diff --git a/auth_django.py b/auth_django.py
index d3e86cf..94abc5d 100755
--- a/auth_django.py
+++ b/auth_django.py
@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@ import sys
 
 import django
 
-LOG_PATH = "auth_debug.log"
+LOG_PATH = os.environ.get("AUTH_DEBUG_LOG", "/tmp/auth_debug.log")
 
 
 def log(data):
-    with open(LOG_PATH, "a") as f:
-        f.write(f"{data}\n")
+    try:
+        with open(LOG_PATH, "a") as f:
+            f.write(f"{data}\n")
+    except Exception:
+        pass
 
 
 # Set up Django environment
diff --git a/auth_django.sh b/auth_django.sh
index e2d71a5..5857a4d 100755
--- a/auth_django.sh
+++ b/auth_django.sh
@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-podman exec -i gia sh -c "cd /code && . /venv/bin/activate && python auth_django.py"
-#cd /code
-#. /code/xf/GIA/genv/bin/activate
-#exec python /code/xf/GIA/auth_django.py
+set -eu
 
-
-set -e
-podman exec -i gia sh -c '
+# Prosody external auth expects a single long-lived stdin/stdout process.
+# Keep one stable process chain and hand off with exec.
+exec podman exec -i gia sh -lc '
   cd /code &&
   . /venv/bin/activate &&
-  exec python auth_django.py
+  exec python -u auth_django.py
 '