diff --git a/packages/app/src/docker-git/menu-render-select.ts b/packages/app/src/docker-git/menu-render-select.ts
index 5b97ba02..17bef476 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/docker-git/menu-render-select.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/docker-git/menu-render-select.ts
@@ -97,6 +97,30 @@ export const buildSelectLabels = (
     return `${prefix} ${index + 1}. ${item.displayName} (${refLabel})${runtimeSuffix}`
   })
 
+export type SelectListWindow = {
+  readonly start: number
+  readonly end: number
+}
+
+export const buildSelectListWindow = (
+  total: number,
+  selected: number,
+  maxVisible: number
+): SelectListWindow => {
+  if (total <= 0) {
+    return { start: 0, end: 0 }
+  }
+  const visible = Math.max(1, maxVisible)
+  if (total <= visible) {
+    return { start: 0, end: total }
+  }
+  const boundedSelected = Math.min(Math.max(selected, 0), total - 1)
+  const half = Math.floor(visible / 2)
+  const maxStart = total - visible
+  const start = Math.min(Math.max(boundedSelected - half, 0), maxStart)
+  return { start, end: start + visible }
+}
+
 type SelectDetailsContext = {
   readonly item: ProjectItem
   readonly refLabel: string
diff --git a/packages/app/src/docker-git/menu-render.ts b/packages/app/src/docker-git/menu-render.ts
index 6fe4b360..d074dc53 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/docker-git/menu-render.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/docker-git/menu-render.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import type { ProjectItem } from "@effect-template/lib/usecases/projects"
 import { renderLayout } from "./menu-render-layout.js"
 import {
   buildSelectLabels,
+  buildSelectListWindow,
   renderSelectDetails,
   selectHint,
   type SelectPurpose,
@@ -162,6 +163,22 @@ const computeListWidth = (labels: ReadonlyArray<string>): number => {
   return Math.min(Math.max(maxLabelWidth + 2, 28), 54)
 }
 
+const readStdoutRows = (): number | null => {
+  const rows = process.stdout.rows
+  if (typeof rows !== "number" || !Number.isFinite(rows) || rows <= 0) {
+    return null
+  }
+  return rows
+}
+
+const computeSelectListMaxRows = (): number => {
+  const rows = readStdoutRows()
+  if (rows === null) {
+    return 12
+  }
+  return Math.max(6, rows - 14)
+}
+
 const renderSelectListBox = (
   el: typeof React.createElement,
   items: ReadonlyArray<ProjectItem>,
@@ -169,8 +186,13 @@ const renderSelectListBox = (
   labels: ReadonlyArray<string>,
   width: number
 ): React.ReactElement => {
-  const list = labels.map((label, index) =>
-    el(
+  const window = buildSelectListWindow(labels.length, selected, computeSelectListMaxRows())
+  const hiddenAbove = window.start
+  const hiddenBelow = labels.length - window.end
+  const visibleLabels = labels.slice(window.start, window.end)
+  const list = visibleLabels.map((label, offset) => {
+    const index = window.start + offset
+    return el(
       Text,
       {
         key: items[index]?.projectDir ?? String(index),
@@ -179,12 +201,22 @@ const renderSelectListBox = (
       },
       label
     )
-  )
+  })
+
+  const before = hiddenAbove > 0
+    ? [el(Text, { color: "gray", wrap: "truncate" }, `[scroll] ${hiddenAbove} more above`)]
+    : []
+  const after = hiddenBelow > 0
+    ? [el(Text, { color: "gray", wrap: "truncate" }, `[scroll] ${hiddenBelow} more below`)]
+    : []
+  const listBody = list.length > 0 ? list : [el(Text, { color: "gray" }, "No projects found.")]
 
   return el(
     Box,
     { flexDirection: "column", width },
-    ...(list.length > 0 ? list : [el(Text, { color: "gray" }, "No projects found.")])
+    ...before,
+    ...listBody,
+    ...after
   )
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/app/tests/docker-git/menu-select-order.test.ts b/packages/app/tests/docker-git/menu-select-order.test.ts
index 3c1b344f..3b821111 100644
--- a/packages/app/tests/docker-git/menu-select-order.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/tests/docker-git/menu-select-order.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest"
 
