diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index ed62c181d0..569f644f3a 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ FROM runtime as prod
 USER root
 # Get the necessary bits for the health check
 RUN apt-get update && \
-	apt-get install -y curl && \
+	apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y curl && \
 	apt-get clean && \
 	rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 # Pre-compile packages to .pyc (init speed gains)
diff --git a/scripts/docker/tasking-manager/Dockerfile b/scripts/docker/tasking-manager/Dockerfile
index 274ebc5f57..09ec524cbb 100644
--- a/scripts/docker/tasking-manager/Dockerfile
+++ b/scripts/docker/tasking-manager/Dockerfile
@@ -4,18 +4,13 @@ FROM python:${PYTHON_IMG_TAG}-bookworm
 RUN mkdir -p /usr/src/app
 WORKDIR /usr/src/app
 
-ENV PATH="/usr/src/app/__pypackages__/${PYTHON_IMG_TAG}/bin:$PATH" \
-    PYTHONPATH="/usr/src/app/__pypackages__/${PYTHON_IMG_TAG}/lib"
-
-# INSTALLATION
-
 # Add repository for node
 RUN curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_16.x | bash -
 
 # Install dependencies
 RUN apt-get update \
   && apt-get upgrade -y \
-  && apt-get install -y nodejs libgeos-dev \
+  && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends nodejs libgeos-dev \
   && apt-get clean && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* /tmp/* /var/tmp/*
 
 # Upgrade pip
@@ -26,6 +21,10 @@ ARG branch=develop
 RUN git clone --depth=1 git://github.com/hotosm/tasking-manager.git \
 	--branch $branch /usr/src/app
 
+## Create & use new user to run pdm
+RUN useradd --uid 9000 --create-home --home /home/appuser --shell /bin/false appuser
+USER appuser:appuser
+
 ## SETUP
 
 # Setup backend dependencies
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ RUN pip install --no-cache-dir pdm \
     && pdm install --prod --no-lock --no-editable
 
 # Setup and build frontend
-RUN cd frontend && npm install && npm run build
+RUN cd frontend && npm install --ignore-scripts && npm run build
 
 # INITIALIZATION