diff --git a/deploy.sh b/deploy.sh
index 3b2a4b7..5e1fac6 100755
--- a/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ ENV_FILE="${BOOTSTRAP_DIR}/.env.deploy"
 COMPOSE_FILE="${BOOTSTRAP_DIR}/docker-compose.yml"
 CADDYFILE="${BOOTSTRAP_DIR}/Caddyfile"
 
+# Bash 4+ is required for associative arrays (used by i18n and others), so
+# check before sourcing anything — macOS ships bash 3.2 as /bin/bash.
+if ((BASH_VERSINFO[0] < 4)); then
+    echo "Error: Bash 4+ is required (found ${BASH_VERSION}). On macOS, install a newer bash (e.g. 'brew install bash') and re-run with it." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # shellcheck source=lib/i18n.sh
 source "${BOOTSTRAP_DIR}/lib/i18n.sh"
 source "${BOOTSTRAP_DIR}/lib/ui.sh"
diff --git a/i18n/en.sh b/i18n/en.sh
index a67bc12..1daaa61 100644
--- a/i18n/en.sh
+++ b/i18n/en.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ MSG[aborted]="Aborted."
 MSG[enter_to_keep]="(Enter to keep default)"
 
 # -- preflight -------------------------------------------------------------
-MSG[err_bash_version]="Bash 4+ is required (found %s). Install a newer bash."
 MSG[err_need_docker]="Docker is not installed or not on PATH. See https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/"
 MSG[err_docker_daemon]="The Docker daemon is not reachable. Is Docker running?"
 MSG[err_need_compose]="Docker Compose v2 is required ('docker compose'). Update Docker Desktop or install the compose plugin."
diff --git a/i18n/ru.sh b/i18n/ru.sh
index 2eaf10f..d9f22e0 100644
--- a/i18n/ru.sh
+++ b/i18n/ru.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ MSG[aborted]="Прервано."
 MSG[enter_to_keep]="(Enter — оставить по умолчанию)"
 
 # -- preflight -------------------------------------------------------------
-MSG[err_bash_version]="Требуется Bash 4+ (найден %s). Установите более новый bash."
 MSG[err_need_docker]="Docker не установлен или не в PATH. См. https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/"
 MSG[err_docker_daemon]="Демон Docker недоступен. Docker запущен?"
 MSG[err_need_compose]="Требуется Docker Compose v2 ('docker compose'). Обновите Docker Desktop или установите плагин compose."
diff --git a/lib/checks.sh b/lib/checks.sh
index de86376..8248cb0 100644
--- a/lib/checks.sh
+++ b/lib/checks.sh
@@ -1,12 +1,5 @@
 # Preflight checks. Fail loud and early with actionable messages.
 
-check_bash() {
-    if ((BASH_VERSINFO[0] < 4)); then
-        ui_err "$(t err_bash_version "$BASH_VERSION")"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-}
-
 check_docker() {
     if ! command -v docker >/dev/null 2>&1; then
         ui_err "$(t err_need_docker)"; exit 1
@@ -38,7 +31,6 @@ is_port_free() {
 }
 
 preflight() {
-    check_bash
     check_docker
     check_openssl
     ui_ok "$(t preflight_ok)"