diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45faad5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# .dockerignore
+scumserver-data
+steamcmd
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ac241bf..ef8b7c5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 scumserver-data/
+steamcmd/
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index de03d59..a1666e3 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -22,19 +22,17 @@ ENV WINEDEBUG -all
 ENV WINEARCH win64
 ENV WINEPREFIX /opt/wine64
 ENV XDG_RUNTIME_DIR /tmp
+ENV PATH=/opt/steamcmd:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
 
 RUN wineboot --init
 
-RUN mkdir -p /opt/steamcmd && cd /opt/steamcmd && wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz && tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
-ENV PATH=/opt/steamcmd:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
-
 # scum server run script
 COPY start-server.sh /opt/start-server.sh
 RUN chmod +x /opt/start-server.sh
 
 # cleanup
 RUN apt-get clean
-RUN rm /opt/steamcmd/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
+RUN rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 EXPOSE 27020/udp
 EXPOSE 27015/udp
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index ae03c4a..51cad11 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -16,4 +16,5 @@ services:
       - "27015:27015/tcp"
     volumes:
       - ./scumserver-data:/opt/scumserver
+      - ./steamcmd:/opt/steamcmd
     restart: unless-stopped
diff --git a/start-server.sh b/start-server.sh
index 2f52a23..79ad715 100644
--- a/start-server.sh
+++ b/start-server.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,20 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
-echo "Installing/updating steamcmd and SCUM dedicated server..."
+# skip download of SteamCMD if present already
+if [ ! -f /opt/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh ]; then
+    echo "SteamCMD not found. Installing..."
+    mkdir -p /opt/steamcmd && \
+    cd /opt/steamcmd && \
+    wget --timeout=30 --tries=3 https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz && \
+    tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz && \
+    rm /opt/steamcmd/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz && \
+    echo "SteamCMD successfully installed" 
+else
+    echo "SteamCMD found, skipping installation..."
+fi
+
+echo "Update SteamCMD and SCUM dedicated server..."
 /opt/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows \
   +force_install_dir /opt/scumserver \
   +login anonymous \