and TUI transcript sections.
+
 ## 0.1.2-beta
 
 This release adds signal trapping to prevent state corruption during long-running Docker operations.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 009f04c..7f3cac4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ It gives you a guided, keyboard-first TUI for common Docker operations without m
 - Direct `fork`/`exec` process execution for CLI-backed streaming and interactive commands.
 - Persistent container listings that retain exited containers.
 - Robust stop handling with state polling, timeout retry, and idempotent stop responses.
+- `tuxreaperd` micro init system: a tiny statically-linked C daemon mounted into created containers as PID 1, acting as a subreaper so orphaned processes never linger as zombies, forwarding signals, and propagating exit status.
 - About screen in-app with project/version/repository info.
 
 ---
@@ -53,7 +54,9 @@ sudo ./build/tux-dock
 ./compile.sh --web-test-view 9000
 ```
 
-The web report is generated under `/tmp` and includes exact CTest output, test summaries, Docker integration output, and a text rendition of the TUI flow. It requires `nc`, `netcat`, or Nmap's `ncat`; press `Ctrl-C` to stop the server. The default port is `8095`; pass a port after `--web-test-view` to override it. `--web-test-view --no-test` is invalid. Normal test runs include a Docker integration test using `debian:forky`, so Docker must be available. On systems with 1 GB or less of available memory, the script automatically uses a smaller build configuration and a single build job.
+`compile.sh` also statically builds the `tuxreaperd` micro init (`gcc -O2 -static -Wall -Wextra tuxreaperd.c -o build/tuxreaperd`) so containers can be created with it as PID 1.
+
+The web report is generated under `/tmp` and includes exact CTest output, test summaries, Docker integration output, a text rendition of the TUI flow, and the tuxreaperd zombie-reaping results. It requires `nc`, `netcat`, or Nmap's `ncat`; press `Ctrl-C` to stop the server. The default port is `8095`; pass a port after `--web-test-view` to override it. `--web-test-view --no-test` is invalid. Normal test runs include a Docker integration test using `debian:forky`, so Docker must be available. On systems with 1 GB or less of available memory, the script automatically uses a smaller build configuration and a single build job.
 
 ---
 
@@ -113,13 +116,13 @@ cmake --build build
 ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure
 ```
 
-`compile.sh` runs these tests by default. Pass `--no-test` to skip them.
+`compile.sh` runs these tests by default. Pass `--no-test` to skip them. The suite includes `tuxreaperd-zombie-tests`, which boots a container with `tuxreaperd` as PID 1 and verifies orphaned processes are reaped (no zombies), exit status propagates, and SIGTERM is forwarded on `docker stop`. Docker must be available.
 
 ---
 
 ## About / Version
 
-- Version: `0.1.2-beta`
+- Version: `0.2-beta`
 - Created by: `markmental`
 - GitHub: https://github.com/MARKMENTAL/tuxdock
 - Forgejo: https://mentalnet.xyz/forgejo-v2/markmental/tuxdock
diff --git a/compile.sh b/compile.sh
index 8073c53..2e2aa7b 100755
--- a/compile.sh
+++ b/compile.sh
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ else
     cmake -S . -B build -DBUILD_TESTING=OFF $cmake_args
 fi
 
+command -v gcc >/dev/null 2>&1 || {
+    printf '%s\n' "gcc is required to build tuxreaperd" >&2
+    exit 1
+}
+gcc -O2 -static -Wall -Wextra tuxreaperd.c -o build/tuxreaperd
+
 CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL="$build_jobs" cmake --build build
 
