diff --git a/backend/README.md b/backend/README.md
index 88bae7f..8566904 100644
--- a/backend/README.md
+++ b/backend/README.md
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ backend/
 
 ```bash
 make install      # uv venv + pip install -e .[dev]
-make db-up        # docker compose up -d postgres
+make db-up        # $(CONTAINER) compose up -d postgres  (auto-detect docker|podman)
 make db-bootstrap # one-time: create the mimic_audit_writer role (see below)
 make db-migrate   # alembic upgrade head
 make run          # flask run (debug)
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@ make lint         # ruff + mypy strict
 (decision D-010). For local development, create it manually after `make db-up`:
 
 ```bash
-docker exec -it mimic-postgres psql -U mimic_app -d mimic \
+# Substitute "podman" for "docker" if your runtime is Podman.
+$(command -v docker || command -v podman) exec -it mimic-postgres \
+  psql -U mimic_app -d mimic \
   -c "CREATE ROLE mimic_audit_writer LOGIN PASSWORD 'pick-a-dev-secret';"
 ```
 
diff --git a/backend/docker-compose.yml b/backend/compose.yml
similarity index 92%
rename from backend/docker-compose.yml
rename to backend/compose.yml
index 54e6c70..c069d68 100644
--- a/backend/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/backend/compose.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - mimic_pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
     # The `mimic_audit_writer` role is provisioned by the Ansible playbook
-    # in prod (D-010). For dev, create it manually after `make db-up`:
+    # in prod (D-010). For dev, create it manually after `make db-up`
+    # (substitute `podman` for `docker` if your runtime is Podman):
     #   docker exec -it mimic-postgres psql -U mimic_app -d mimic \
     #     -c "CREATE ROLE mimic_audit_writer LOGIN PASSWORD '<choose one>';"
     # Then expose the same secret in MIMIC_DATABASE_AUDIT_URL in your .env.