diff --git a/internal/dis/component/docker/compose.go b/internal/dis/component/docker/compose.go
index 08eed2c..d7d30cf 100644
--- a/internal/dis/component/docker/compose.go
+++ b/internal/dis/component/docker/compose.go
@@ -2,55 +2,18 @@ package docker
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"path/filepath"
 
-	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/cli"
-	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/loader"
-	ctypes "github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/types"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 
+	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/compose"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/filters"
 )
 
-// ComposeProject represents a compose project
-type ComposeProject = *ctypes.Project
-
-// LoadComposeProject loads a docker compose project from the given path.
-// The returned name indicates the name, as would be found by the 'docker compose' executable.
-// If the project could not be found, an appropriate error is returned.
-//
-// NOTE: This intentionally omits using any kind of api for docker compose.
-// This saves a *a lot* of dependencies./
-func (docker *Docker) LoadComposeProject(path string) (project ComposeProject, err error) {
-	ppath, err := filepath.Abs(path)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	opts, err := cli.NewProjectOptions(
-		/* configs = */ nil,
-		cli.WithWorkingDirectory(ppath),
-		cli.WithDefaultConfigPath,
-		cli.WithName(loader.NormalizeProjectName(filepath.Base(ppath))),
-		cli.WithDotEnv,
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	proj, err := cli.ProjectFromOptions(opts)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return proj, nil
-}
-
 // Containers loads the compose project at path, connects to the docker daemon, and then lists all containers belonging to the given services.
 // If services is empty, all containers belonging to any service are returned.
 func (docker *Docker) Containers(ctx context.Context, path string, services ...string) (containers []types.Container, err error) {
-	proj, err := docker.LoadComposeProject(path)
+	proj, err := compose.Open(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -76,7 +39,7 @@ const (
 //
 // services optionally filters the returned containers by the services they belong to.
 // If services is empty, all containers are returned, else containers belonging to any of the services included.
-func (*Docker) containers(ctx context.Context, project ComposeProject, client DockerClient, all bool, services ...string) ([]types.Container, error) {
+func (*Docker) containers(ctx context.Context, project compose.Project, client DockerClient, all bool, services ...string) ([]types.Container, error) {
 	// build filters
 	f := filters.NewArgs(
 		filters.Arg("label", projectLabel+"="+project.Name),
diff --git a/internal/dis/component/stack.go b/internal/dis/component/stack.go
index 4e9c753..8ad0ac5 100644
--- a/internal/dis/component/stack.go
+++ b/internal/dis/component/stack.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
+	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/compose"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/execx"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/fsx"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/logging"
@@ -154,10 +155,13 @@ type StackWithResources struct {
 	//
 	// The Resources holds these, with appropriate resources specified below.
 	// These all refer to paths within the Resource filesystem.
-	Resources   fs.FS
-	ContextPath string            // the 'docker compose' stack context, containing e.g. 'docker-compose.yml'.
-	EnvPath     string            // the '.env' template, will be installed using [unpack.InstallTemplate].
-	EnvContext  map[string]string // context when instantiating the '.env' template
+	Resources fs.FS
+
+	ContextPath     string                    // the 'docker compose' stack context. Can, but does not have to, contain 'docker-compose.yml'
+	ReadComposeFile func() (io.Reader, error) // read the 'docker-compose.yml' (if not contained in context)
+
+	EnvPath    string            // the '.env' template, will be installed using [unpack.InstallTemplate].
+	EnvContext map[string]string // context when instantiating the '.env' template
 
 	CopyContextFiles []string // Files to copy from the installation context
 
@@ -190,6 +194,40 @@ func (is StackWithResources) Install(ctx context.Context, progress io.Writer, co
 		}
 	}
 
+	// write the docker-compose.yml file
+	if is.ReadComposeFile != nil {
+		err := (func() error {
+			// find the file to install!
+			dst := filepath.Join(is.Dir, "docker-compose.yml")
+			defer logging.ProgressF(progress, ctx, "[install] %s\n", dst)
+
+			// create the file
+			yml, err := fsx.Create(dst, fsx.DefaultFilePerm)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			defer yml.Close()
+
+			// open the source file from the context
+			src, err := is.ReadComposeFile()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if srcc, ok := src.(io.Closer); ok {
+				defer srcc.Close()
+			}
+
+			// copy it over!
+			{
+				_, err := io.Copy(yml, src)
+				return err
+			}
+		})()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	// configure .env
 	envDest := filepath.Join(is.Dir, ".env")
 	if is.EnvPath != "" && is.EnvContext != nil {
@@ -247,5 +285,14 @@ func (is StackWithResources) Install(ctx context.Context, progress io.Writer, co
 		}
 	}
 