 if [ "$run_tests" -eq 1 ]; then
@@ -143,6 +149,19 @@ if [ "$run_tests" -eq 1 ]; then
         awk '!/\[TEST OUTPUT BEGIN\]/ && !/\[TEST OUTPUT END\]/ && !/\[TEST RESULT\]/ { print }' "$integration_output" >"$tui_output"
         escaped_tui=$(mktemp "$report_dir/tui-escaped.XXXXXX")
         sed 's/&/\&amp;/g; s/</\&lt;/g; s/>/\&gt;/g' "$tui_output" >"$escaped_tui"
+        reaper_output=$(mktemp "$report_dir/reaper-output.XXXXXX")
+        if [ -f "$test_log" ]; then
+            awk '
+                /^[0-9]+\/[0-9]+ Testing: tuxreaperd-zombie-tests$/ { capture=1 }
+                capture { print }
+                /^Test Passed\.$/ && capture { end=1 }
+                end && /time elapsed:/ { print; exit }
+            ' "$test_log" >"$reaper_output"
+        else
+            printf '%s\n' 'tuxreaperd zombie transcript unavailable: LastTest.log was not found.' >"$reaper_output"
+        fi
+        escaped_reaper=$(mktemp "$report_dir/reaper-escaped.XXXXXX")
+        sed 's/&/\&amp;/g; s/</\&lt;/g; s/>/\&gt;/g' "$reaper_output" >"$escaped_reaper"
         {
             printf '%s\n' '<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">'
             printf '%s\n' '<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Tux-Dock Test Report</TITLE></HEAD><BODY>'
@@ -164,6 +183,8 @@ if [ "$run_tests" -eq 1 ]; then
             cat "$escaped_raw"
             printf '%s\n' '</PRE><H2>TUI Transcript</H2><PRE>'
             cat "$escaped_tui"
+            printf '%s\n' '</PRE><H2>Tuxreaperd Zombie Reaping</H2><PRE>'
+            cat "$escaped_reaper"
             printf '%s\n' '</PRE></BODY></HTML>'
         } >"$report"
 
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 66de887..ab1f386 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ void TuxDockApp::ActionExecDetachedCommand() {
 }
 
 void TuxDockApp::ActionAbout() {
-    OpenMessage("About Tux-Dock", "Tux-Dock 0.1.2-beta | Created by markmental");
+    OpenMessage("About Tux-Dock", "Tux-Dock 0.2-beta | Created by markmental");
 }
 
 void TuxDockApp::ExecuteSelectedAction() {
diff --git a/src/docker_manager.cpp b/src/docker_manager.cpp
index 65243b0..704a00c 100644
--- a/src/docker_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/docker_manager.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <filesystem>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <sstream>
+#include <system_error>
 
