diff --git a/internal/route/route.go b/internal/route/route.go
index 0098ff38..991a0535 100644
--- a/internal/route/route.go
+++ b/internal/route/route.go
@@ -497,6 +497,45 @@ func (r *Route) DisplayName() string {
 	return r.Homepage.Name
 }
 
+// PreferOver implements pool.Preferable to resolve duplicate route keys deterministically.
+// Preference policy:
+// - Prefer routes with rules over routes without rules.
+// - If rules tie, prefer non-docker routes (explicit config) over docker-discovered routes.
+// - Otherwise, prefer the new route to preserve existing semantics.
+func (r *Route) PreferOver(other any) bool {
+	// Try to get the underlying *Route of the other value
+	var or *Route
+	switch v := other.(type) {
+	case *Route:
+		or = v
+	case *ReveseProxyRoute:
+		or = v.Route
+	case *FileServer:
+		or = v.Route
+	case *StreamRoute:
+		or = v.Route
+	default:
+		// Unknown type, allow replacement
+		return true
+	}
+
+	// Prefer routes that have rules
+	if len(r.Rules) > 0 && len(or.Rules) == 0 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if len(r.Rules) == 0 && len(or.Rules) > 0 {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// Prefer explicit (non-docker) over docker auto-discovered
+	if (r.Container == nil) != (or.Container == nil) {
+		return r.Container == nil
+	}
+
+	// Default: allow replacement
+	return true
+}
+
 func (r *Route) ContainerInfo() *types.Container {
 	return r.Container
 }
diff --git a/internal/utils/pool/pool.go b/internal/utils/pool/pool.go
index aad6ce81..51cbb467 100644
--- a/internal/utils/pool/pool.go
+++ b/internal/utils/pool/pool.go
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ type (
 		name       string
 		disableLog atomic.Bool
 	}
+	// Preferable allows an object to express deterministic replacement preference
+	// when multiple objects with the same key are added to the pool.
+	// If new.PreferOver(old) returns true, the new object replaces the old one.
+	Preferable interface {
+		PreferOver(other any) bool
+	}
 	Object interface {
 		Key() string
 		Name() string
@@ -37,12 +43,18 @@ func (p *Pool[T]) Name() string {
 }
 
 func (p *Pool[T]) Add(obj T) {
-	p.checkExists(obj.Key())
-	p.m.Store(obj.Key(), obj)
-	p.logAction("added", obj)
+	p.AddKey(obj.Key(), obj)
 }
 
 func (p *Pool[T]) AddKey(key string, obj T) {
+	if cur, exists := p.m.Load(key); exists {
+		if newPref, ok := any(obj).(Preferable); ok {
+			if !newPref.PreferOver(cur) {
+				// keep existing
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	p.checkExists(key)
 	p.m.Store(key, obj)
 	p.logAction("added", obj)