diff --git a/config/initializers/clinch_host.rb b/config/initializers/clinch_host.rb
index d29ed84..8286cab 100644
--- a/config/initializers/clinch_host.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/clinch_host.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
 # never inferred from request headers — X-Forwarded-Host is attacker-influenceable,
 # so inferring the origin from it would allow host-header phishing and open
 # redirects. Fail fast at boot rather than start in an unsafe configuration.
-unless Rails.env.local?
+#
+# Skipped during asset precompilation (e.g. the Docker build step, which sets
+# SECRET_KEY_BASE_DUMMY): no real CLINCH_HOST exists yet and assets don't need it.
+unless Rails.env.local? || ENV["SECRET_KEY_BASE_DUMMY"].present?
   if ENV["CLINCH_HOST"].blank?
     raise "CLINCH_HOST must be set (e.g. https://auth.example.com). It is the " \
           "canonical origin of this Clinch instance and must not be inferred " \
diff --git a/config/initializers/version.rb b/config/initializers/version.rb
index db9d8f8..b5c1601 100644
--- a/config/initializers/version.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module Clinch
-  VERSION = "0.15.0"
+  VERSION = "0.16.0"
 end