+	// check that the stack can be loaded
+	{
+		logging.ProgressF(progress, ctx, "[checking]")
+		_, err := compose.Open(is.Dir)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/dis/component/web/web-http/docker-compose.yml b/internal/dis/component/web/docker-compose-http.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from internal/dis/component/web/web-http/docker-compose.yml
rename to internal/dis/component/web/docker-compose-http.yml
diff --git a/internal/dis/component/web/web-https/docker-compose.yml b/internal/dis/component/web/docker-compose-https.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from internal/dis/component/web/web-https/docker-compose.yml
rename to internal/dis/component/web/docker-compose-https.yml
diff --git a/internal/dis/component/web/web.go b/internal/dis/component/web/web.go
index ac28139..c3decf4 100644
--- a/internal/dis/component/web/web.go
+++ b/internal/dis/component/web/web.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package web
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"embed"
+	"io"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/dis/component"
@@ -26,46 +28,36 @@ func (*Web) Context(parent component.InstallationContext) component.Installation
 	return parent
 }
 
-func (web Web) Stack() component.StackWithResources {
-	if web.Config.HTTP.HTTPSEnabled() {
-		return web.stackHTTPS()
-	} else {
-		return web.stackHTTP()
+//go:embed web.env
+var webEnv embed.FS
+
+//go:embed docker-compose-http.yml
+var dockerComposeHTTP []byte
+
+//go:embed docker-compose-https.yml
+var dockerComposeHTTPS []byte
+
+func (web *Web) Stack() component.StackWithResources {
+	var stack component.StackWithResources
+	stack.Resources = webEnv
+	stack.EnvPath = "web.env"
+
+	stack.EnvContext = map[string]string{
+		"DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME": web.Config.Docker.Network,
+		"CERT_EMAIL":          web.Config.HTTP.CertbotEmail,
 	}
-}
-
-//go:embed all:web-https
-//go:embed web.env
-var httpsResources embed.FS
-
-func (web *Web) stackHTTPS() component.StackWithResources {
-	return component.MakeStack(web, component.StackWithResources{
-		Resources:   httpsResources,
-		ContextPath: "web-https",
-		EnvPath:     "web.env",
-
-		EnvContext: map[string]string{
-			"DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME": web.Config.Docker.Network,
-			"CERT_EMAIL":          web.Config.HTTP.CertbotEmail,
-		},
-		TouchFilesPerm: 0600,
-		TouchFiles:     []string{"acme.json"},
-	})
-}
-
-//go:embed all:web-http
-//go:embed web.env
-var httpResources embed.FS
-
-func (web *Web) stackHTTP() component.StackWithResources {
-	return component.MakeStack(web, component.StackWithResources{
-		Resources:   httpResources,
-		ContextPath: "web-http",
-		EnvPath:     "web.env",
-
-		EnvContext: map[string]string{
-			"DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME": web.Config.Docker.Network,
-			"CERT_EMAIL":          web.Config.HTTP.CertbotEmail,
-		},
-	})
+
+	if web.Config.HTTP.HTTPSEnabled() {
+		stack.ReadComposeFile = func() (io.Reader, error) {
+			return bytes.NewReader(dockerComposeHTTPS), nil
+		}
+		stack.TouchFilesPerm = 0600
+		stack.TouchFiles = []string{"acme.json"}
+	} else {
+		stack.ReadComposeFile = func() (io.Reader, error) {
+			return bytes.NewReader(dockerComposeHTTP), nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return component.MakeStack(web, stack)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/compose/compose.go b/pkg/compose/compose.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ed76b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/compose/compose.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package compose
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/cli"
+	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/loader"
+	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/types"
+)
+
+// ComposeProject represents a compose project
+type Project = *types.Project
+
+// Open loads a docker compose project from the given path.
+// The returned name indicates the name, as would be found by the 'docker compose' executable.
+// If the project could not be found, an appropriate error is returned.
+//
+// NOTE: This intentionally omits using any kind of api for docker compose.
+// This saves a *a lot* of dependencies.
+func Open(path string) (project Project, err error) {
+	ppath, err := filepath.Abs(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	opts, err := cli.NewProjectOptions(
+		/* configs = */ nil,
+		cli.WithWorkingDirectory(ppath),
+		cli.WithDefaultConfigPath,
+		cli.WithName(loader.NormalizeProjectName(filepath.Base(ppath))),
+		cli.WithDotEnv,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	proj, err := cli.ProjectFromOptions(opts)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return proj, nil
+}