diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9e85e7ca..238fadec 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ hub answers 400 to both and nothing else changes.
   A third review finding: a link TARGET through a link already in the folder („x" → „evil/y", evil pointing out). The rule
   is now strict and simple: a restored link points only DOWNWARD — relative, no „..", no link on its path or in its
   target; everything else is refused and listed (`safeDownwardLink`; `TestR1187b_NoLinkTargetThroughALink`, red-proved).
+  **Found live on 9202 the same night (grimmory), fixed:** the import ran `compose` without the controller's own path
+  variables (`USERDATA_PATH`, `IMPORT_PATH` — `stacks.policyEnv` adds them at every install and start); compose printed
+  „The USERDATA_PATH variable is not set" and the DB step read that WARNING as the container id, waited 60 s and left the
+  app removed and not started. Now `withImportPathVars` gives the import's compose runs the same derivation (never a
+  bundle's value) and `containerIDFrom` takes only a line that IS an id. Tests `TestR1187_TheContainerIDIsNeverAComposeWarning`,
+  `TestR1187_TheImportEnvCarriesTheControllersPathVars`, red-proved.
 - **R-1298:** the hold report skips an install's hold (`unhealthy_stop`, `update_failed`, `putback_pending`) of an app that
   is not installed (`holdreport.Reporter.SetInstalled`: the app's `app.yaml` exists — an unreadable one still counts,
   R-1220) and reports it cleared if it was reported; a restore hold is always reported (R-379). 9202's four orphan holds
diff --git a/controller/internal/appexport/r1187_import_env_test.go b/controller/internal/appexport/r1187_import_env_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68ba587e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/controller/internal/appexport/r1187_import_env_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package appexport
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"gitea.dooplex.hu/admin/felhom-controller/internal/appbackup"
+)
+
+// R-1187, found live on 9202 2026-10-26 night (grimmory): the import ran `compose` WITHOUT the two path variables the
+// controller adds at every install and start (USERDATA_PATH, IMPORT_PATH — stacks.policyEnv). Compose then printed
+// „The USERDATA_PATH variable is not set" on its combined output, the DB step read that WARNING as the container id,
+// waited 60 s for a container that does not exist, and left the app removed and not started. Both halves pinned here.
+// RED-PROOF: with the old helpers (the first output line; the env unchanged) both tests fail.
+func TestR1187_TheContainerIDIsNeverAComposeWarning(t *testing.T) {
+	out := []byte("time=\"2026-10-26T20:18:06Z\" level=warning msg=\"The \\\"USERDATA_PATH\\\" variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string.\"\n" +
+		"1047c698c778ab12cd34ef56ab78cd90ef12ab34cd56ef78ab90cd12ef34ab56\n")
+	if got := containerIDFrom(out); got != "1047c698c778ab12cd34ef56ab78cd90ef12ab34cd56ef78ab90cd12ef34ab56" {
+		t.Fatalf("container id = %q", got)
+	}
+	if got := containerIDFrom([]byte("time=x level=warning msg=y\n")); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("a warning alone must give no id, got %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestR1187_TheImportEnvCarriesTheControllersPathVars(t *testing.T) {
+	env := map[string]string{"HDD_PATH": "/mnt/felhom-drives/d", "USERDATA_PATH": "/mnt/felhom-drives/d/appdata/other", "X": "1"}
+	got := withImportPathVars(env, "/mnt/felhom-drives/d", "/mnt/sys_drive/felhom-data/userdata/import")
+	if got["USERDATA_PATH"] != appbackup.UserdataDir("/mnt/felhom-drives/d") {
+		t.Fatalf("USERDATA_PATH = %q — must be the controller's own derivation, never the bundle's", got["USERDATA_PATH"])
+	}
+	if got["IMPORT_PATH"] != "/mnt/sys_drive/felhom-data/userdata/import" || got["X"] != "1" || got["HDD_PATH"] != "/mnt/felhom-drives/d" {
+		t.Fatalf("env = %v", got)
+	}
+	if env["USERDATA_PATH"] != "/mnt/felhom-drives/d/appdata/other" {
+		t.Fatal("the caller's map was changed")
+	}
+	if g := withImportPathVars(map[string]string{"IMPORT_PATH": "/x"}, "", ""); g["USERDATA_PATH"] != "" || g["IMPORT_PATH"] != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("no namespace / no import root must leave neither variable: %v", g)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/controller/internal/appexport/restore.go b/controller/internal/appexport/restore.go
index fa44be3c..682c626c 100644
--- a/controller/internal/appexport/restore.go
+++ b/controller/internal/appexport/restore.go
@@ -442,6 +442,8 @@ func (e *Exporter) executeImport(req ImportRequest, job *Job) {
 		e.failJob(job, step, fmt.Sprintf("Konfiguráció visszaállítása sikertelen: %v", err))
 		return
 	}
+	// R-1187 (found live): compose runs below see the controller's path variables, as at every install and start.
+	env = withImportPathVars(env, e.provider.GetStackNamespaceRoot(manifest.AppName), e.provider.GetImportRoot())
 	e.debugf("config restored: %d env vars", len(env))
 	if e.debug {
 		for k := range env {
@@ -1029,17 +1031,45 @@ func getComposeContainerID(stackDir string, env map[string]string, service strin
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("compose ps: %w", err)
 	}
-	id := strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+	id := containerIDFrom(out)
 	if id == "" {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("no container found for service %s", service)
 	}
-	// Take the first line in case of multiple
-	if idx := strings.Index(id, "\n"); idx > 0 {
-		id = id[:idx]
-	}
 	return id, nil
 }
 
+// containerIDFrom picks the container id out of `compose ps -q` output: the first line that IS an id (12–64 hex). The
+// output is combined, so a compose WARNING can come first — it was read as the id once (R-1187, found live on 9202).
+func containerIDFrom(out []byte) string {
+	for _, line := range strings.Split(string(out), "\n") {
+		line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
+		if n := len(line); n >= 12 && n <= 64 && strings.Trim(line, "0123456789abcdef") == "" {
+			return line
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// withImportPathVars is the import's env as `compose` must see it: the bundle's values plus the two path variables the
+// controller itself adds at every install and start (stacks.policyEnv) — USERDATA_PATH always the controller's own
+// derivation from the namespace root (never a bundle's value), IMPORT_PATH the drop-zone root. Without them compose
+// printed a warning the DB step read as the container id (R-1187, live on 9202). Returns a new map.
+func withImportPathVars(env map[string]string, nsRoot, importRoot string) map[string]string {
+	out := make(map[string]string, len(env)+2)
+	for k, v := range env {
+		out[k] = v
+	}
+	delete(out, "USERDATA_PATH")
+	delete(out, "IMPORT_PATH")
+	if nsRoot != "" {
+		out["USERDATA_PATH"] = appbackup.UserdataDir(nsRoot)
+	}
+	if importRoot != "" {
+		out["IMPORT_PATH"] = importRoot
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
 // waitForDB polls until the database is ready to accept connections.
 func waitForDB(containerID, dbType string, env map[string]string) error {
 	timeout := 60 * time.Second