diff --git a/nix/package.nix b/nix/package.nix
index 5d392a4..4d28e8c 100644
--- a/nix/package.nix
+++ b/nix/package.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ beamPackages.mixRelease rec {
   
   # Disable distributed Erlang to avoid COOKIE requirement
   postInstall = ''
+    # Create a dummy COOKIE file to satisfy the release boot script
+    echo "dummy_cookie" > $out/releases/COOKIE
+    
     # Create wrapper script that sets proper environment
     mv $out/bin/systant $out/bin/.systant-wrapped
     cat > $out/bin/systant << EOF
diff --git a/server/mix.exs b/server/mix.exs
index 9332587..6a4bee2 100644
--- a/server/mix.exs
+++ b/server/mix.exs
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ defmodule SystemStatsDaemon.MixProject do
         applications: [runtime_tools: :permanent],
         include_erts: true,
         strip_beams: false,
-        cookie: :disabled,
         env: %{
           "RELEASE_DISTRIBUTION" => "none",
           "RELEASE_NODE" => "nonode@nohost"