diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 436be33..d701592 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ contexts:
 
 **What runs:** Maven build/test, Checkstyle, SpotBugs, PMD, JaCoCo coverage, OWASP + Trivy security, Docker build/push (Dockerfile auto-generated), gitleaks. OWASP dependency check requires the `nvd` context; if omitted, the security scan runs without NVD database enrichment.
 
-**Dockerfile:** Auto-generated production-ready image using Eclipse Temurin JRE Alpine. Includes non-root user (uid 1001), JVM container tuning flags, Docker HEALTHCHECK, and configurable port via `health.port`. The pre-built JAR from CI is copied directly (no redundant Maven build stage).
+**Dockerfile:** Auto-generated production-ready image using Eclipse Temurin JRE Alpine. Includes non-root user (uid 1001), JVM container tuning flags, Docker HEALTHCHECK, and configurable port via `health.port`. The pre-built JAR from CI is copied directly (no redundant Maven build stage). PR and release image builds pull the current base and bypass Docker layer caching for generated Java/Gradle runtime images, ensuring the Alpine package upgrade runs on every build. Node builds retain their layer cache. Trivy gates remain required.
 
 ### `terraform`
 
diff --git a/docs/SESSION-STATE.md b/docs/SESSION-STATE.md
index a796468..29abe49 100644
--- a/docs/SESSION-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/SESSION-STATE.md
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 # Munitor session state
 
+## JVM runtime package freshness (2026-10-19)
+
+Website-Backend release6258 and PR scans6266/6277 reused a cached apk upgrade
+layer containing vulnerable libexpat. The shared docker_build command now pulls
+the base and bypasses layer caching for generated Java/Gradle runtimes, while
+Node caching and all Trivy gates remain intact. Narrow behavioral tests cover
+both pipeline types, alternate/missing manifests, tags, provenance, and both
+PR/release job routes. All eight focused shell cases passed via the coordinating
+agent; ShellCheck and git diff --check passed. Full make/BATS/orb validation and
+real-image scanning remain pending. Stable release and consumer adoption remain
+pending; no unchanged vulnerable image should be retried.
+
 ## PR container scanning (2026-10-13)
 
 Uncommitted work on `feature/pr-image-scan` adds `docker_scan` after
@@ -84,3 +96,5 @@ after Java installation. APT now receives noninteractive debconf and automatic
 needrestart settings; a stubbed integration test verifies both APT invocations.
 These fixes require normal feature-to-develop review and stable tag publication
 from main before website consumers can select the new version. Nothing deployed.
+
+Runtime freshness validation: coordinating agent completed make all (lint, pack, orb validation, scripts,277template assertions) and all7BATS tests in Ubuntu. Real consumer image scan remains required after release.
diff --git a/docs/TODO.md b/docs/TODO.md
index 4d1d0e3..641d742 100644
--- a/docs/TODO.md
+++ b/docs/TODO.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## Pending
 
+- [ ] Release JVM runtime cache fix and adopt the stable orb in Website-Backend; verify fresh image Trivy before release.
+
 - [ ] Run PR image-scan script/template/BATS tests on Linux and verify a consumer PR with Docker/Trivy before publishing.
 - [x] Add PR-only image scans for the four application templates, supplemental scan-only mode, JSON artifacts, and regression tests (uncommitted).
 
diff --git a/src/scripts/docker_build.sh b/src/scripts/docker_build.sh
index bee2465..91dee60 100755
--- a/src/scripts/docker_build.sh
+++ b/src/scripts/docker_build.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,16 @@ munitor_header "docker_build (${FULL_IMAGE}:${VERSION})"
 munitor_check_tool docker --version
 