-import { buildSelectLabels } from "../../src/docker-git/menu-render-select.js"
+import { buildSelectLabels, buildSelectListWindow } from "../../src/docker-git/menu-render-select.js"
 import { sortItemsByLaunchTime } from "../../src/docker-git/menu-select-order.js"
 import type { SelectProjectRuntime } from "../../src/docker-git/menu-types.js"
 import { makeProjectItem } from "./fixtures/project-item.js"
@@ -70,4 +70,15 @@ describe("menu-select order", () => {
     expect(downLabel).toContain("running, ssh=2, started=2026-02-17 09:45 UTC")
     emitProof("UI labels show container start timestamp in Connect and Down views")
   })
+
+  it("keeps full list visible when projects fit into viewport", () => {
+    const window = buildSelectListWindow(8, 3, 12)
+    expect(window).toEqual({ start: 0, end: 8 })
+  })
+
+  it("computes a scrolling window around selected project", () => {
+    expect(buildSelectListWindow(30, 0, 10)).toEqual({ start: 0, end: 10 })
+    expect(buildSelectListWindow(30, 15, 10)).toEqual({ start: 10, end: 20 })
+    expect(buildSelectListWindow(30, 29, 10)).toEqual({ start: 20, end: 30 })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/docker-git/tests/core/templates.test.ts b/packages/docker-git/tests/core/templates.test.ts
index b17bb4ad..27618821 100644
--- a/packages/docker-git/tests/core/templates.test.ts
+++ b/packages/docker-git/tests/core/templates.test.ts
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ describe("planFiles", () => {
         expect(entrypointSpec.contents).toContain(
           "push contains commit updating managed issue block in AGENTS.md"
         )
+        expect(entrypointSpec.contents).toContain("docker_git_short_pwd()")
+        expect(entrypointSpec.contents).toContain("local base=\"[\\t] $short_pwd\"")
+        expect(entrypointSpec.contents).toContain("local base=\"[%*] $short_pwd\"")
         expect(entrypointSpec.contents).toContain("CACHE_ROOT=\"/home/dev/.docker-git/.cache/git-mirrors\"")
         expect(entrypointSpec.contents).toContain("PACKAGE_CACHE_ROOT=\"/home/dev/.docker-git/.cache/packages\"")
         expect(entrypointSpec.contents).toContain("npm_config_store_dir")
diff --git a/packages/lib/src/core/templates-prompt.ts b/packages/lib/src/core/templates-prompt.ts
index 2db68c67..09868417 100644
--- a/packages/lib/src/core/templates-prompt.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/src/core/templates-prompt.ts
@@ -8,12 +8,64 @@
 // EFFECT: n/a
 // INVARIANT: script is deterministic
 // COMPLEXITY: O(1)
-export const renderPromptScript = (): string =>
-  `docker_git_branch() { git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null; }
+const dockerGitPromptScript = `docker_git_branch() { git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null; }
+docker_git_short_pwd() {
+  local full_path
+  full_path="\${PWD:-}"
+  if [[ -z "$full_path" ]]; then
+    printf "%s" "?"
+    return
+  fi
+
+  local display="$full_path"
+  if [[ -n "\${HOME:-}" && "$full_path" == "$HOME" ]]; then
+    display="~"
+  elif [[ -n "\${HOME:-}" && "$full_path" == "$HOME/"* ]]; then
+    display="~/\${full_path#$HOME/}"
+  fi
+
+  if [[ "$display" == "~" || "$display" == "/" ]]; then
+    printf "%s" "$display"
+    return
+  fi
+
+  local prefix=""
+  local body="$display"
+  if [[ "$body" == "~/"* ]]; then
+    prefix="~/"
+    body="\${body#~/}"
+  elif [[ "$body" == /* ]]; then
+    prefix="/"
+    body="\${body#/}"
+  fi
+
+  local result="$prefix"
+  local segment=""
+  local rest="$body"
+  while [[ "$rest" == */* ]]; do
+    segment="\${rest%%/*}"
+    rest="\${rest#*/}"
+    if [[ -n "$segment" ]]; then
+      result+="\${segment:0:1}/"
+    fi
+  done
+
+  if [[ -n "$rest" ]]; then
+    result+="$rest"
+  elif [[ "$result" == "~/" ]]; then
+    result="~"
+  elif [[ -z "$result" ]]; then
+    result="/"
+  fi
+
+  printf "%s" "$result"
+}
 docker_git_prompt_apply() {
   local b
   b="$(docker_git_branch)"
-  local base="[\\t] \\w"
+  local short_pwd
+  short_pwd="$(docker_git_short_pwd)"
+  local base="[\\t] $short_pwd"
   if [ -n "$b" ]; then
     PS1="\${base} (\${b})> "
   else
@@ -26,6 +78,8 @@ else
   PROMPT_COMMAND="docker_git_prompt_apply"
 fi`
 