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
 
@@ -97,14 +98,42 @@ bool DockerManager::createContainer(const std::string& name,
         message = "Please provide a container name and choose an image first.";
         return false;
     }
+
+    // Resolve host path to tuxreaperd binary: prefer the current directory,
+    // then fall back to the directory holding the tux-dock executable
+    // (e.g. build/tuxreaperd next to build/tux-dock).
+    std::filesystem::path hostReaperPath = std::filesystem::current_path() / "tuxreaperd";
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(hostReaperPath)) {
+        std::error_code ec;
+        const auto exe = std::filesystem::read_symlink("/proc/self/exe", ec);
+        if (!ec) {
+            hostReaperPath = exe.parent_path() / "tuxreaperd";
+        }
+    }
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(hostReaperPath)) {
+        message = "Failed to create container: tuxreaperd binary not found in the current directory or next to the tux-dock executable.";
+        return false;
+    }
+
     std::vector<std::string> args{"docker", "create", "--name", name};
+
+    // Port mappings
     for (const auto& port : ports) {
         args.push_back("-p");
         args.push_back(port);
     }
-    args.insert(args.end(), {image, "sleep", "infinity"});
+
+    // Mount host tuxreaperd into container target path (read-only for security)
+    args.push_back("-v");
+    args.push_back(hostReaperPath.string() + ":/usr/local/bin/tuxreaperd:ro");
+
+    // Target image and entry command with tuxreaperd as PID 1
+    args.insert(args.end(), {image, "/usr/local/bin/tuxreaperd", "sleep", "infinity"});
+
     const bool ok = runProcess(args, message);
-    if (ok) message = "Container created and ready to start when you are ready.";
+    if (ok) {
+        message = "Container created with tuxreaperd PID 1 supervisor and ready to start.";
+    }
     return ok;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_tuxreaperd.sh b/tests/test_tuxreaperd.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..811bd48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_tuxreaperd.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# In-container tests for tuxreaperd, the tux-dock micro init system.
+#
+# tuxreaperd is container-tailored: tux-dock mounts it into created containers
+# where it runs as PID 1, acting as a subreaper (PR_SET_CHILD_SUBREAPER) with a
+# SIGCHLD reaper loop so orphaned descendants never linger as zombies.
+#
+# These tests drive tuxreaperd the same way the app does (bind-mounted, PID 1)
+# and verify zombie reaping, exit-status propagation, and signal forwarding.
+
+set -eu
+
+image=${TUX_DOCK_TEST_IMAGE:-debian:forky}
+reaper_bin=${1:-build/tuxreaperd}
+reaper_src=${2:-}
+name="tux-reaper-test-$$-$(date +%s)"
+cleanup_status=0
+failures=0
+
+run_raw() {
+    command_name=$1
+    shift
+    started=$(date +%s)
+    printf '%s\n' "[TEST OUTPUT BEGIN] $command_name"
+    set +e
+    "$@" 2>&1
+    command_status=$?
+    set -e
+    elapsed=$(( $(date +%s) - started ))
+    printf '%s\n' "[TEST OUTPUT END] $command_name"
+    printf '%s\n' "[TEST RESULT] command=$command_name status=$command_status elapsed=${elapsed}s"
+    return "$command_status"
+}
+
+cleanup() {
+    if docker container inspect "$name" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Cleanup: Remove Container"
+        if ! docker rm -f "$name" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            cleanup_status=1
+        fi
+        printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Complete: Container removed"
+    fi
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT INT TERM
+
+# Resolve an absolute path for the bind mount (docker requires absolute paths).
+if [ ! -f "$reaper_bin" ]; then
+    if command -v gcc >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -n "$reaper_src" ]; then
+        printf '%s\n' "[TUI] tuxreaperd binary not found, building $reaper_bin"
+        mkdir -p "$(dirname "$reaper_bin")"
+        gcc -O2 -static -Wall -Wextra "$reaper_src" -o "$reaper_bin"
+    else
+        printf '%s\n' "tuxreaperd binary not found at $reaper_bin (run ./compile.sh)" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi
+reaper_dir=$(CDPATH= cd "$(dirname "$reaper_bin")" && pwd)
+reaper_bin=$reaper_dir/$(basename "$reaper_bin")
+
+if ! docker image inspect "$image" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Pull Docker Image: $image"
+    run_raw "docker pull $image" docker pull "$image"
+else
+    printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Image available: $image"
+fi
+
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Create container with tuxreaperd as PID 1"
+run_raw "docker create tuxreaperd container" \
+    docker create --name "$name" -v "$reaper_bin:/usr/local/bin/tuxreaperd:ro" \
+    "$image" /usr/local/bin/tuxreaperd sleep infinity
+run_raw "docker start $name" docker start "$name"
+
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Verify tuxreaperd is PID 1"
+if [ "$(docker exec "$name" cat /proc/1/comm 2>/dev/null)" = "tuxreaperd" ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "[PASS] tuxreaperd is PID 1 in the container"
+else
+    printf '%s\n' "[FAIL] PID 1 is not tuxreaperd"
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Spawn orphaned grandchildren inside the container"
+# Each inner shell backgrounds a short-lived sleep and exits; the orphaned
+# sleep reparents to PID 1 (tuxreaperd, the subreaper) and becomes a zombie on