 # Build with version tag; add env tag when set (e.g., develop, staging)
-BUILD_CMD=(docker build -f "${DOCKERFILE}" -t "${FULL_IMAGE}:${VERSION}")
+BUILD_CMD=(docker build --pull -f "${DOCKERFILE}" -t "${FULL_IMAGE}:${VERSION}")
+# Generated JVM images only copy a prebuilt JAR. Re-run their package upgrades:
+# a cached apk upgrade layer can retain vulnerable packages indefinitely.
+CONFIG_FILE="${MUNITOR_CONFIG:-.munitor.yml}"
+if [[ -f "${CONFIG_FILE}" ]]; then
+  munitor_check_tool yq --version
+  case "$(yq -r '.pipeline' "${CONFIG_FILE}")" in
+    java-webapp|gradle-webapp) BUILD_CMD+=(--no-cache) ;;
+  esac
+fi
 if [[ -n "${ENV_TAG}" ]]; then
   BUILD_CMD+=(-t "${FULL_IMAGE}:${ENV_TAG}")
 fi
diff --git a/tests/docker_build.bats b/tests/docker_build.bats
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..84b3a79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docker_build.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+@test "PR and release JVM builds refresh packages without disabling Node caching or Trivy" {
+  run bash "${BATS_TEST_DIRNAME}/test_docker_build.sh"
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_docker_build.sh b/tests/test_docker_build.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63c96b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_docker_build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Assert the actual shared PR/release build command without a Docker daemon.
+set -euo pipefail
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PROJECT_DIR="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && pwd)"
+WORK=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "${WORK}"' EXIT
+mkdir -p "${WORK}/bin" "${WORK}/repo"
+cat > "${WORK}/bin/docker" <<'MOCK'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+[[ "$1" == --version ]] && exit 0
+printf '%s\n' "$@" > "${CALL_LOG}"
+MOCK
+cat > "${WORK}/bin/yq" <<'MOCK'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+[[ "$1" == --version ]] && exit 0
+[[ "$1" == -r && "$2" == .pipeline ]] || exit 2
+sed -n 's/^pipeline: //p' "$3"
+MOCK
+chmod +x "${WORK}/bin/docker" "${WORK}/bin/yq"
+export PATH="${WORK}/bin:${PATH}"
+export CALL_LOG="${WORK}/calls" BASH_ENV="${WORK}/env"
+export IMAGE_NAME=app REGISTRY=ghcr.io/example PROJECT_VERSION=1.2.3
+export CIRCLE_SHA1=abc123 DOCKER_ENV_TAG=develop
+cd "${WORK}/repo"
+for pipeline in java-webapp gradle-webapp node-api node-webapp; do
+  printf 'pipeline: %s\n' "${pipeline}" > .munitor.yml
+  bash "${PROJECT_DIR}/src/scripts/docker_build.sh" > "${WORK}/output"
+  grep -qx -- '--pull' "${CALL_LOG}"
+  if [[ "${pipeline}" == java-webapp || "${pipeline}" == gradle-webapp ]]; then
+    grep -qx -- '--no-cache' "${CALL_LOG}"
+  else
+    ! grep -qx -- '--no-cache' "${CALL_LOG}"
+  fi
+  grep -qx 'org.opencontainers.image.revision=abc123' "${CALL_LOG}"
+  grep -qx 'ghcr.io/example/app:1.2.3' "${CALL_LOG}"
+  grep -qx 'ghcr.io/example/app:develop' "${CALL_LOG}"
+  echo "PASS: ${pipeline} cache policy, provenance and tags"
+done
+mv .munitor.yml 'custom config.yml'
+printf 'pipeline: java-webapp\n' > 'custom config.yml'
+MUNITOR_CONFIG='custom config.yml' bash "${PROJECT_DIR}/src/scripts/docker_build.sh" > "${WORK}/output"
+grep -qx -- '--no-cache' "${CALL_LOG}"
+echo 'PASS: alternate manifest path'
+bash "${PROJECT_DIR}/src/scripts/docker_build.sh" > "${WORK}/output"
+grep -qx -- '--pull' "${CALL_LOG}"
+! grep -qx -- '--no-cache' "${CALL_LOG}"
+echo 'PASS: standalone build without manifest'
+for job in docker_scan docker_build_push; do
+  grep -q '^  - docker_build:' "${PROJECT_DIR}/src/jobs/${job}.yml"
+  grep -q '^  - run_trivy_image:' "${PROJECT_DIR}/src/jobs/${job}.yml"
+  echo "PASS: ${job} uses shared builder and retains Trivy"
+done