+export const renderPromptScript = (): string => dockerGitPromptScript
+
 // CHANGE: enable bash completion for interactive shells
 // WHY: allow tab completion for CLI tools in SSH terminals
 // QUOTE(ТЗ): "А почему у меня не работает автодополенние в терминале?"
@@ -124,10 +178,68 @@ zstyle ':completion:*' tag-order builtins commands aliases reserved-words functi
 
 autoload -Uz add-zsh-hook
 docker_git_branch() { git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null; }
+docker_git_short_pwd() {
+  local full_path="\${PWD:-}"
+  if [[ -z "$full_path" ]]; then
+    print -r -- "?"
+    return
+  fi
+
+  local display="$full_path"
+  if [[ -n "\${HOME:-}" && "$full_path" == "$HOME" ]]; then
+    display="~"
+  elif [[ -n "\${HOME:-}" && "$full_path" == "$HOME/"* ]]; then
+    display="~/\${full_path#$HOME/}"
+  fi
+
+  if [[ "$display" == "~" || "$display" == "/" ]]; then
+    print -r -- "$display"
+    return
+  fi
+
+  local prefix=""
+  local body="$display"
+  if [[ "$body" == "~/"* ]]; then
+    prefix="~/"
+    body="\${body#~/}"
+  elif [[ "$body" == /* ]]; then
+    prefix="/"
+    body="\${body#/}"
+  fi
+
+  local -a parts
+  local result="$prefix"
+  parts=(\${(s:/:)body})
+  local total=\${#parts[@]}
+  local idx=1
+  local part=""
+  for part in "\${parts[@]}"; do
+    if [[ -z "$part" ]]; then
+      ((idx++))
+      continue
+    fi
+    if (( idx < total )); then
+      result+="\${part[1,1]}/"
+    else
+      result+="$part"
+    fi
+    ((idx++))
+  done
+
+  if [[ -z "$result" ]]; then
+    result="/"
+  elif [[ "$result" == "~/" ]]; then
+    result="~"
+  fi
+
+  print -r -- "$result"
+}
 docker_git_prompt_apply() {
   local b
   b="$(docker_git_branch)"
-  local base="[%*] %~"
+  local short_pwd
+  short_pwd="$(docker_git_short_pwd)"
+  local base="[%*] $short_pwd"
   if [[ -n "$b" ]]; then
     PROMPT="$base ($b)> "
   else
diff --git a/packages/lib/src/shell/docker.ts b/packages/lib/src/shell/docker.ts
index f26eee67..1987e7e8 100644
--- a/packages/lib/src/shell/docker.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/src/shell/docker.ts
@@ -440,3 +440,76 @@ export const runDockerPsNames = (
         .filter((line) => line.length > 0)
     )
   )
+
+const publishedHostPortPattern = /:(\d+)->/g
+
+const parsePublishedHostPortsFromLine = (line: string): ReadonlyArray<number> => {
+  const parsed: Array<number> = []
+  for (const match of line.matchAll(publishedHostPortPattern)) {
+    const rawPort = match[1]
+    if (rawPort === undefined) {
+      continue
+    }
+    const value = Number.parseInt(rawPort, 10)
+    if (Number.isInteger(value) && value > 0 && value <= 65_535) {
+      parsed.push(value)
+    }
+  }
+  return parsed
+}
+
+// CHANGE: decode published host ports from `docker ps --format "{{.Ports}}"` output
+// WHY: Docker can reserve host ports via NAT even when no host TCP socket is visible
+// QUOTE(ТЗ): "должен просто новый порт брать под себя"
+// REF: user-request-2026-02-19-port-allocation
+// SOURCE: n/a
+// FORMAT THEOREM: forall p in parse(output): published_by_docker(p)
+// PURITY: CORE
+// EFFECT: Effect<ReadonlyArray<number>, never, never>
+// INVARIANT: returns unique ports in encounter order
+// COMPLEXITY: O(|output|)
+export const parseDockerPublishedHostPorts = (output: string): ReadonlyArray<number> => {
+  const unique = new Set<number>()
+  const parsed: Array<number> = []
+
+  for (const line of output.split(/\r?\n/)) {
+    const trimmed = line.trim()
+    if (trimmed.length === 0) {
+      continue
+    }
+    for (const port of parsePublishedHostPortsFromLine(trimmed)) {
+      if (!unique.has(port)) {
+        unique.add(port)
+        parsed.push(port)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  return parsed
