diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index b278c90e..ef2175f8 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/caddyserver/caddy/v2 v2.8.4
 	github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4 v4.3.0
 	github.com/charmbracelet/colorprofile v0.4.2
+	github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi v0.11.6
 	github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/v2 v2.9.0
 	github.com/containerd/errdefs v1.0.0
 	github.com/containerd/platforms v1.0.0-rc.1
@@ -111,7 +112,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash v1.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/ultraviolet v0.0.0-20260205113103-524a6607adb8 // indirect
-	github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi v0.11.6 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/exp/ordered v0.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/exp/strings v0.0.0-20240919170804-a4978c8e603a // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/term v0.2.2 // indirect
diff --git a/internal/cli/progress/event.go b/internal/cli/progress/event.go
index fb584fb6..aeb0de37 100644
--- a/internal/cli/progress/event.go
+++ b/internal/cli/progress/event.go
@@ -1,12 +1,49 @@
 package progress
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
+	"context"
 
+	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/stringid"
 	"github.com/psviderski/uncloud/internal/cli/tui"
 )
 
-// PreDeployHookEventID returns a progress event identifier for pre-deploy hook operations.
+type eventIDKey struct{}
+
+// WithEventID returns a context that overrides the default event ID used by client methods.
+func WithEventID(ctx context.Context, eventID string) context.Context {
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, eventIDKey{}, eventID)
+}
+
+// ContainerEventID returns a progress event ID for operations on existing containers using the canonical
+// service_name/short_id format. Allows to override it using WithEventID.
+func ContainerEventID(ctx context.Context, serviceName, containerID, machineName string) string {
+	if id, ok := ctx.Value(eventIDKey{}).(string); ok && id != "" {
+		return id
+	}
+	return tui.Faint.Render("Container ") +
+		serviceName + tui.Faint.Render("/") + stringid.TruncateID(containerID) +
+		tui.Faint.Render(" on ") + machineName
+}
+
+// NewContainerEventID returns a progress event ID for new container creation where the Docker container ID
+// is not yet known. Allows to override it using WithEventID.
+func NewContainerEventID(ctx context.Context, containerName, machineName string) string {
+	if id, ok := ctx.Value(eventIDKey{}).(string); ok && id != "" {
+		return id
+	}
+	return tui.Faint.Render("Container ") + containerName +
+		tui.Faint.Render(" on ") + machineName
+}
+
+// PreDeployHookEventID returns a progress event ID for pre-deploy hook operations.
 func PreDeployHookEventID(serviceName, machineName string) string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("Pre-deploy hook for %s on %s", tui.NameStyle.Render(serviceName), tui.Bold.Render(machineName))
+	return tui.Faint.Render("Pre-deploy hook ") + serviceName +
+		tui.Faint.Render(" on ") + machineName
+}
+
+// OldPreDeployHookEventID returns a progress event ID for old pre-deploy hook container cleanup.
+func OldPreDeployHookEventID(serviceName, containerID, machineName string) string {
+	return tui.Faint.Render("Old pre-deploy hook ") +
+		serviceName + tui.Faint.Render("/") + stringid.TruncateID(containerID) +
+		tui.Faint.Render(" on ") + machineName
 }
diff --git a/internal/cli/tui/prompt.go b/internal/cli/tui/prompt.go
index 9d741595..865bcc62 100644
--- a/internal/cli/tui/prompt.go
+++ b/internal/cli/tui/prompt.go
@@ -51,3 +51,13 @@ func IsStdinTerminal() bool {
 func IsStdoutTerminal() bool {
 	return term.IsTerminal(int(os.Stdout.Fd()))
 }
+
+// TerminalWidth returns the width of the terminal.
+// Returns 0 if stdout is not a terminal or the width cannot be determined.
+func TerminalWidth() int {
+	width, _, err := term.GetSize(int(os.Stdout.Fd()))
+	if err != nil || width <= 0 {
+		return 0
+	}
+	return width
+}
diff --git a/pkg/api/client.go b/pkg/api/client.go
index 70d7d1a5..2980119f 100644
--- a/pkg/api/client.go
+++ b/pkg/api/client.go
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ type Client interface {
 type ContainerClient interface {
 	CreateContainer(
 		ctx context.Context, serviceID string, spec ServiceSpec, machineID string,
-	) (container.CreateResponse, error)
+	) (CreateContainerResponse, error)
 	CreatePreDeployHookContainer(
 		ctx context.Context, serviceID string, spec ServiceSpec, machineID string,
-	) (container.CreateResponse, error)
+	) (CreateContainerResponse, error)
 	ExecContainer(ctx context.Context, serviceNameOrID, containerNameOrID string, config ExecOptions) (int, error)
 	InspectContainer(ctx context.Context, serviceNameOrID, containerNameOrID string) (MachineServiceContainer, error)
 	StartContainer(ctx context.Context, serviceNameOrID, containerNameOrID string) error
diff --git a/pkg/api/container.go b/pkg/api/container.go
index 2e15804e..b8cc136d 100644
--- a/pkg/api/container.go
+++ b/pkg/api/container.go
@@ -164,6 +164,13 @@ func (c *Container) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// CreateContainerResponse wraps a container creation response with the container name assigned during creation.
+type CreateContainerResponse struct {
+	container.CreateResponse
+	// Name is the container name assigned during creation.
+	Name string
+}
+
 type ServiceContainer struct {
 	Container
 	ServiceSpec ServiceSpec
diff --git a/pkg/client/container.go b/pkg/client/container.go
index feb9f283..49892886 100644
--- a/pkg/client/container.go
+++ b/pkg/client/container.go
@@ -2,13 +2,12 @@ package client
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"encoding/json"
-
 	"github.com/docker/compose/v2/pkg/progress"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/jsonmessage"
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 // CreateContainer creates a new container for the given service on the specified machine.
 func (cli *Client) CreateContainer(
 	ctx context.Context, serviceID string, spec api.ServiceSpec, machineID string,
-) (container.CreateResponse, error) {
+) (api.CreateContainerResponse, error) {
 	return cli.createServiceContainerWithPull(ctx, serviceID, spec, machineID, pb.CreateServiceContainerRequest_SERVICE)
 }
 
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ func (cli *Client) CreateContainer(
 // on the specified machine.
 func (cli *Client) CreatePreDeployHookContainer(
 	ctx context.Context, serviceID string, spec api.ServiceSpec, machineID string,
-) (container.CreateResponse, error) {
+) (api.CreateContainerResponse, error) {
 	return cli.createServiceContainerWithPull(
 		ctx, serviceID, spec, machineID, pb.CreateServiceContainerRequest_PRE_DEPLOY)
 }
@@ -49,8 +48,8 @@ func (cli *Client) createServiceContainerWithPull(
 	spec api.ServiceSpec,
 	machineID string,
 	containerType pb.CreateServiceContainerRequest_ContainerType,
-) (container.CreateResponse, error) {
-	var resp container.CreateResponse
+) (api.CreateContainerResponse, error) {
+	var resp api.CreateContainerResponse
 
 	spec = spec.SetDefaults()
 	if err := spec.Validate(); err != nil {
@@ -69,16 +68,16 @@ func (cli *Client) createServiceContainerWithPull(
 	}
 
 	containerName := fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s", spec.Name, suffix)
-	eventID := fmt.Sprintf("Container %s on %s", containerName, machine.Machine.Name)
 	if containerType == pb.CreateServiceContainerRequest_PRE_DEPLOY {
 		containerName = fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s-%s", spec.Name, api.LabelHookPreDeploy, suffix)
-		eventID = cliprogress.PreDeployHookEventID(spec.Name, machine.Machine.Name)
 	}
+	resp.Name = containerName
 
 	// Proxy Docker gRPC requests to the selected machine.
 	ctx = proxyToMachine(ctx, machine.Machine)
 
 	pw := progress.ContextWriter(ctx)
+	eventID := cliprogress.NewContainerEventID(ctx, containerName, machine.Machine.Name)
 	pw.Event(progress.CreatingEvent(eventID))
 
 	if spec.Container.PullPolicy == api.PullPolicyAlways {
@@ -122,7 +121,7 @@ func (cli *Client) createServiceContainerWithPull(
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err = json.Unmarshal(grpcResp.Response, &resp); err != nil {
+	if err = json.Unmarshal(grpcResp.Response, &resp.CreateResponse); err != nil {
 		return resp, fmt.Errorf("unmarshal gRPC response: %w", err)
 	}
 	pw.Event(progress.CreatedEvent(eventID))
@@ -293,7 +292,7 @@ func (cli *Client) StartContainer(ctx context.Context, serviceNameOrID, containe
 	ctx = proxyToMachine(ctx, machine.Machine)
 
 	pw := progress.ContextWriter(ctx)
-	eventID := fmt.Sprintf("Container %s on %s", ctr.Container.Name, machine.Machine.Name)
+	eventID := cliprogress.ContainerEventID(ctx, ctr.Container.ServiceSpec.Name, ctr.Container.ID, machine.Machine.Name)
 
 	pw.Event(progress.StartingEvent(eventID))
 	if err = cli.Docker.StartContainer(ctx, ctr.Container.ID, container.StartOptions{}); err != nil {
@@ -305,6 +304,8 @@ func (cli *Client) StartContainer(ctx context.Context, serviceNameOrID, containe
 }
 
