diff --git a/dbuild/docs.py b/dbuild/docs.py
index e13f169..955c7ce 100644
--- a/dbuild/docs.py
+++ b/dbuild/docs.py
@@ -297,6 +297,23 @@ def _normalize_base_version(raw: str, default: str = "15.1") -> str:
     return v if v and v != "latest" else default
 
 
+def _site_placeholders(text: str, env_file: bool = False) -> str:
+    """Put the docs site's placeholders into a repo's own compose or .env.
+
+    /containers -> @CONTAINER_CONFIG_ROOT@, PUID/PGID=1000 -> @PUID@/@PGID@,
+    and in a .env the TZ line -> TZ=@TZ@, so the settings panel fills them
+    in as it does on a one-service page.
+    """
+    if not text:
+        return ""
+    text = re.sub(r"/containers(?=/)", CONFIG_ROOT_VAR, text)
+    text = re.sub(r"(?m)(\bPUID=)1000\b", r"\g<1>@PUID@", text)
+    text = re.sub(r"(?m)(\bPGID=)1000\b", r"\g<1>@PGID@", text)
+    if env_file:
+        text = re.sub(r"(?m)^#?\s*TZ=\S*$", "TZ=@TZ@", text)
+    return text
+
+
 def _enrich_metadata(cfg: Config, community_override: str | None = None) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Build a context dict for templates with enriched env/vol/port data from Config."""
     meta = cfg.metadata
@@ -395,6 +412,10 @@ def _enrich_metadata(cfg: Config, community_override: str | None = None) -> dict
         "image_class": meta.image_class,
         "compose_text": cfg.compose_text,
         "example_env": cfg.example_env,
+        # The same, with the placeholders the site's settings panel fills in --
+        # what a one-service page gets from its generated snippet.
+        "compose_text_site": _site_placeholders(cfg.compose_text),
+        "example_env_site": _site_placeholders(cfg.example_env, env_file=True),
         # The AppJail bundle carries the sidecar (x-daemonless.appjail.depends_on),
         # so its Director section runs the whole app, not the app alone.
         "appjail_sidecar": bool((getattr(meta, "appjail", None) or {}).get("depends_on")),
diff --git a/dbuild/templates/README.mkdocs.j2 b/dbuild/templates/README.mkdocs.j2
index 1e4f805..09d2f51 100644
--- a/dbuild/templates/README.mkdocs.j2
+++ b/dbuild/templates/README.mkdocs.j2
@@ -92,13 +92,13 @@ Before deploying, ensure your host environment is ready. See the [Quick Start Gu
     **1.** Save as `.env` and fill in what is empty:
 
     ```env { data-zip-bundle="{{ name }}-podman" data-zip-filename=".env" }
-    {{ example_env | trim | indent(4) }}
+    {{ example_env_site | trim | indent(4) }}
     ```
 
     **2.** Save as `compose.yaml`:
 {% endif %}
     ```yaml { data-zip-bundle="{{ name }}-podman" data-zip-filename="compose.yaml" }
-    {{ compose_text | trim | indent(4) }}
+    {{ compose_text_site | trim | indent(4) }}
     ```
 
     Then run `podman-compose up -d`.
@@ -217,9 +217,7 @@ Before deploying, ensure your host environment is ready. See the [Quick Start Gu
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block interactive_config %}
-{#- The settings panel fills in the one-service snippet; an app shipped with
-    its database shows its real compose instead, which it cannot edit. #}
-{%- if image_class == "service" and not compose_text %}
+{%- if image_class == "service" %}
 
 ### Interactive Configuration
 
diff --git a/tests/test_docs.py b/tests/test_docs.py
index cdd6172..c985989 100644
--- a/tests/test_docs.py
+++ b/tests/test_docs.py
@@ -292,3 +292,16 @@ def test_bare_latest_and_empty_fall_back(self):
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
+
+
+class TestSitePlaceholders:
+    def test_repo_compose_and_env_get_site_placeholders(self):
+        from dbuild.docs import _site_placeholders
+        compose = "      - PUID=1000\n      - PGID=1000\n    volumes:\n      - /containers/app/config:/config\n"
+        assert _site_placeholders(compose) == (
+            "      - PUID=@PUID@\n      - PGID=@PGID@\n    volumes:\n"
+            "      - @CONTAINER_CONFIG_ROOT@/app/config:/config\n")
+        env = "CONFIG_LOCATION=/containers/app\n# TZ=UTC\n"
+        assert _site_placeholders(env, env_file=True) == (
+            "CONFIG_LOCATION=@CONTAINER_CONFIG_ROOT@/app\nTZ=@TZ@\n")
+        assert _site_placeholders("") == ""