+}
+
+// CHANGE: read currently published Docker host ports from running containers
+// WHY: avoid false "free port" results when Docker reserves ports without userland proxy sockets
+// QUOTE(ТЗ): "а не сражаться за старый"
+// REF: user-request-2026-02-19-port-allocation
+// SOURCE: n/a
+// FORMAT THEOREM: forall p in result: published_by_running_container(p)
+// PURITY: SHELL
+// EFFECT: Effect<ReadonlyArray<number>, CommandFailedError | PlatformError, CommandExecutor>
+// INVARIANT: output ports are unique
+// COMPLEXITY: O(command + |stdout|)
+export const runDockerPsPublishedHostPorts = (
+  cwd: string
+): Effect.Effect<ReadonlyArray<number>, CommandFailedError | PlatformError, CommandExecutor.CommandExecutor> =>
+  pipe(
+    runCommandCapture(
+      {
+        cwd,
+        command: "docker",
+        args: ["ps", "--format", "{{.Ports}}"]
+      },
+      [Number(ExitCode(0))],
+      (exitCode) => new CommandFailedError({ command: "docker ps", exitCode })
+    ),
+    Effect.map((output) => parseDockerPublishedHostPorts(output))
+  )
diff --git a/packages/lib/src/usecases/actions/ports.ts b/packages/lib/src/usecases/actions/ports.ts
index 6467833f..1bcb1487 100644
--- a/packages/lib/src/usecases/actions/ports.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/src/usecases/actions/ports.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import type * as CommandExecutor from "@effect/platform/CommandExecutor"
 import type { PlatformError } from "@effect/platform/Error"
 import type * as FileSystem from "@effect/platform/FileSystem"
 import type * as Path from "@effect/platform/Path"
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ export const resolveSshPort = (
 ): Effect.Effect<
   CreateCommand["config"],
   PortProbeError | PlatformError,
-  FileSystem.FileSystem | Path.Path
+  FileSystem.FileSystem | Path.Path | CommandExecutor.CommandExecutor
 > =>
   Effect.gen(function*(_) {
     const reserved = yield* _(loadReservedPorts(outDir))
diff --git a/packages/lib/src/usecases/errors.ts b/packages/lib/src/usecases/errors.ts
index 8b6bb1ff..4ebe7f78 100644
--- a/packages/lib/src/usecases/errors.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/src/usecases/errors.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ const renderPrimaryError = (error: NonParseError): string | null =>
     Match.when({ _tag: "DockerCommandError" }, ({ exitCode }) =>
       [
         `docker compose failed with exit code ${exitCode}`,
-        "Hint: ensure Docker daemon is running and current user can access /var/run/docker.sock (for example via the docker group)."
+        "Hint: ensure Docker daemon is running and current user can access /var/run/docker.sock (for example via the docker group).",
+        "Hint: if output above contains 'port is already allocated', retry with a free SSH port via --ssh-port <port> (for example --ssh-port 2235), or stop the conflicting project/container."
       ].join("\n")),
     Match.when({ _tag: "DockerAccessError" }, ({ details, issue }) =>
       [
diff --git a/packages/lib/src/usecases/ports-reserve.ts b/packages/lib/src/usecases/ports-reserve.ts
index 66bbc5c2..ccc7f10e 100644
--- a/packages/lib/src/usecases/ports-reserve.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/src/usecases/ports-reserve.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import type * as CommandExecutor from "@effect/platform/CommandExecutor"
 import type { PlatformError } from "@effect/platform/Error"
 import type { FileSystem } from "@effect/platform/FileSystem"
 import * as Path from "@effect/platform/Path"
-import { Effect, Option } from "effect"
+import { Effect, Either, Option } from "effect"
 
