diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
index abfd32c..7833356 100644
--- a/.env.template
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ AC_WORLDSERVER_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS=uprightbass360/azerothcore-wotlk-playerbots:worl
 AC_CLIENT_DATA_IMAGE=acore/ac-wotlk-client-data:14.0.0-dev
 AC_CLIENT_DATA_IMAGE_PLAYERBOTS=uprightbass360/azerothcore-wotlk-playerbots:client-data-Playerbot
 CLIENT_DATA_VERSION=v16
+CLIENT_DATA_CACHE_PATH=./client-data-cache
+CLIENT_DATA_VOLUME=ac-client-data
 
 # =====================
 # Ports
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 71a5b93..895e135 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -322,13 +322,14 @@ Use this workflow to build locally, then push the same stack to a remote host:
 ```
 storage/
 ├── config/           # Server configuration files
-├── data/             # Game client data (maps, DBC files)
 ├── logs/             # Server log files
 ├── modules/          # Module source code and configs
 ├── mysql-data/       # Database files
 └── backups/          # Automated database backups
 ```
 
+`ac-client-data` keeps unpacked game assets in the `${CLIENT_DATA_VOLUME:-ac-client-data}` Docker volume so reads stay on the local host, while download archives are cached under `${CLIENT_DATA_CACHE_PATH:-./client-data-cache}` on fast local storage even when `${STORAGE_PATH}` points to remote or NFS storage.
+
 ---
 
 ## 🛠️ Management Commands
diff --git a/compose.yml b/compose.yml
index 650b8c7..629e9a0 100644
--- a/compose.yml
+++ b/compose.yml
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ services:
     container_name: ac-client-data
     user: "0:0"
     volumes:
-      - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/data:/azerothcore/data
-      - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/cache:/cache
+      - ac-client-data:/azerothcore/data
+      - ${CLIENT_DATA_CACHE_PATH:-./client-data-cache}:/cache
       - ./scripts:/tmp/scripts:ro
     working_dir: /tmp
     environment:
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ services:
     container_name: ac-client-data
     user: "0:0"
     volumes:
-      - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/data:/azerothcore/data
-      - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/cache:/cache
+      - ac-client-data:/azerothcore/data
+      - ${CLIENT_DATA_CACHE_PATH:-./client-data-cache}:/cache
       - ./scripts:/tmp/scripts:ro
     working_dir: /tmp
     environment:
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ services:
       - "${WORLD_EXTERNAL_PORT:-8215}:${WORLD_PORT:-8085}"
       - "${SOAP_EXTERNAL_PORT:-7778}:${SOAP_PORT:-7878}"
     volumes:
-      - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/data:/azerothcore/data
+      - ac-client-data:/azerothcore/data
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/config:/azerothcore/env/dist/etc
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/logs:/azerothcore/logs
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/modules:/azerothcore/modules
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ services:
       - "${WORLD_EXTERNAL_PORT:-8215}:${WORLD_PORT:-8085}"
       - "${SOAP_EXTERNAL_PORT:-7778}:${SOAP_PORT:-7878}"
     volumes:
-      - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/data:/azerothcore/data
+      - ac-client-data:/azerothcore/data
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/config:/azerothcore/env/dist/etc
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/logs:/azerothcore/logs
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/modules:/azerothcore/modules
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ services:
       PLAYERBOT_MAX_BOTS: "${PLAYERBOT_MAX_BOTS:-40}"
       AC_LOG_LEVEL: "2"
     volumes:
-      - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/data:/azerothcore/data
+      - ac-client-data:/azerothcore/data
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/config:/azerothcore/env/dist/etc
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/logs:/azerothcore/logs
       - ${STORAGE_PATH:-./storage}/modules:/azerothcore/modules
@@ -681,6 +681,11 @@ services:
     networks:
       - azerothcore
 
+volumes:
+  ac-client-data:
+    name: ${CLIENT_DATA_VOLUME:-ac-client-data}
+    driver: local
+
 networks:
   azerothcore:
     name: ${NETWORK_NAME:-azerothcore}