diff --git a/docs/admin-bootstrap-and-oidc-role-sync.md b/docs/admin-bootstrap-and-oidc-role-sync.md
index abbd03f..5e26c85 100644
--- a/docs/admin-bootstrap-and-oidc-role-sync.md
+++ b/docs/admin-bootstrap-and-oidc-role-sync.md
@@ -2,24 +2,26 @@
 
 ## Overview
 
-- **Admin bootstrap:** In production, no seeds run. The first admin user is created/updated from environment variables in the Docker entrypoint (after migrate, before server). Password can be changed without redeploy via `bin/mv eval "Mv.Release.seed_admin()"`.
+- **Admin bootstrap:** In production, the Docker entrypoint runs migrate, then `Mv.Release.run_seeds/0` (bootstrap seeds; set `RUN_DEV_SEEDS=true` to also run dev seeds), then `seed_admin/0` from ENV, then the server. Password can be changed without redeploy via `bin/mv eval "Mv.Release.seed_admin()"`.
 - **OIDC role sync:** Optional mapping from OIDC groups (e.g. from Authentik profile scope) to the Admin role. Users in the configured admin group get the Admin role on registration and on each sign-in.
 
 ## Admin Bootstrap (Part A)
 
 ### Environment Variables
 
+- `RUN_DEV_SEEDS` – If set to `"true"`, `run_seeds/0` also runs dev seeds (members, groups, sample data). Otherwise only bootstrap seeds run.
 - `ADMIN_EMAIL` – Email of the admin user to create/update. If unset, seed_admin/0 does nothing.
 - `ADMIN_PASSWORD` – Password for the admin user. If unset (and no file), no new user is created; if a user with ADMIN_EMAIL already exists (e.g. OIDC-only), their role is set to Admin (no password change).
 - `ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE` – Path to a file containing the password (e.g. Docker secret).
 
-### Release Task
+### Release Tasks
 
+- `Mv.Release.run_seeds/0` – Runs bootstrap seeds (fee types, custom fields, roles, settings). If `RUN_DEV_SEEDS` env is `"true"`, also runs dev seeds (members, groups, sample data). Idempotent.
 - `Mv.Release.seed_admin/0` – Reads ADMIN_EMAIL and password from ADMIN_PASSWORD or ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE. If both email and password are set: creates or updates the user with the Admin role. If only ADMIN_EMAIL is set: sets the Admin role on an existing user with that email (for OIDC-only admins); does not create a user. Idempotent.
 
 ### Entrypoint
 
-- rel/overlays/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh – After migrate, runs seed_admin(), then starts the server.
+- rel/overlays/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh – After migrate, runs run_seeds(), then seed_admin(), then starts the server.
 
 ### Seeds (Dev/Test)
 
diff --git a/lib/mv/release.ex b/lib/mv/release.ex
index 54bc245..00dcadf 100644
--- a/lib/mv/release.ex
+++ b/lib/mv/release.ex
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ defmodule Mv.Release do
   ## Tasks
 
