diff --git a/.github/workflows/cleanup-runner.yml b/.github/workflows/cleanup-runner.yml
index f51c69d638..e0b83ab147 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cleanup-runner.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cleanup-runner.yml
@@ -4,44 +4,141 @@ on:
   workflow_run:
     workflows: ["docker"]
     types: [completed]
-  workflow_dispatch: 
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '0 */6 * * *'  # Every 6 hours
 
 jobs:
   cleanup:
     runs-on: [self-hosted, Linux]
     steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          
       - name: Check disk usage
         id: disk-check
         run: |
+          echo "=== Initial disk usage ==="
+          df -h /
+          docker system df
+          
           USAGE=$(df / | awk 'NR==2 {print $5}' | sed 's/%//')
           echo "Disk usage: ${USAGE}%"
           echo "usage=${USAGE}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           
-      - name: Clean Docker images
+      - name: Clean deleted branches
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Cleaning images from deleted branches ==="
+          
+          # Get list of all remote branches
+          git ls-remote --heads origin | awk '{print $2}' | sed 's|refs/heads/||' > /tmp/active_branches.txt
+          
+          # Check each docker image tag against branch list
+          docker images --format "{{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}}|{{.ID}}" | \
+          grep "ghcr.io/dimensionalos" | \
+          grep -v ":<none>" | \
+          while IFS='|' read image_ref id; do
+            tag=$(echo "$image_ref" | cut -d: -f2)
+            
+            # Skip if tag matches an active branch
+            if grep -qx "$tag" /tmp/active_branches.txt; then
+              echo "Branch exists: $tag - keeping $image_ref"
+            else
+              echo "Branch deleted: $tag - removing $image_ref"
+              docker rmi "$id" 2>/dev/null || true
+            fi
+          done
+          
+          rm -f /tmp/active_branches.txt
+          
+      - name: Clean Docker images - Keep newest per tag
         if: steps.disk-check.outputs.usage > 50
         run: |
-          echo "=== Docker usage before cleanup ==="
-          docker system df
+          echo "=== Smart cleanup - keeping newest image per tag ==="
           
-          echo -e "\n=== Removing dangling images ==="
-          docker images -f "dangling=true" -q | xargs -r docker rmi || true
+          # Group by repository AND tag, keep newest of each
+          docker images --format "{{.Repository}}|{{.Tag}}|{{.ID}}" | \
+          grep "ghcr.io/dimensionalos" | \
+          grep -v "<none>" | \
+          while IFS='|' read repo tag id; do
+            created_ts=$(docker inspect -f '{{.Created}}' "$id" 2>/dev/null)
+            created_unix=$(date -d "$created_ts" +%s 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
+            echo "${repo}|${tag}|${id}|${created_unix}"
+          done | sort -t'|' -k1,1 -k2,2 -k4,4nr | \
+          awk -F'|' '
+          {
+            repo=$1
+            tag=$2
+            id=$3
+            repo_tag = repo ":" tag
+            
+            # Always keep protected tags
+            if (tag ~ /^(main|dev|latest)$/) {
+              print "Keeping protected: " repo_tag
+              next
+            }
+            
+            # For each unique repo:tag combination, keep the newest
+            if (!(repo_tag in seen_combos)) {
+              seen_combos[repo_tag] = 1
+              print "Keeping newest: " repo_tag
+            } else {
+              print "Removing older: " repo_tag " (" id ")"
+              system("docker rmi " id " 2>/dev/null || true")
+            }
+          }'
           
-          echo -e "\n=== Docker usage after cleanup ==="
-          docker system df
+          # Clean dangling images
+          docker image prune -f
           
-          echo -e "\n=== Disk usage after cleanup ==="
-          df -h /
+          # Clean unused volumes
+          docker volume prune -f
+          
+      - name: Moderate cleanup
+        if: steps.disk-check.outputs.usage > 70
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Moderate cleanup - removing all but main/dev/latest ==="
+          
+          # Remove all except main, dev, latest tags
+          docker images --format "{{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}} {{.ID}}" | \
+          grep -E "ghcr.io/dimensionalos" | \
+          grep -vE ":(main|dev|latest)$" | \
+          awk '{print $2}' | xargs -r docker rmi -f || true
+          
+          # Clean all unused volumes
+          docker volume prune -a -f
           
-      - name: Aggressive cleanup if disk critically full
-        if: steps.disk-check.outputs.usage > 90
+          # Clean build cache older than 3 days
+          docker builder prune -a -f --filter "until=72h"
+          
+      - name: Aggressive cleanup
+        if: steps.disk-check.outputs.usage > 85
         run: |
-          echo "=== CRITICAL: Disk usage above 90% - Aggressive cleanup ==="
+          echo "=== AGGRESSIVE cleanup - removing everything except main/dev ==="
+          
+          # Remove ALL images except main and dev tags
+          docker images --format "{{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}} {{.ID}}" | \
+          grep -E "ghcr.io/dimensionalos" | \
+          grep -vE ":(main|dev)$" | \
+          awk '{print $2}' | xargs -r docker rmi -f || true
           
-          echo -e "\n=== Removing images older than 3 days ==="
-          docker image prune -a --filter "until=72h" -f
+          # Clean everything else
+          docker system prune -a -f --volumes
           
