diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/builder.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/builder.yaml
index 30c4dd1..a13e70e 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/builder.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/builder.yaml
@@ -30,14 +30,27 @@ jobs:
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
           context: ./apps/aquatic
-          file: ./apps/aquatic/docker/aquatic_udp.Dockerfile
+          file: ./apps/aquatic/docker/aquatic_udp_futureporn.Dockerfile
           push: true
           tags: gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/aquatic:latest
 
+      - name: Build futureporn/tracker-helper
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        with:
+          context: ./services/tracker-helper
+          push: true
+          tags: gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/tracker-helper:latest
+          labels: |
+            org.opencontainers.image.description=Custom Aquatic helper service, adding info_hash accesslist operations via HTTP
+            org.opencontainers.image.title=tracker-helper
+            org.opencontainers.image.licenses=unlicense
+            org.opencontainers.image.source=https://gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/fp
+            org.opencontainers.image.url=https://gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/-/packages/container/tracker-helper
+
       - name: Build futureporn/tracker
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
-          context: ./services/tracker
+          context: ./apps/tracker
           push: true
           tags: gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/tracker:latest
           labels: |
@@ -50,19 +63,19 @@ jobs:
             TRACKER_HELPER_USERNAME=${{ secrets.TRACKER_HELPER_USERNAME }}
             TRACKER_HELPER_PASSWORD=${{ secrets.TRACKER_HELPER_PASSWORD }}
 
-      - name: Build futureporn/bright
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
-        with:
-          context: ./apps/bright
-          push: true
-          tags: gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/bright:latest
-          build-args: |
-            MIX_ENV=prod
-          labels: |
-            org.opencontainers.image.description=The Galaxy's Best VTuber hentai site
-            org.opencontainers.image.title=bright
-            org.opencontainers.image.created={{commit_date 'YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss.SSS[Z]'}}
-            org.opencontainers.image.version={{version}}
-            org.opencontainers.image.licenses=unlicense
-            org.opencontainers.image.source=https://gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/fp
-            org.opencontainers.image.url=https://gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/-/packages/container/bright
+      # - name: Build futureporn/bright
+      #   uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+      #   with:
+      #     context: ./apps/bright
+      #     push: true
+      #     tags: gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/bright:latest
+      #     build-args: |
+      #       MIX_ENV=prod
+      #     labels: |
+      #       org.opencontainers.image.description=The Galaxy's Best VTuber hentai site
+      #       org.opencontainers.image.title=bright
+      #       org.opencontainers.image.created={{commit_date 'YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss.SSS[Z]'}}
+      #       org.opencontainers.image.version={{version}}
+      #       org.opencontainers.image.licenses=unlicense
+      #       org.opencontainers.image.source=https://gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/fp
+      #       org.opencontainers.image.url=https://gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/-/packages/container/bright
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/tests.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/tests.yaml
index ab15f0e..f25a07c 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/tests.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/tests.yaml
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ jobs:
       TRACKER_HELPER_URL: ${{ vars.TRACKER_HELPER_URL }}
       TRACKER_HELPER_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.TRACKER_HELPER_USERNAME }}
       TRACKER_HELPER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TRACKER_HELPER_PASSWORD }}
+      TRACKER_HELPER_ACCESSLIST_URL: ${{ vars.TRACKER_HELPER_ACCESSLIST_URL }}
+      TRACKER_HELPER_ACCESSLIST_PATH: /var/lib/aquatic/accesslist
+
       DB_NAME: ${{ vars.DB_NAME }}
       DB_HOST: ${{ vars.DB_HOST }}
       DB_PORT: ${{ vars.DB_PORT }}
@@ -79,7 +82,8 @@ jobs:
           - 3003:3003
           - 9000:9000
         env:
-          TRACKER_HELPER_ACCESSLIST_PATH: /var/lib/aquatic/whitelist
+          TRACKER_HELPER_ACCESSLIST_PATH: /var/lib/aquatic/accesslist
+          TRACKER_HELPER_ACCESSLIST_URL: http://localhost:5063/accesslist
           TRACKER_HELPER_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.TRACKER_HELPER_USERNAME }}
           TRACKER_HELPER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TRACKER_HELPER_PASSWORD }}
           TRACKER_HELPER_PORT: 5063
diff --git a/apps/aquatic/docker/aquatic_udp_futureporn.Dockerfile b/apps/aquatic/docker/aquatic_udp_futureporn.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29de663
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/aquatic/docker/aquatic_udp_futureporn.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1
+
+FROM rust:latest AS builder
+
+WORKDIR /usr/src/aquatic
+
+COPY . .
+
+RUN . ./scripts/env-native-cpu-without-avx-512 && cargo build --release -p aquatic_udp
+
+FROM debian:stable-slim
+
+
+ENV CONFIG_FILE_CONTENTS "[statistics]\ninterval = 5\nprint_to_stdout = true"
+ENV ACCESS_LIST_CONTENTS ""
+
+WORKDIR /etc/aquatic/
+
+COPY --from=builder /usr/src/aquatic/target/release/aquatic_udp /usr/local/bin/aquatic_udp
+
+COPY <<-"EOT" /usr/local/bin/entrypoint.sh
+#!/bin/bash
+echo -e "$CONFIG_FILE_CONTENTS" > /etc/aquatic/config.toml
+echo -e "$ACCESS_LIST_CONTENTS" > /var/lib/aquatic/whitelist
+exec /usr/local/bin/aquatic_udp -c /etc/aquatic/config.toml "$@"
+EOT
+
+RUN mkdir -p /var/lib/aquatic && \
+  touch /var/lib/aquatic/whitelist && \
+  chmod 0666 /var/lib/aquatic/whitelist && \
+  chmod +x /usr/local/bin/entrypoint.sh
+
+
+
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=5s --timeout=3s --retries=3 \
+  CMD pidof aquatic_udp || exit 1
+
+## we cd before running to workaround nektos/act behavior which overrides WORKDIR
+ENTRYPOINT ["sh", "-c", "cd /etc/aquatic && /usr/local/bin/entrypoint.sh"]
+# ENTRYPOINT ["tail", "-f", "/dev/null"] # for debugging
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/bright/config/runtime.exs b/apps/bright/config/runtime.exs
index b4f96e3..08db3db 100644
--- a/apps/bright/config/runtime.exs
+++ b/apps/bright/config/runtime.exs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ config :bright,
 
