diff --git a/docker/fastembed-cache-empty/.gitkeep b/docker/fastembed-cache-empty/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..222e76e6de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/fastembed-cache-empty/.gitkeep
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Placeholder so the empty fastembed cache build context exists on checkout.
+# Git cannot track empty directories; docker-bake.hcl's FASTEMBED_CACHE_CONTEXT
+# default (docker/fastembed-cache-empty) is COPYed by Dockerfile.nmp-api, so a
+# missing dir breaks default/local 'make docker-build'. CI overrides the var.