diff --git a/static/js/launch_progress.js b/static/js/launch_progress.js
index 0ed7b84..0896045 100644
--- a/static/js/launch_progress.js
+++ b/static/js/launch_progress.js
@@ -575,7 +575,11 @@ async function startLaunch(data) {
         // Handle different stack deployment scenarios
         if (!stackResult.success) {
             // Check if this is a timeout but the stack might still be deploying
-            if (stackResult.error && stackResult.error.includes('timed out')) {
+            if (stackResult.error && (
+                stackResult.error.includes('timed out') || 
+                stackResult.error.includes('504 Gateway Time-out') ||
+                stackResult.error.includes('504 Gateway Timeout')
+            )) {
                 console.log('Stack deployment timed out, but may still be in progress');
                 
                 // Update the step to show warning instead of error
@@ -2938,6 +2942,11 @@ async function deployStack(dockerComposeContent, stackName, port) {
         }
         
         // First, attempt to deploy the stack
+        console.log('Making stack deployment request to /api/admin/deploy-stack');
+        console.log('Stack name:', stackName);
+        console.log('Port:', port);
+        console.log('Modified docker-compose content length:', modifiedDockerComposeContent.length);
+        
         const response = await fetch('/api/admin/deploy-stack', {
             method: 'POST',
             headers: {
@@ -3005,6 +3014,10 @@ async function deployStack(dockerComposeContent, stackName, port) {
             })
         });
 
+        console.log('Response status:', response.status);
+        console.log('Response ok:', response.ok);
+        console.log('Response headers:', Object.fromEntries(response.headers.entries()));
+
         // Handle 504 Gateway Timeout as successful initiation
         if (response.status === 504) {
             console.log('Received 504 Gateway Timeout - stack creation may still be in progress');
@@ -3026,13 +3039,18 @@ async function deployStack(dockerComposeContent, stackName, port) {
 
         if (!response.ok) {
             let errorMessage = 'Failed to deploy stack';
+            console.log('Response not ok, status:', response.status);
+            
             try {
                 const errorData = await response.json();
                 errorMessage = errorData.error || errorMessage;
+                console.log('Parsed error data:', errorData);
             } catch (parseError) {
+                console.log('Failed to parse JSON error, trying text:', parseError);
                 // If JSON parsing fails, try to get text content
                 try {
                     const errorText = await response.text();
+                    console.log('Error text content:', errorText);
                     if (errorText.includes('504 Gateway Time-out') || errorText.includes('504 Gateway Timeout')) {
                         console.log('Received 504 Gateway Timeout - stack creation may still be in progress');
                         
@@ -3053,9 +3071,11 @@ async function deployStack(dockerComposeContent, stackName, port) {
                         errorMessage = `HTTP ${response.status}: ${errorText}`;
                     }
                 } catch (textError) {
+                    console.log('Failed to get error text:', textError);
                     errorMessage = `HTTP ${response.status}: Failed to parse response`;
                 }
             }
+            console.log('Throwing error:', errorMessage);
             throw new Error(errorMessage);
         }
 
@@ -3077,6 +3097,30 @@ async function deployStack(dockerComposeContent, stackName, port) {
 
     } catch (error) {
         console.error('Error deploying stack:', error);
+        
+        // Check if this is a 504 timeout error that should be handled as a success
+        if (error.message && (
+            error.message.includes('504 Gateway Time-out') ||
+            error.message.includes('504 Gateway Timeout') ||
+            error.message.includes('timed out')
+        )) {
+            console.log('Detected 504 timeout in catch block - treating as successful initiation');
+            
+            // Update progress to show that we're now polling
+            const progressBar = document.getElementById('launchProgress');
+            const progressText = document.getElementById('stepDescription');
+            if (progressBar && progressText) {
+                progressBar.style.width = '25%';
+                progressBar.textContent = '25%';
+                progressText.textContent = 'Stack creation initiated (timed out, but continuing to monitor)...';
+            }
+            
+            // Start polling immediately since the stack creation was initiated
+            console.log('Starting to poll for stack status after 504 timeout from catch block...');
+            const pollResult = await pollStackStatus(stackName, 15 * 60 * 1000); // 15 minutes max
+            return pollResult;
+        }
+        
         return {
             success: false,
             error: error.message