   - `migrate/0` - Runs all pending Ecto migrations.
+  - `run_seeds/0` - Runs bootstrap seeds (fee types, custom fields, roles, settings).
+    In production, set `RUN_DEV_SEEDS=true` to also run dev seeds (members, groups, sample data).
   - `seed_admin/0` - Ensures an admin user exists from ENV (ADMIN_EMAIL, ADMIN_PASSWORD
     or ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE). Idempotent; can be run on every deployment or via shell
     to update the admin password without redeploying.
@@ -26,6 +28,40 @@ defmodule Mv.Release do
     end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Runs seed scripts so the database has required bootstrap data (and optionally dev data).
+
+  - Always runs bootstrap seeds (fee types, custom fields, roles, system user, settings).
+  - If `RUN_DEV_SEEDS` env is set to `"true"`, also runs dev seeds (members, groups, sample data).
+
+  Uses paths from the application's priv dir so it works in releases (no Mix). Idempotent.
+  """
+  def run_seeds do
+    case Application.ensure_all_started(@app) do
+      {:ok, _} -> :ok
+      {:error, {app, reason}} -> raise "Failed to start #{inspect(app)}: #{inspect(reason)}"
+    end
+
+    priv = :code.priv_dir(@app)
+    bootstrap_path = Path.join(priv, "repo/seeds_bootstrap.exs")
+    dev_path = Path.join(priv, "repo/seeds_dev.exs")
+
+    prev = Code.compiler_options()
+    Code.compiler_options(ignore_module_conflict: true)
+
+    try do
+      Code.eval_file(bootstrap_path)
+      IO.puts("✅ Bootstrap seeds completed.")
+
+      if System.get_env("RUN_DEV_SEEDS") == "true" do
+        Code.eval_file(dev_path)
+        IO.puts("✅ Dev seeds completed.")
+      end
+    after
+      Code.compiler_options(prev)
+    end
+  end
+
   def rollback(repo, version) do
     load_app()
     {:ok, _, _} = Ecto.Migrator.with_repo(repo, &Ecto.Migrator.run(&1, :down, to: version))
diff --git a/priv/repo/seeds.exs b/priv/repo/seeds.exs
index 44df447..7257f8b 100644
--- a/priv/repo/seeds.exs
+++ b/priv/repo/seeds.exs
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 # Bootstrap runs in all environments. Dev seeds (members, groups, sample data)
 # run only in dev and test.
 #
+# In production (release): seeds are run via Mv.Release.run_seeds/0 from the
+# container entrypoint. Set RUN_DEV_SEEDS=true to also run dev seeds there.
+#
 # Compiler option ignore_module_conflict is set only during seed evaluation
 # so that eval_file of bootstrap/dev does not emit "redefining module" warnings;
 # it is always restored in `after` to avoid hiding real conflicts elsewhere.
diff --git a/priv/repo/seeds_bootstrap.exs b/priv/repo/seeds_bootstrap.exs
index 94b8cc0..7aafaac 100644
--- a/priv/repo/seeds_bootstrap.exs
+++ b/priv/repo/seeds_bootstrap.exs
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 # Bootstrap seeds: run in all environments (dev, test, prod).
 # Creates only data required for system startup: fee types, custom fields,
 # roles, admin user, system user, global settings. No members, no groups.
+#
+# Safe to run from release (no Mix): env is taken from MIX_ENV when Mix.env/0 is not available.
+
+mix_env =
+  try do
+    Mix.env()
+  rescue
+    UndefinedFunctionError -> (System.get_env("MIX_ENV") || "prod") |> String.to_atom()
+  end
 
 alias Mv.Accounts
 alias Mv.Membership
@@ -121,7 +130,7 @@ end
 admin_email = System.get_env("ADMIN_EMAIL") || "admin@localhost"
 System.put_env("ADMIN_EMAIL", admin_email)
 
-if Mix.env() in [:dev, :test] and is_nil(System.get_env("ADMIN_PASSWORD")) and
+if mix_env in [:dev, :test] and is_nil(System.get_env("ADMIN_PASSWORD")) and
      is_nil(System.get_env("ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE")) do
   System.put_env("ADMIN_PASSWORD", "testpassword")
 end
diff --git a/rel/overlays/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh b/rel/overlays/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
index caa389a..fbe345d 100755
--- a/rel/overlays/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/rel/overlays/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ set -e
 echo "==> Running database migrations..."
 /app/bin/migrate
 
+echo "==> Running seeds (bootstrap; dev if RUN_DEV_SEEDS=true)..."
+/app/bin/mv eval "Mv.Release.run_seeds()"
+
 echo "==> Seeding admin user from ENV (ADMIN_EMAIL, ADMIN_PASSWORD)..."
 /app/bin/mv eval "Mv.Release.seed_admin()"