diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c1a2d10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+**/.DS_Store
+**/__pycache__
+**/.venv
+**/.classpath
+**/.dockerignore
+**/.env
+**/.envrc
+**/.git
+**/.gitignore
+**/.project
+**/.settings
+**/.toolstarget
+**/.vs
+**/.vscode
+**/*.*proj.user
+**/*.dbmdl
+**/*.jfm
+**/bin
+**/charts
+**/docker-compose*
+**/compose.y*ml
+**/Dockerfile*
+**/node_modules
+**/npm-debug.log
+**/obj
+**/secrets.dev.yaml
+**/values.dev.yaml
+LICENSE
+README.md
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b2aaa1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+ARG PYTHON_VERSION=3.12.5
+FROM python:${PYTHON_VERSION}-slim AS base
+
+ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
+ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+ARG UID=10001
+RUN adduser \
+  --disabled-password \
+  --gecos "" \
+  --home "/nonexistent" \
+  --shell "/sbin/nologin" \
+  --no-create-home \
+  --uid "${UID}" \
+  appuser
+
+RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.cache/pip \
+  --mount=type=bind,source=requirements.txt,target=requirements.txt \
+  python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
+
+USER appuser
+COPY . .
+
+ENTRYPOINT python3 -m check-mate 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index adc3aaf..06f2858 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ Run check-mate:
 
 ### Arguments
 
-| Arg           | Description                                                        |
-| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
-| -h            | Show help                                                          |
-| --host        | The IP or hostname of the meshtastic node, e.g. `192.168.5.10`     |
-| --location    | Text description of where your node is, e.g. `SF Mission District` |
-| --healthcheck | URL to send healthcheck pings to when receiving messages           |
+| Arg           | Env            | Description                                                        |
+| ------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| -h            | N/A            | Show help                                                          |
+| --host        | HOST           | The IP or hostname of the meshtastic node, e.g. `192.168.5.10`     |
+| --location    | LOCATION       | Text description of where your node is, e.g. `SF Mission District` |
+| --healthcheck | HEALTHCHECKURL | URL to send healthcheck pings to when receiving messages           |
 
 ## Example radio check
 
diff --git a/check-mate.py b/check-mate.py
index 41f3788..bb2645a 100644
--- a/check-mate.py
+++ b/check-mate.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import argparse
 import logging
+import os
 import random
 import re
 import requests
@@ -135,15 +136,16 @@ def getMessage(self, snr, rssi, name):
         """generate a random message to respond to a radio check"""
         if self.location:
             loc = self.location
+            quality = f"({rssi} RSSI, {snr} SNR)"
             messages = [
-                f"{name}, read you 5 by 5 from {loc} ({rssi} RSSI, {snr} SNR)",
-                f"👋 {name}, got you from {loc}",
+                f"{name}, read you 5 by 5 from {loc} {quality}",
+                f"👋 {name}, got you from {loc} {quality}",
                 f"Copy {name}, {snr} SNR & {rssi} RSSI from {loc}",
-                f"Hey {name}, message received from {loc} ({rssi} RSSI, {snr} SNR)",
-                f"{name}, loud and clear from {loc} ({rssi} RSSI, {snr} SNR)",
-                f"{name}, copy your radio check from {loc}",
-                f"{name}, copy from {loc} ({rssi} RSSI, {snr} SNR)",
-                f"{name}, copy {snr} SNR from {loc}",
+                f"Hey {name}, message received from {loc} {quality}",
+                f"{name}, loud and clear from {loc} {quality}",
+                f"{name}, copy your radio check from {loc} {quality}",
+                f"{name}, copy from {loc} {quality}",
+                f"{name}, copy {snr} SNR & {rssi} RSSI from {loc}",
             ]
         else:
             messages = [
@@ -221,8 +223,9 @@ def idToHex(self, nodeId):
     parser.add_argument(
         "--host",
         dest="host",
-        required=True,
+        required=False,
         help="IP or hostname for Meshtastic device",
+        default=os.environ.get("HOST"),
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "-l",
@@ -230,14 +233,21 @@ def idToHex(self, nodeId):
         dest="location",
         required=False,
         help="Location to report in radio checks",
+        default=os.environ.get("LOCATION"),
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--healthcheck",
         dest="healthCheckURL",
         required=False,
         help="URL to report healthchecks to (empty HEAD request)",
+        default=os.environ.get("HEALTHCHECKURL"),
     )
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    if not args.host:
+        parser.error(
+            "Please provide a host via --host or the $HOST environment variable"
+        )
+
     checkmate = CheckMate(args.host, args.location, args.healthCheckURL)
     sys.exit(checkmate.start())
diff --git a/compose.yaml b/compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d335d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+services:
+  server:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile