diff --git a/repeater/service_utils.py b/repeater/service_utils.py
index 9a9c4a1..f565de9 100644
--- a/repeater/service_utils.py
+++ b/repeater/service_utils.py
@@ -6,11 +6,14 @@ Provides functions for service control operations like restart.
 import logging
 import os
 import subprocess
+import threading
+import time
 from typing import Dict, Optional, Tuple
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("ServiceUtils")
 INIT_SCRIPT = "/etc/init.d/S80pymc-repeater"
 BUILDROOT_METADATA_PATH = "/etc/pymc-image-build-id"
+_CONTAINER_RESTART_DELAY_SECONDS = 1.0
 
 
 def is_buildroot() -> bool:
@@ -46,6 +49,40 @@ def get_buildroot_image_version() -> Optional[str]:
     return get_buildroot_image_info().get("image_version")
 
 
+def is_container() -> bool:
+    """Detect common Docker/LXC/containerized environments."""
+    if os.path.exists("/.dockerenv") or os.environ.get("container"):
+        return True
+
+    try:
+        with open("/proc/1/environ", "rb") as handle:
+            if b"container=" in handle.read():
+                return True
+    except (OSError, PermissionError):
+        pass
+
+    try:
+        with open("/proc/1/cgroup", "r", encoding="utf-8") as handle:
+            cgroup_data = handle.read()
+            if any(token in cgroup_data for token in ("docker", "containerd", "kubepods", "lxc")):
+                return True
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+
+    return os.path.exists("/run/host/container-manager")
+
+
+def _schedule_container_exit(delay_seconds: float = _CONTAINER_RESTART_DELAY_SECONDS) -> None:
+    """Exit the current process shortly after returning success to the caller."""
+
+    def _exit_process() -> None:
+        time.sleep(delay_seconds)
+        logger.warning("Exiting repeater process to trigger container restart")
+        os._exit(0)
+
+    threading.Thread(target=_exit_process, name="container-restart-exit", daemon=True).start()
+
+
 def restart_service() -> Tuple[bool, str]:
     """
     Restart the pymc-repeater service.
@@ -58,6 +95,11 @@ def restart_service() -> Tuple[bool, str]:
     Returns:
         Tuple[bool, str]: (success, message)
     """
+    if is_container():
+        _schedule_container_exit()
+        logger.info("Container environment detected; scheduled process exit for container restart")
+        return True, "Container restart initiated"
+
     if is_buildroot():
         if not os.path.exists(INIT_SCRIPT):
             logger.error("Buildroot init script not found: %s", INIT_SCRIPT)