diff --git a/clusters/base/apps/nfs-photo/helmrelease.yaml b/clusters/base/apps/nfs-photo/helmrelease.yaml
index 6eb737b..f33e468 100644
--- a/clusters/base/apps/nfs-photo/helmrelease.yaml
+++ b/clusters/base/apps/nfs-photo/helmrelease.yaml
@@ -33,11 +33,21 @@ spec:
               - sh
               - -c
               - cat /proc/self/mounts > /mtab-vol/mtab
-        containers:
-          # mounts the two disks and exposes their union at /disks/merged via FUSE;
-          # bidirectional propagation makes that mount visible to the "app"
-          # (ganesha) container so it can export it over NFS.
+          # native sidecar (restartPolicy: Always): mounts the two disks and
+          # exposes their union at /disks/merged via FUSE. It must be up and
+          # actually mounted *before* the "app" container is created, since
+          # HostToContainer propagation only relays mounts made *after* the
+          # receiving container's own mount exists - it won't retroactively
+          # pick up a FUSE mount that's already there. Running it as a
+          # restartPolicy:Always init container (started, gated on the
+          # startupProbe below, before regular containers) guarantees that
+          # ordering; a regular sidecar container racing "app" on every pod
+          # start does not.
           mergerfs:
+            dependsOn:
+              - fix-permissions
+              - mtab-setup
+            restartPolicy: Always
             image:
               repository: ghcr.io/hotio/mergerfs
               tag: release-v2.42.0
@@ -48,12 +58,26 @@ spec:
               - "/disks/merged"
             securityContext:
               privileged: true
+            probes:
+              startup:
+                enabled: true
+                custom: true
+                spec:
+                  exec:
+                    command:
+                      - sh
+                      - -c
+                      - grep -q fuse.mergerfs /proc/mounts
+                  periodSeconds: 1
+                  timeoutSeconds: 2
+                  failureThreshold: 30
             resources:
               requests:
                 cpu: 50m
                 memory: 64Mi
               limits:
                 memory: 512Mi
+        containers:
           app:
             image:
               repository: hectorm/nfs-ganesha