-          echo -e "\n=== Final docker usage ==="
+      - name: Final disk check
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Final disk usage ==="
+          df -h /
           docker system df
           
-          echo -e "\n=== Final disk usage ==="
-          df -h /
\ No newline at end of file
+          FINAL_USAGE=$(df / | awk 'NR==2 {print $5}' | sed 's/%//')
+          echo "Final disk usage: ${FINAL_USAGE}%"
+          
+          if [ $FINAL_USAGE -gt 90 ]; then
+            echo "::error::Disk still critically full after cleanup!"
+            exit 1
+          fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker.yml b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
index 4b0084b38a..a78f1264d1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
@@ -67,6 +67,80 @@ jobs:
           echo "branch tag determined: ${branch_tag}"
           echo branch_tag="${branch_tag}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
+  pre-build-cleanup:
+    needs: [check-changes]
+    runs-on: [self-hosted, Linux]
+    if: always()
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          
+      - name: Clean deleted branches
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Cleaning images from deleted branches ==="
+          
+          # Get list of all remote branches
+          git ls-remote --heads origin | awk '{print $2}' | sed 's|refs/heads/||' > /tmp/active_branches.txt
+          
+          # Check each docker image tag against branch list
+          docker images --format "{{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}}|{{.ID}}" | \
+          grep "ghcr.io/dimensionalos" | \
+          grep -v ":<none>" | \
+          while IFS='|' read image_ref id; do
+            tag=$(echo "$image_ref" | cut -d: -f2)
+            
+            # Skip if tag matches an active branch
+            if grep -qx "$tag" /tmp/active_branches.txt; then
+              echo "Branch exists: $tag - keeping $image_ref"
+            else
+              echo "Branch deleted: $tag - removing $image_ref"
+              docker rmi "$id" 2>/dev/null || true
+            fi
+          done
+          
+          rm -f /tmp/active_branches.txt
+          
+      - name: Quick cleanup if needed
+        run: |
+          USAGE=$(df / | awk 'NR==2 {print $5}' | sed 's/%//')
+          echo "Pre-build disk usage: ${USAGE}%"
+          
+          if [ $USAGE -gt 80 ]; then
+            echo "=== Running quick cleanup (usage > 80%) ==="
+            
+            # Keep newest image per tag
+            docker images --format "{{.Repository}}|{{.Tag}}|{{.ID}}" | \
+            grep "ghcr.io/dimensionalos" | \
+            grep -v "<none>" | \
+            while IFS='|' read repo tag id; do
+              created_ts=$(docker inspect -f '{{.Created}}' "$id" 2>/dev/null)
+              created_unix=$(date -d "$created_ts" +%s 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
+              echo "${repo}|${tag}|${id}|${created_unix}"
+            done | sort -t'|' -k1,1 -k2,2 -k4,4nr | \
+            awk -F'|' '
+            {
+              repo=$1; tag=$2; id=$3
+              repo_tag = repo ":" tag
+              
+              # Skip protected tags
+              if (tag ~ /^(main|dev|latest)$/) next
+              
+              # Keep newest per tag, remove older duplicates
+              if (!(repo_tag in seen_combos)) {
+                seen_combos[repo_tag] = 1
+              } else {
+                system("docker rmi " id " 2>/dev/null || true")
+              }
+            }'
+            
+            docker image prune -f
+            docker volume prune -f
+            
+            echo "Post-cleanup usage: $(df / | awk 'NR==2 {print $5}')"
+          fi
+
   # just a debugger
   inspect-needs:
     needs: [check-changes, ros]
@@ -77,7 +151,7 @@ jobs:
           echo '${{ toJSON(needs) }}'
 
   ros:
-    needs: [check-changes]
+    needs: [check-changes, pre-build-cleanup]
     if: needs.check-changes.outputs.ros == 'true'
     uses: ./.github/workflows/_docker-build-template.yml
     with:
@@ -87,7 +161,7 @@ jobs:
       dockerfile:  ros
 
   ros-python:
-    needs: [check-changes, ros]
+    needs: [check-changes, ros, pre-build-cleanup]
     if: always()
     uses: ./.github/workflows/_docker-build-template.yml
     with:
@@ -103,7 +177,7 @@ jobs:
       freespace: true
 
   python:
-    needs: [check-changes]
+    needs: [check-changes, pre-build-cleanup]
     if: needs.check-changes.outputs.python == 'true'
     uses: ./.github/workflows/_docker-build-template.yml
     with:
@@ -114,7 +188,7 @@ jobs:
       to-image: ghcr.io/dimensionalos/python:${{ needs.check-changes.outputs.branch-tag }}
 
   dev:
-    needs: [check-changes, python]
+    needs: [check-changes, python, pre-build-cleanup]
     if: always()
 
     uses: ./.github/workflows/_docker-build-template.yml
@@ -129,7 +203,7 @@ jobs:
       dockerfile: dev
 
   ros-dev:
-    needs: [check-changes, ros-python]
+    needs: [check-changes, ros-python, pre-build-cleanup]
     if: always()
     uses: ./.github/workflows/_docker-build-template.yml
     with: