diff --git a/docker/dev.sh b/docker/dev.sh
index 8244b52..6b728be 100755
--- a/docker/dev.sh
+++ b/docker/dev.sh
@@ -258,34 +258,18 @@ setup_atm_app() {
 #############################################################################
 
 generate_lndconnect() {
-    local lnd_data="$REGTEST_DIR/data/lnd-3"
     local local_ip=$(get_local_ip)
     local rest_port=8082
 
-    local cert_path="$lnd_data/tls.cert"
-    local mac_path="$lnd_data/data/chain/bitcoin/regtest/admin.macaroon"
+    # Read certs directly from lnd-3 container (host files are root-owned)
+    local cert_b64=$(docker exec lnbits-lnd-3-1 base64 -w0 /root/.lnd/tls.cert 2>/dev/null | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
+    local mac_b64=$(docker exec lnbits-lnd-3-1 base64 -w0 /root/.lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/regtest/admin.macaroon 2>/dev/null | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
 
-    # Check if files exist and are readable
-    if [[ ! -r "$cert_path" ]]; then
-        # Try reading cert via docker
-        local cert_b64=$(docker exec lnbits-lnd-3-1 base64 -w0 /root/.lnd/tls.cert 2>/dev/null | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
-        local mac_b64=$(docker exec lnbits-lnd-3-1 base64 -w0 /root/.lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/regtest/admin.macaroon 2>/dev/null | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
-
-        if [[ -n "$cert_b64" ]] && [[ -n "$mac_b64" ]]; then
-            echo "lndconnect://${local_ip}:${rest_port}?cert=${cert_b64}&macaroon=${mac_b64}"
-            return 0
-        fi
-        return 1
+    if [[ -n "$cert_b64" ]] && [[ -n "$mac_b64" ]]; then
+        echo "lndconnect://${local_ip}:${rest_port}?cert=${cert_b64}&macaroon=${mac_b64}"
+        return 0
     fi
-
-    local cert_b64=$(base64 -w0 "$cert_path" | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
-    local mac_b64=$(sudo base64 -w0 "$mac_path" 2>/dev/null | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
-
-    if [[ -z "$mac_b64" ]]; then
-        return 1
-    fi
-
-    echo "lndconnect://${local_ip}:${rest_port}?cert=${cert_b64}&macaroon=${mac_b64}"
+    return 1
 }
 
 #############################################################################