diff --git a/apps/server/AliasVault.Client/Dockerfile b/apps/server/AliasVault.Client/Dockerfile
index e009f7af6..d3621bd55 100644
--- a/apps/server/AliasVault.Client/Dockerfile
+++ b/apps/server/AliasVault.Client/Dockerfile
@@ -4,17 +4,27 @@ WORKDIR /app
 # ============================================
 # Stage: Build core libraries
 # ============================================
-FROM node:20-slim AS core-builder
+FROM rust:1-slim-bookworm AS core-builder
+
+# Install Node.js and wasm-pack (Rust already included in base image)
+RUN apt-get update && \
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends curl ca-certificates && \
+    curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash - && \
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends nodejs && \
+    rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown && \
+    cargo install wasm-pack --locked && \
+    apt-get clean && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 WORKDIR /src
 
 # Copy core library source files
 COPY core/ ./core/
 
-# Build core libraries
+# Build core libraries (only browser target needed for Blazor WASM client)
 RUN cd ./core && \
     chmod +x build-and-distribute.sh && \
-    ./build-and-distribute.sh
+    ./build-and-distribute.sh --browser
 
 # ============================================
 # Stage: Build .NET application
diff --git a/core/build-and-distribute.sh b/core/build-and-distribute.sh
index 880b792f5..d16c5a065 100755
--- a/core/build-and-distribute.sh
+++ b/core/build-and-distribute.sh
@@ -104,39 +104,46 @@ if $BUILD_COMMON; then
     echo ""
 fi
 
-# Rust core build (optional - requires Rust toolchain)
+# Rust core build (required when any platform target is specified)
 if $BUILD_BROWSER || $BUILD_DOTNET || $BUILD_IOS || $BUILD_ANDROID; then
     cd ./rust
 
-    if command -v rustc &> /dev/null; then
-        echo "📦 Building Rust core..."
-
-        if $BUILD_ANDROID; then
-            echo "  → Building for Android..."
-            ./build.sh --android
-        fi
-
-        if $BUILD_IOS; then
-            echo "  → Building for iOS..."
-            ./build.sh --ios
-        fi
-
-        if $BUILD_BROWSER; then
-            echo "  → Building for Browser/WASM..."
-            ./build.sh --browser
-        fi
-
-        if $BUILD_DOTNET; then
-            echo "  → Building for .NET..."
-            ./build.sh --dotnet
-        fi
-
-        echo "✅ Rust core built"
-    else
-        echo "⚠️  Skipping Rust core build (Rust not installed)"
-        echo "   Install Rust from https://rustup.rs to enable Rust core builds"
+    if ! command -v rustc &> /dev/null; then
+        echo "❌ ERROR: Rust toolchain is required but not installed"
+        echo "   Install Rust from https://rustup.rs"
+        echo ""
+        echo "   Requested targets require Rust:"
+        $BUILD_BROWSER && echo "     - Browser/WASM"
+        $BUILD_DOTNET && echo "     - .NET"
+        $BUILD_IOS && echo "     - iOS"
+        $BUILD_ANDROID && echo "     - Android"
+        exit 1
     fi
 
+    echo "📦 Building Rust core..."
+
+    if $BUILD_ANDROID; then
+        echo "  → Building for Android..."
+        ./build.sh --android
+    fi
+
+    if $BUILD_IOS; then
+        echo "  → Building for iOS..."
+        ./build.sh --ios
+    fi
+
+    if $BUILD_BROWSER; then
+        echo "  → Building for Browser/WASM..."
+        ./build.sh --browser
+    fi
+
+    if $BUILD_DOTNET; then
+        echo "  → Building for .NET..."
+        ./build.sh --dotnet
+    fi
+
+    echo "✅ Rust core built"
+
     cd ..
 fi
 
diff --git a/dockerfiles/all-in-one/Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/all-in-one/Dockerfile
index 6be8351e5..52aa56b72 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/all-in-one/Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/all-in-one/Dockerfile
@@ -3,17 +3,27 @@
 # ============================================
 # Stage 1: Build core libraries
 # ============================================
-FROM node:20-slim AS core-builder
+FROM rust:1-slim-bookworm AS core-builder
+
+# Install Node.js and wasm-pack (Rust already included in base image)
+RUN apt-get update && \
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends curl ca-certificates && \
+    curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash - && \
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends nodejs && \
+    rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown && \
+    cargo install wasm-pack --locked && \
+    apt-get clean && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 WORKDIR /src
 
 # Copy core library source files
 COPY core/ ./core/
 
-# Build core libraries
+# Build core libraries (only browser target needed for server apps)
 RUN cd ./core && \
     chmod +x build-and-distribute.sh && \
-    ./build-and-distribute.sh
+    ./build-and-distribute.sh --browser
 
 # ============================================
 # Stage 2: Build .NET applications