+# exit unless the SIGCHLD reaper loop reaps it.
+docker exec "$name" sh -c '
+    i=0
+    while [ "$i" -lt 20 ]; do
+        sh -c "sleep 0.1 &"
+        i=$((i + 1))
+    done
+    sleep 2
+'
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Count zombie processes under PID 1"
+zombie_count() {
+    docker exec "$name" sh -c '
+        zombies=0
+        for f in /proc/[0-9]*/stat; do
+            [ -r "$f" ] || continue
+            line=
+            IFS= read -r line < "$f" || continue
+            rest=${line##*) }
+            set -- $rest
+            [ "$1" = Z ] && zombies=$((zombies + 1))
+        done
+        printf "%s\n" "$zombies"
+    '
+}
+zombies=999
+attempt=0
+while [ "$attempt" -lt 10 ]; do
+    zombies=$(zombie_count)
+    [ "$zombies" -eq 0 ] && break
+    attempt=$((attempt + 1))
+    sleep 1
+done
+if [ "$zombies" -eq 0 ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "[PASS] No zombie processes remain under tuxreaperd"
+else
+    printf '%s\n' "[FAIL] $zombies zombie process(es) not reaped"
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Verify exit-status propagation from the reaped child"
+status=0
+run_raw "docker run tuxreaperd exit-status" \
+    docker run --rm -v "$reaper_bin:/usr/local/bin/tuxreaperd:ro" \
+    "$image" /usr/local/bin/tuxreaperd sh -c 'exit 42' || status=$?
+if [ "$status" -eq 42 ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "[PASS] Exit status 42 propagated from the child workload"
+else
+    printf '%s\n' "[FAIL] Expected exit status 42, got $status"
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Verify SIGTERM forwarding through docker stop"
+if docker stop "$name" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    code=$(docker wait "$name")
+    if [ "$code" = "143" ]; then
+        printf '%s\n' "[PASS] SIGTERM forwarded to workload, clean shutdown (exit 143)"
+    else
+        printf '%s\n' "[FAIL] Expected container exit 143, got $code"
+        failures=$((failures + 1))
+    fi
+else
+    printf '%s\n' "[FAIL] docker stop failed (did tuxreaperd fail to forward SIGTERM?)"
+    failures=$((failures + 1))
+fi
+
+trap - EXIT INT TERM
+if [ "$failures" -gt 0 ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "tuxreaperd tests failed: $failures failure(s)" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Remove Container: $name"
+run_raw "docker rm -f $name" docker rm -f "$name"
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Complete: Container removed"
+
+printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Verify removal: docker container inspect $name"
+if run_raw "docker container inspect $name" docker container inspect "$name"; then
+    printf '%s\n' "Container still exists after removal" >&2
+    exit 1
+else
+    printf '%s\n' "[TUI] Complete: Removal verified"
+fi
+
+
+printf '%s\n' "tuxreaperd tests passed"
+exit "$cleanup_status"
diff --git a/tuxreaperd.c b/tuxreaperd.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c61da3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tuxreaperd.c
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#define _GNU_SOURCE
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <sys/prctl.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+
+static volatile pid_t g_main_child = 0;
+static volatile sig_atomic_t g_child_exited = 0;
+static volatile int g_main_status = 0;
+
+static void sigchld_handler(int sig) {
+    (void)sig;
+    int status;
+    pid_t pid;
+
+    // Reap all terminated orphans
+    while ((pid = waitpid(-1, &status, WNOHANG)) > 0) {
+        if (pid == g_main_child) {
+            g_child_exited = 1;
+            g_main_status = status;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+static void forward_signal(int sig) {
+    if (g_main_child > 0) {
+        kill(g_main_child, sig);
+    }
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+    if (argc < 2) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s <command> [args...]\n", argv[0]);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    // Become a subreaper for any reparented processes down the tree
+    if (prctl(PR_SET_CHILD_SUBREAPER, 1, 0, 0, 0) < 0) {
+        perror("prctl(PR_SET_CHILD_SUBREAPER)");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    // Set up signal forwarding
+    struct sigaction sa_forward;
+    sa_forward.sa_handler = forward_signal;
+    sigemptyset(&sa_forward.sa_mask);
+    sa_forward.sa_flags = SA_RESTART;
+    sigaction(SIGTERM, &sa_forward, NULL);
+    sigaction(SIGINT, &sa_forward, NULL);
+    sigaction(SIGHUP, &sa_forward, NULL);
+
+    // Set up SIGCHLD reaper handler
+    struct sigaction sa_chld;
+    sa_chld.sa_handler = sigchld_handler;
+    sigemptyset(&sa_chld.sa_mask);
+    sa_chld.sa_flags = SA_RESTART | SA_NOCLDSTOP;
+    sigaction(SIGCHLD, &sa_chld, NULL);
+
+    // Spawn the primary workload
+    g_main_child = fork();
+    if (g_main_child < 0) {
+        perror("fork");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (g_main_child == 0) {
+        execvp(argv[1], &argv[1]);
+        perror("execvp");
+        _exit(127);
+    }
+
+    // Block until the primary process exits
+    while (!g_child_exited) {
+        pause();
+    }
+
+    // Final sweep of any remaining lingering zombies
+    while (waitpid(-1, NULL, WNOHANG) > 0);
+
+    if (WIFEXITED(g_main_status)) {
+        return WEXITSTATUS(g_main_status);
+    } else if (WIFSIGNALED(g_main_status)) {
+        return 128 + WTERMSIG(g_main_status);
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+