 // StopContainer stops the specified container within the service.
+//
+//nolint:dupl // Structurally similar to RemoveContainer but performs a different operation.
 func (cli *Client) StopContainer(
 	ctx context.Context, serviceNameOrID, containerNameOrID string, opts container.StopOptions,
 ) error {
@@ -320,7 +321,7 @@ func (cli *Client) StopContainer(
 	ctx = proxyToMachine(ctx, machine.Machine)
 
 	pw := progress.ContextWriter(ctx)
-	eventID := fmt.Sprintf("Container %s on %s", ctr.Container.Name, machine.Machine.Name)
+	eventID := cliprogress.ContainerEventID(ctx, ctr.Container.ServiceSpec.Name, ctr.Container.ID, machine.Machine.Name)
 
 	pw.Event(progress.StoppingEvent(eventID))
 	if err = cli.Docker.StopContainer(ctx, ctr.Container.ID, opts); err != nil {
@@ -332,6 +333,8 @@ func (cli *Client) StopContainer(
 }
 
 // RemoveContainer removes the specified container within the service.
+//
+//nolint:dupl // Structurally similar to StopContainer but performs a different operation.
 func (cli *Client) RemoveContainer(
 	ctx context.Context, serviceNameOrID, containerNameOrID string, opts container.RemoveOptions,
 ) error {
@@ -347,7 +350,7 @@ func (cli *Client) RemoveContainer(
 	ctx = proxyToMachine(ctx, machine.Machine)
 
 	pw := progress.ContextWriter(ctx)
-	eventID := fmt.Sprintf("Container %s on %s", ctr.Container.Name, machine.Machine.Name)
+	eventID := cliprogress.ContainerEventID(ctx, ctr.Container.ServiceSpec.Name, ctr.Container.ID, machine.Machine.Name)
 
 	pw.Event(progress.RemovingEvent(eventID))
 	if err = cli.Docker.RemoveServiceContainer(ctx, ctr.Container.ID, opts); err != nil {
@@ -427,7 +430,7 @@ func (cli *Client) WaitContainerHealthy(
 	}
 
 	pw := progress.ContextWriter(ctx)
-	eventID := fmt.Sprintf("Container %s on %s", mc.Container.Name, machine.Machine.Name)
+	eventID := cliprogress.ContainerEventID(ctx, mc.Container.ServiceSpec.Name, mc.Container.ID, machine.Machine.Name)
 