 config :bright, :torrent,
   tracker_url: System.get_env("TRACKER_URL"),
-  tracker_helper_url: System.get_env("TRACKER_HELPER_URL"),
+  tracker_helper_accesslist_url: System.get_env("TRACKER_HELPER_ACCESSLIST_URL"),
   tracker_helper_username: System.get_env("TRACKER_HELPER_USERNAME"),
   tracker_helper_password: System.get_env("TRACKER_HELPER_PASSWORD")
 
diff --git a/apps/bright/lib/bright/tracker.ex b/apps/bright/lib/bright/tracker.ex
index d028348..f8f2ca6 100644
--- a/apps/bright/lib/bright/tracker.ex
+++ b/apps/bright/lib/bright/tracker.ex
@@ -17,16 +17,16 @@ defmodule Bright.Tracker do
   This is where we send infohashes that end up in aquatic's accesslist
   Usually it's port 5063, path /accesslist
   """
-  @spec accesslist_url() :: binary()
-  def accesslist_url do
+  @spec tracker_helper_accesslist_url() :: binary()
+  def tracker_helper_accesslist_url do
     url =
       case Application.fetch_env!(:bright, :torrent)[:tracker_helper_accesslist_url] do
-        nil -> raise "accesslist_url missing or empty in app config"
-        "" -> raise "accesslist_url missing or empty in app config"
+        nil -> raise "tracker_helper_accesslist_url missing or empty in app config"
+        "" -> raise "tracker_helper_accesslist_url missing or empty in app config"
         url -> url
       end
 
-    Logger.debug("accesslist_url=#{url}")
+    Logger.debug("tracker_helper_accesslist_url=#{url}")
     url
   end
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ defmodule Bright.Tracker do
   end
 
   def accesslist_info_hash(info_hash) do
-    accesslist_url = accesslist_url()
+    accesslist_url = tracker_helper_accesslist_url()
     username = tracker_helper_username()
     password = tracker_helper_password()
 
diff --git a/apps/bright/test/bright/images_test.exs b/apps/bright/test/bright/images_test.exs
index db34d67..71e3945 100644
--- a/apps/bright/test/bright/images_test.exs
+++ b/apps/bright/test/bright/images_test.exs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ defmodule Bright.ImagesTest do
       {:ok, filename} =
         Images.create_thumbnail(@test_mp4_fixture)
 
-      assert Regex.match?(~r/^\/root\/\.cache\/futureporn\/[^\/]+\/[^\/]+\.png$/, filename)
+      assert Regex.match?(~r/\.cache\/futureporn\/[^\/]+\/[^\/]+\.png$/, filename)
       assert File.exists?(filename)
       assert File.stat!(filename).size > 0, "thumbnail file is empty"
     end
diff --git a/apps/bright/test/bright/tracker_test.exs b/apps/bright/test/bright/tracker_test.exs
index d6b67db..8884e4a 100644
--- a/apps/bright/test/bright/tracker_test.exs
+++ b/apps/bright/test/bright/tracker_test.exs
@@ -3,24 +3,22 @@ defmodule Bright.TrackerTest do
   use Bright.DataCase
 
   alias Bright.Tracker
-  alias Bright.URLEncoder
 
   describe "tracker" do
     use ExUnit.Case, async: false
-    import Bright.StreamsFixtures
 
     # tails-amd64-6.10-img (BT info_hash v1)
     @info_hash_v1_fixture "07b4516336e4afe9232c73bc312642590a7d7e95"
 
     @tag :integration
-    test "whitelist_info_hash/1 using a string info_hash" do
-      case Tracker.whitelist_info_hash(@info_hash_v1_fixture) do
+    test "accesslist_info_hash/1 using a string info_hash" do
+      case Tracker.accesslist_info_hash(@info_hash_v1_fixture) do
         {:ok, info_hash} ->
           assert :ok
           assert info_hash === @info_hash_v1_fixture
 
         {:error, :closed} ->
-          flunk("The connection to opentracker was closed. Is opentracker running?")
+          flunk("The connection to tracker was closed. Is tracker running?")
 
         other ->
           flunk("Unexpected result: #{inspect(other)}")
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/Dockerfile b/apps/tracker/Dockerfile
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/Dockerfile
rename to apps/tracker/Dockerfile
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/aquatic/config.toml b/apps/tracker/root/etc/aquatic/config.toml
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/aquatic/config.toml
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/aquatic/config.toml
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/caddy/Caddyfile b/apps/tracker/root/etc/caddy/Caddyfile
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/caddy/Caddyfile
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/caddy/Caddyfile
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/aquatic/run b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/aquatic/run
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/aquatic/run
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/aquatic/run
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/aquatic/type b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/aquatic/type
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/aquatic/type
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/aquatic/type
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/dependencies.d/aquatic b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/dependencies.d/aquatic
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/dependencies.d/aquatic
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/dependencies.d/aquatic
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/run b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/run
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/run
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/run
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/type b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/type
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/type
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/caddy/type
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/dependencies.d/aquatic b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/dependencies.d/aquatic
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/dependencies.d/aquatic
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/dependencies.d/aquatic
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/run b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/run
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/run
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/run
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/type b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/type
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/type
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/tracker-helper/type
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/aquatic b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/aquatic
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/aquatic
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/aquatic
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/tracker-helper b/apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/tracker-helper
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/tracker-helper
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/user/contents.d/tracker-helper
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/tracker/healthcheck.sh b/apps/tracker/root/etc/tracker/healthcheck.sh
similarity index 64%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/tracker/healthcheck.sh
rename to apps/tracker/root/etc/tracker/healthcheck.sh
index 4991d56..13de203 100755
--- a/apps/tracker-helper/root/etc/tracker/healthcheck.sh
+++ b/apps/tracker/root/etc/tracker/healthcheck.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 pidof aquatic_udp || exit 111
-curl -f http://localhost:5063/helper || exit 112
+curl -f http://localhost:5063/health || exit 112
 curl -f http://localhost:9000/metrics || exit 113
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/usr/src/tracker-helper/.gitkeep b/apps/tracker/root/usr/src/tracker-helper/.gitkeep
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/usr/src/tracker-helper/.gitkeep
rename to apps/tracker/root/usr/src/tracker-helper/.gitkeep
diff --git a/apps/tracker-helper/root/var/lib/aquatic/accesslist b/apps/tracker/root/var/lib/aquatic/accesslist
similarity index 100%
rename from apps/tracker-helper/root/var/lib/aquatic/accesslist
rename to apps/tracker/root/var/lib/aquatic/accesslist
diff --git a/config/deploy.yml b/config/deploy.yml
index 83b2670..2915487 100644
--- a/config/deploy.yml
+++ b/config/deploy.yml
@@ -89,39 +89,21 @@ ssh:
 # Use accessory services (secrets come from .kamal/secrets).
 #
 accessories:
-  tracker-helper:
-    image: gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/opentracker:latest
-    host: 45.76.57.101
-    port: "127.0.0.1:3000:3000"
-    env:
-      secret:
-        - WL_CREDENTIALS
-    proxy:
-      ssl: true
-      forward_headers: true
-      app_port: 3000
-      host: tracker-helper.futureporn.net
-      healthcheck:
-        path: /health
-    volumes:
-      - opentracker-etc:/etc/opentracker
-      - opentracker-var:/var/run/opentracker
-
   tracker:
     image: gitea.futureporn.net/futureporn/tracker:latest
     host: 45.76.57.101
     port: "0.0.0.0:5063:5063"
     env:
       clear:
-        HELPER_ACCESSLIST_PATH: "/var/lib/aquatic/accesslist"
+        TRACKER_HELPER_ACCESSLIST_PATH: "/var/lib/aquatic/accesslist"
       secret:
-        - HELPER_USERNAME
-        - HELPER_PASSWORD
-
+        - TRACKER_HELPER_USERNAME
+        - TRACKER_HELPER_PASSWORD
     proxy:
       ssl: true
-      forward_headers: true
-      app_port: 5063 # note: tracker also uses port 6969/udp and 9000/tcp, but the api at 5063/tcp is what we specify here. # @todo @blocking https://github.com/basecamp/kamal-proxy/issues/48
+      forward_headers: false
+      # note: tracker also uses port 6969/udp and 9000/tcp, but the api at 5063/tcp is what we specify here. # @todo @blocking https://github.com/basecamp/kamal-proxy/issues/48
+      app_port: 5063
       host: tracker.futureporn.net
       healthcheck:
         path: /health
diff --git a/services/tracker/.dockerignore b/services/tracker-helper/.dockerignore
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/.dockerignore
rename to services/tracker-helper/.dockerignore
diff --git a/services/tracker/.gitignore b/services/tracker-helper/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/.gitignore
rename to services/tracker-helper/.gitignore
diff --git a/services/tracker/Dockerfile b/services/tracker-helper/Dockerfile
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/Dockerfile
rename to services/tracker-helper/Dockerfile
diff --git a/services/tracker/README.md b/services/tracker-helper/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/README.md
rename to services/tracker-helper/README.md
diff --git a/services/tracker/app.ts b/services/tracker-helper/app.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/app.ts
rename to services/tracker-helper/app.ts
diff --git a/services/tracker/bun.lockb b/services/tracker-helper/bun.lockb
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/bun.lockb
rename to services/tracker-helper/bun.lockb
diff --git a/services/tracker/fifo-helper.ts b/services/tracker-helper/fifo-helper.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/fifo-helper.ts
rename to services/tracker-helper/fifo-helper.ts
diff --git a/services/tracker/index.ts b/services/tracker-helper/index.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/index.ts
rename to services/tracker-helper/index.ts
diff --git a/services/tracker/package.json b/services/tracker-helper/package.json
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/package.json
rename to services/tracker-helper/package.json
diff --git a/services/tracker/pnpm-lock.yaml b/services/tracker-helper/pnpm-lock.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/pnpm-lock.yaml
rename to services/tracker-helper/pnpm-lock.yaml
diff --git a/services/tracker/test/app.test.ts b/services/tracker-helper/test/app.test.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/test/app.test.ts
rename to services/tracker-helper/test/app.test.ts
diff --git a/services/tracker-helper/test/fixtures/taco b/services/tracker-helper/test/fixtures/taco
deleted file mode 100644
index 0e628b0..0000000
--- a/services/tracker-helper/test/fixtures/taco
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-b22ea43e4c0a7f73fc706b5faf1c35bb078d3722
-3aa5ad5e62eaffd148cff3dbe93ff2e1e9cbcf01
-3aa5ad5e62eaffd148cff3dbe93ff2e1e9cbcf01
-3aa5ad5e62eaffd148cff3dbe93ff2e1e9cbcf01
diff --git a/services/tracker/test/fixtures/whitelist b/services/tracker-helper/test/fixtures/whitelist
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/test/fixtures/whitelist
rename to services/tracker-helper/test/fixtures/whitelist
diff --git a/services/tracker/tsconfig.json b/services/tracker-helper/tsconfig.json
similarity index 100%
rename from services/tracker/tsconfig.json
rename to services/tracker-helper/tsconfig.json