+import { runDockerPsPublishedHostPorts } from "../shell/docker.js"
 import { PortProbeError } from "../shell/errors.js"
 import { isPortAvailable } from "../shell/ports.js"
 import { listProjectItems } from "./projects-list.js"
@@ -12,6 +14,8 @@ export type ReservedPort = {
   readonly projectDir: string
 }
 
+const dockerPublishedMarker = "<docker:published>"
+
 const resolveExclude = (
   path: Path.Path,
   excludeDir: string | null
@@ -29,6 +33,34 @@ const filterReserved = (
   return path.resolve(item.projectDir) !== resolvedExclude
 }
 
+const reservePort = (
+  reserved: Array<ReservedPort>,
+  seen: Set<number>,
+  port: number,
+  projectDir: string
+): void => {
+  if (seen.has(port)) {
+    return
+  }
+  seen.add(port)
+  reserved.push({ port, projectDir })
+}
+
+const loadPublishedDockerPorts = (): Effect.Effect<ReadonlySet<number>, never, CommandExecutor.CommandExecutor> =>
+  Effect.either(runDockerPsPublishedHostPorts(process.cwd())).pipe(
+    Effect.flatMap(
+      Either.match({
+        onLeft: (error) =>
+          Effect.logWarning(
+            `Failed to read published Docker ports; falling back to TCP probing only: ${
+              error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
+            }`
+          ).pipe(Effect.as(new Set<number>())),
+        onRight: (ports) => Effect.succeed(new Set(ports))
+      })
+    )
+  )
+
 // CHANGE: collect SSH ports currently occupied by existing docker-git projects
 // WHY: avoid port collisions while allowing reuse of ports from stopped projects
 // QUOTE(ТЗ): "для каждого докера брать должен свой порт"
@@ -36,7 +68,7 @@ const filterReserved = (
 // SOURCE: n/a
 // FORMAT THEOREM: ∀p∈Projects: reserved(port(p))
 // PURITY: SHELL
-// EFFECT: Effect<ReadonlyArray<ReservedPort>, PlatformError | PortProbeError, FileSystem | Path.Path>
+// EFFECT: Effect<ReadonlyArray<ReservedPort>, PlatformError | PortProbeError, FileSystem | Path.Path | CommandExecutor>
 // INVARIANT: excludes the current project dir when provided
 // COMPLEXITY: O(n) where n = number of projects
 export const loadReservedPorts = (
@@ -44,23 +76,31 @@ export const loadReservedPorts = (
 ): Effect.Effect<
   ReadonlyArray<ReservedPort>,
   PlatformError | PortProbeError,
-  FileSystem | Path.Path
+  FileSystem | Path.Path | CommandExecutor.CommandExecutor
 > =>
   Effect.gen(function*(_) {
     const path = yield* _(Path.Path)
     const items = yield* _(listProjectItems)
+    const publishedByDocker = yield* _(loadPublishedDockerPorts())
     const reserved: Array<ReservedPort> = []
+    const seen = new Set<number>()
     const filter = filterReserved(path, excludeDir)
 