 	var monitor time.Duration
 	if opts.MonitorPeriod == nil {
diff --git a/pkg/client/deploy/operation/container.go b/pkg/client/deploy/operation/container.go
index 6a6d3662..8b81efe5 100644
--- a/pkg/client/deploy/operation/container.go
+++ b/pkg/client/deploy/operation/container.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/compose/v2/pkg/progress"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/stringid"
+	cliprogress "github.com/psviderski/uncloud/internal/cli/progress"
 	"github.com/psviderski/uncloud/internal/cli/tui"
 	"github.com/psviderski/uncloud/pkg/api"
 )
@@ -28,6 +29,10 @@ func (o *RunContainerOperation) Execute(ctx context.Context, cli Client) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("create container: %w", err)
 	}
+	// Override event ID so StartContainer and WaitContainerHealthy update the same progress line as creation.
+	// TODO: This is a hack to work around the limitations of the compose progress library.
+	//  We likely need to fork or create our own to decouple event IDs from presentation layer.
+	ctx = cliprogress.WithEventID(ctx, cliprogress.NewContainerEventID(ctx, resp.Name, o.MachineName))
 	if err = cli.StartContainer(ctx, o.ServiceID, resp.ID); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("start container: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -171,13 +176,15 @@ func (o *ReplaceContainerOperation) Execute(ctx context.Context, cli Client) err
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("create new container: %w", err)
 	}
-	if err = cli.StartContainer(ctx, o.ServiceID, resp.ID); err != nil {
+	// Override event ID so StartContainer and WaitContainerHealthy update the same progress line as creation.
+	newCtx := cliprogress.WithEventID(ctx, cliprogress.NewContainerEventID(ctx, resp.Name, o.MachineName))
+	if err = cli.StartContainer(newCtx, o.ServiceID, resp.ID); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("start new container: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if !o.SkipHealthMonitor {
 		opts := api.WaitContainerHealthyOptions{MonitorPeriod: o.Spec.UpdateConfig.MonitorPeriod}
-		if err = cli.WaitContainerHealthy(ctx, o.ServiceID, resp.ID, opts); err != nil {
+		if err = cli.WaitContainerHealthy(newCtx, o.ServiceID, resp.ID, opts); err != nil {
 			// New container failed to become healthy. Stop it and roll back to the previous container.
 			// Don't remove the new stopped container to allow users to inspect logs and state.
 			// TODO: collect logs from the new container and include in the error message to speed up debugging.
diff --git a/pkg/client/deploy/operation/predeploy.go b/pkg/client/deploy/operation/predeploy.go
index 82d8f1a2..803725fa 100644
--- a/pkg/client/deploy/operation/predeploy.go
+++ b/pkg/client/deploy/operation/predeploy.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"charm.land/lipgloss/v2"
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi"
 	"github.com/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/docker/compose/v2/pkg/progress"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
@@ -65,13 +67,18 @@ type RunPreDeployOperation struct {
 func (o *RunPreDeployOperation) Execute(ctx context.Context, cli Client) error {
 	// Remove old pre-deploy containers.
 	for _, id := range o.OldContainerIDs {
-		_ = cli.StopContainer(ctx, o.ServiceID, id, container.StopOptions{})
-		err := cli.RemoveContainer(ctx, o.ServiceID, id, container.RemoveOptions{RemoveVolumes: true})
+		oldCtx := cliprogress.WithEventID(ctx, cliprogress.OldPreDeployHookEventID(o.Spec.Name, id, o.MachineName))
+		_ = cli.StopContainer(oldCtx, o.ServiceID, id, container.StopOptions{})
+		err := cli.RemoveContainer(oldCtx, o.ServiceID, id, container.RemoveOptions{RemoveVolumes: true})
 		if err != nil && !errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("remove old pre-deploy hook container '%s': %w", id, err)
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Set the event ID override so all downstream client methods (create, start, stop) use the same
+	// pre-deploy hook progress event instead of the generic container one.
+	ctx = cliprogress.WithEventID(ctx, cliprogress.PreDeployHookEventID(o.Spec.Name, o.MachineName))
+
 	resp, err := cli.CreatePreDeployHookContainer(ctx, o.ServiceID, o.Spec, o.MachineID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("create pre-deploy hook container: %w", err)
@@ -107,7 +114,6 @@ func (o *RunPreDeployOperation) waitForExit(
 		select {
 		case <-timeoutCtx.Done():
 			// Stop the container on timeout or context cancellation.
-			pw.Event(progress.StoppingEvent(eventID))
 			_ = cli.StopContainer(ctx, o.ServiceID, containerID, container.StopOptions{})
 
 			ctrID := containerID
@@ -159,12 +165,25 @@ func (o *RunPreDeployOperation) waitForExit(
 func (o *RunPreDeployOperation) Format() string {
 	cmd := strings.Join(o.Spec.PreDeploy.Command, " ")
 
-	return tui.BoldGreen.Render("▶") + "   " +
+	prefix := tui.BoldGreen.Render("▶") + "   " +
 		tui.Faint.Render("run pre-deploy hook") + " " +
-		// TODO: truncate a long cmd to fit the width of the terminal.
-		o.Spec.Name + " (" + cmd + ") " +
+		o.Spec.Name + " ["
+	suffix := "] " +
 		tui.Faint.Render("on") + " " +
 		o.MachineName
+
+	// Truncate the command to fit within the terminal width.
+	termWidth := tui.TerminalWidth()
+	if termWidth > 0 {
+		buffer := 10
+		maxCmdWidth := termWidth - lipgloss.Width(prefix) - lipgloss.Width(suffix) - buffer
+		if maxCmdWidth <= 0 {
+			maxCmdWidth = 10
+		}
+		cmd = ansi.Truncate(cmd, maxCmdWidth, "…")
+	}
+
+	return prefix + cmd + suffix
 }
 
 func (o *RunPreDeployOperation) String() string {