diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index aad0f7f..a32a259 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -123,6 +123,19 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build
         run: docker build -t candidate:ci ./services/api
 
+      - name: The image imports its app
+        # It carries no build tools (setuptools, wheel); prove the service needs none.
+        run: docker run --rm --entrypoint python candidate:ci -c "import app.main"
+
+      - name: Scan the image
+        # Trivy, pinned by digest: HIGH or CRITICAL problems that already have a fix fail here,
+        # before the image can be published.
+        run: |
+          docker run --rm -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
+            aquasec/trivy:0.75.0@sha256:af6acf9a6b85dfe389a1941505c0ce9efef52a4719635e1a962f022a3d855daa \
+            image --quiet --scanners vuln --ignore-unfixed --severity HIGH,CRITICAL \
+            --exit-code 1 candidate:ci
+
       - name: Search it for anything secret
         run: |
           found=$(docker run --rm --entrypoint sh candidate:ci -c \
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6e1d047..39e249c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ a decision with visible consequences.
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+## 0.5.1
+
+- The image no longer carries the base image's setuptools and wheel. The service never
+  imports them, and their vendored copies had published advisories (wheel 0.45.1,
+  jaraco.context 5.3.0) that the new image scan found. CI now checks that the built image
+  still imports its app.
+
 ## 0.5.0
 
 - Honor a message from the owner that starts "remember that ..." or "don't remember ..."
diff --git a/dashboard/Dockerfile b/dashboard/Dockerfile
index 5efd0ef..67dab98 100644
--- a/dashboard/Dockerfile
+++ b/dashboard/Dockerfile
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ RUN npm run build
 
 FROM python:3.11-slim
 WORKDIR /app
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir fastapi==0.138.2 uvicorn==0.49.0
+# The base image's setuptools and wheel are build tools the service never imports; removing
+# them keeps their vendored copies (and their advisories) out of the running image.
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir fastapi==0.138.2 uvicorn==0.49.0 \
+    && pip uninstall --yes setuptools wheel
 COPY server.py ./server.py
 COPY --from=build /app/dist ./dist
 EXPOSE 8021
diff --git a/services/api/Dockerfile b/services/api/Dockerfile
index ed1ab4a..5986a58 100644
--- a/services/api/Dockerfile
+++ b/services/api/Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ FROM python:3.11-slim
 WORKDIR /app
 ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1 PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
 COPY requirements.txt .
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
+# The base image's setuptools and wheel are build tools the service never imports; removing
+# them keeps their vendored copies (and their advisories) out of the running image.
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt \
+    && pip uninstall --yes setuptools wheel
 COPY app ./app
 EXPOSE 8020
 CMD ["uvicorn", "app.main:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "8020"]
diff --git a/services/api/app/main.py b/services/api/app/main.py
index c8fff92..ec5e19e 100644
--- a/services/api/app/main.py
+++ b/services/api/app/main.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 
 log = logging.getLogger("memorygate")
 
-SERVICE_VERSION = "0.5.0"
+SERVICE_VERSION = "0.5.1"
 
 app = FastAPI(title="MemoryGate", version=SERVICE_VERSION)