     for (const item of items) {
       if (!filter(item)) {
         continue
       }
-      if (!(yield* _(isPortAvailable(item.sshPort)))) {
-        reserved.push({ port: item.sshPort, projectDir: item.projectDir })
+      const occupiedByDocker = publishedByDocker.has(item.sshPort)
+      const occupiedBySocket = occupiedByDocker ? false : !(yield* _(isPortAvailable(item.sshPort)))
+      if (occupiedByDocker || occupiedBySocket) {
+        reservePort(reserved, seen, item.sshPort, item.projectDir)
       }
     }
 
+    for (const port of publishedByDocker) {
+      reservePort(reserved, seen, port, dockerPublishedMarker)
+    }
+
     return reserved
   })
 
diff --git a/packages/lib/src/usecases/projects-up.ts b/packages/lib/src/usecases/projects-up.ts
index 53cf6a58..5513362a 100644
--- a/packages/lib/src/usecases/projects-up.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/src/usecases/projects-up.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ const maxPortAttempts = 25
 // SOURCE: n/a
 // FORMAT THEOREM: ∀p: reserved(p) ∨ occupied(p) → selected(p') ∧ available(p')
 // PURITY: SHELL
-// EFFECT: Effect<TemplateConfig, PortProbeError | PlatformError | FileExistsError, FileSystem | Path>
+// EFFECT: Effect<TemplateConfig, PortProbeError | PlatformError | FileExistsError, FileSystem | Path | CommandExecutor>
 // INVARIANT: config is rewritten when port changes
 // COMPLEXITY: O(n) where n = maxPortAttempts
 const ensureAvailableSshPort = (
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const ensureAvailableSshPort = (
 ): Effect.Effect<
   TemplateConfig,
   PortProbeError | PlatformError | FileExistsError,
-  FileSystem | Path
+  FileSystem | Path | CommandExecutor
 > =>
   Effect.gen(function*(_) {
     const reserved = yield* _(loadReservedPorts(projectDir))
diff --git a/packages/lib/tests/shell/docker.test.ts b/packages/lib/tests/shell/docker.test.ts
index bc3c49fd..4f5917cd 100644
--- a/packages/lib/tests/shell/docker.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/tests/shell/docker.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,26 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "@effect/vitest"
 
-import { dockerComposeUpRecreateArgs } from "../../src/shell/docker.js"
+import { dockerComposeUpRecreateArgs, parseDockerPublishedHostPorts } from "../../src/shell/docker.js"
 
 describe("docker compose args", () => {
   it("uses build when force-env recreates containers", () => {
     expect(dockerComposeUpRecreateArgs).toEqual(["up", "-d", "--build", "--force-recreate"])
   })
 })
+
+describe("parseDockerPublishedHostPorts", () => {
+  it("extracts unique published host ports from docker ps output", () => {
+    const output = [
+      "127.0.0.1:2222->22/tcp",
+      "0.0.0.0:5672->5672/tcp, [::]:5672->5672/tcp",
+      "5900/tcp, 6080/tcp, 9223/tcp",
+      ":::8080->80/tcp"
+    ].join("\n")
+
+    expect(parseDockerPublishedHostPorts(output)).toEqual([2222, 5672, 8080])
+  })
+
+  it("returns empty array when no host ports are published", () => {
+    expect(parseDockerPublishedHostPorts("5900/tcp, 6080/tcp")).toEqual([])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/lib/tests/usecases/errors.test.ts b/packages/lib/tests/usecases/errors.test.ts
index 90355df8..3726f0b7 100644
--- a/packages/lib/tests/usecases/errors.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/tests/usecases/errors.test.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ describe("renderError", () => {
 
     expect(message).toContain("docker compose failed with exit code 1")
     expect(message).toContain("/var/run/docker.sock")
+    expect(message).toContain("port is already allocated")
+    expect(message).toContain("--ssh-port")
   })
 
   it("renders actionable recovery for DockerAccessError", () => {