diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 32654004..2bd4f06c 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -52,11 +52,8 @@ jobs:
           echo "REDIS_URL=${{ secrets.REDIS_URL }}" >> .env.remote
           echo "REDIS_KEY_PREFIX=${{ secrets.REDIS_KEY_PREFIX }}" >> .env.remote
 
-          # Create remote directory if it doesn't exist
-          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 deploy@alpha.mintel.me "mkdir -p /home/deploy/sites/klz-cables.com"
-
-          # Copy .env file to remote server using cat over ssh to bypass scp/sftp issues
-          cat .env.remote | ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 deploy@alpha.mintel.me "cat > /home/deploy/sites/klz-cables.com/.env"
+          # Create remote directory and .env file in a single SSH session to minimize connection overhead
+          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 deploy@alpha.mintel.me "mkdir -p /home/deploy/sites/klz-cables.com && cat > /home/deploy/sites/klz-cables.com/.env" < .env.remote
 
           ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 deploy@alpha.mintel.me << 'EOF'
             docker login registry.infra.mintel.me \