diff --git a/create-a-container/bin/create-container.js b/create-a-container/bin/create-container.js
index 7b89acba..be9a9fcf 100755
--- a/create-a-container/bin/create-container.js
+++ b/create-a-container/bin/create-container.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const path = require('path');
 
 // Load models from parent directory
 const db = require(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'models'));
-const { Container, Node, Site, Service, HTTPService, ExternalDomain, Setting } = db;
+const { Container, Node, Site, Service, HTTPService, ExternalDomain, Setting, Job } = db;
 
 // Load utilities
 const { parseArgs } = require(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'utils', 'cli'));
@@ -199,6 +199,15 @@ async function main() {
     console.log('Allocating VMID from Proxmox...');
     const vmid = await client.nextId();
     console.log(`Allocated VMID: ${vmid}`);
+
+    // Check if our job was cancelled (e.g., container was deleted while we were starting)
+    if (container.creationJobId) {
+      const job = await Job.findByPk(container.creationJobId);
+      if (job && job.status === 'cancelled') {
+        console.error('Job was cancelled — aborting container creation.');
+        process.exit(1);
+      }
+    }
     
     if (isDocker) {
       // Docker image: pull from OCI registry, then create container
@@ -310,6 +319,21 @@ async function main() {
       console.log('Container configured');
     }
     
+    // Verify the DB record still exists before proceeding.
+    // If another workflow deleted it while we were creating on Proxmox,
+    // destroy the orphan and abort to prevent duplicate containers.
+    const freshContainer = await Container.findByPk(container.id);
+    if (!freshContainer) {
+      console.error(`Container record ${container.id} was deleted during creation. Destroying orphaned Proxmox container ${vmid}...`);
+      try {
+        await client.deleteContainer(node.name, vmid, true, true);
+        console.log(`Orphaned Proxmox container ${vmid} destroyed successfully.`);
+      } catch (cleanupErr) {
+        console.error(`Failed to destroy orphaned container ${vmid}: ${cleanupErr.message}`);
+      }
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+
     // Apply environment variables and entrypoint
     // First read defaults from the image, then merge with user-specified values
     const defaultConfig = await client.lxcConfig(node.name, vmid);
diff --git a/create-a-container/routers/containers.js b/create-a-container/routers/containers.js
index 5ce773b1..eb81e596 100644
--- a/create-a-container/routers/containers.js
+++ b/create-a-container/routers/containers.js
@@ -378,6 +378,28 @@ router.post('/', async (req, res) => {
     if (!node) {
       throw new Error('No nodes with API access available in this site');
     }
+
+    // Check for existing container with same hostname in this site (prevent duplicates)
+    const existingContainer = await Container.findOne({
+      where: { siteId, hostname },
+      transaction: t,
+      lock: t.LOCK.UPDATE
+    });
+    if (existingContainer) {
+      await t.rollback();
+      if (isApi) {
+        return res.status(409).json({
+          error: `Container with hostname "${hostname}" already exists in this site`,
+          container: {
+            id: existingContainer.id,
+            hostname: existingContainer.hostname,
+            status: existingContainer.status
+          }
+        });
+      }
+      await req.flash('error', `Container "${hostname}" already exists.`);
+      return res.redirect(`/sites/${siteId}/containers`);
+    }
     
     // Create container record
     const container = await Container.create({
@@ -698,6 +720,15 @@ router.delete('/:id', requireAuth, async (req, res) => {
   const node = container.node;
   let dnsWarnings = [];
   try {
+    // Cancel any pending/running creation job to prevent orphaned Proxmox containers
+    if (container.creationJobId) {
+      const creationJob = await Job.findByPk(container.creationJobId);
+      if (creationJob && (creationJob.status === 'pending' || creationJob.status === 'running')) {
+        await creationJob.update({ status: 'cancelled' });
+        console.log(`Cancelled creation job ${creationJob.id} for container ${container.hostname}`);
+      }
+    }
+
     // Clean up DNS records for cross-site HTTP services
     const httpServices = (container.services || [])
       .filter(s => s.httpService?.externalDomain)