diff --git a/dev-tools/README.md b/dev-tools/README.md
index e1071f7ecce..076e9e307f1 100644
--- a/dev-tools/README.md
+++ b/dev-tools/README.md
@@ -84,6 +84,19 @@ Load environment variables
 audius-compose load-env discovery-provider prod
 ```
 
+# Open Audio Protocol (OAP) nodes
+
+The stack runs four Open Audio Protocol (OAP) validator nodes (openaudio-1–4) when using the `storage` and `discovery` profiles. They use the image `openaudio/go-openaudio:dev` by default (for local development).
+
+- **If you have a local [go-openaudio](https://github.com/OpenAudio/go-openaudio) clone:** Clone it as a sibling of the apps repo (e.g. `../go-openaudio`) or set `GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT`. When you run `audius-compose up`, the script `dev-tools/scripts/build-openaudio.sh` will run and build `openaudio/go-openaudio:dev` via `make docker-dev` in that repo, so the stack uses your local build.
+- **If you don’t:** The stack automatically uses the public image `openaudio/go-openaudio:stable` so `audius-compose up` still works without building.
+
+To force a specific image (e.g. a custom tag), set `OPENAUDIO_IMAGE`:
+
+```bash
+OPENAUDIO_IMAGE=openaudio/go-openaudio:stable audius-compose up
+```
+
 # Troubleshooting
 
 ## Increase Docker Resource Requirements
diff --git a/dev-tools/audius-compose b/dev-tools/audius-compose
index 02e96eaaa86..a4edc66b6c8 100755
--- a/dev-tools/audius-compose
+++ b/dev-tools/audius-compose
@@ -402,6 +402,25 @@ def up(
         ),
     )
 
+    # Build openaudio/go-openaudio:dev from local go-openaudio clone if present
+    build_openaudio = protocol_dir / "dev-tools/scripts/build-openaudio.sh"
+    if build_openaudio.exists():
+        subprocess.run(
+            [str(build_openaudio)],
+            env={**os.environ, "PROJECT_ROOT": str(protocol_dir)},
+            cwd=str(protocol_dir),
+            check=False,
+        )
+    # If :dev image still doesn't exist, use :stable so pull/up succeed
+    if (
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["docker", "image", "inspect", "openaudio/go-openaudio:dev"],
+            capture_output=True,
+        ).returncode
+        != 0
+    ):
+        os.environ["OPENAUDIO_IMAGE"] = "openaudio/go-openaudio:stable"
+
     ctx.invoke(pull)
     sys.exit(
         subprocess.run(
@@ -419,6 +438,7 @@ def up(
                 *args,
                 *services,
             ],
+            env=os.environ,
         ).returncode
     )
 
diff --git a/dev-tools/scripts/build-openaudio.sh b/dev-tools/scripts/build-openaudio.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..cb58f7db429
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev-tools/scripts/build-openaudio.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Build openaudio/go-openaudio:dev from a local go-openaudio clone.
+# Used by audius-compose up so the local stack can use a locally built OAP image.
+#
+# Set GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT to the path to your go-openaudio repo, or clone it to
+# PROJECT_ROOT/../go-openaudio (sibling of apps repo).
+# If the image already exists or no clone is found, this is a no-op.
+
+set -e
+
+PROJECT_ROOT="${PROJECT_ROOT:-}"
+if [[ -z "$PROJECT_ROOT" ]]; then
+  # Assume we're in dev-tools/scripts/
+  SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+  PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/../.." && pwd)"
+fi
+
+GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT="${GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT:-$PROJECT_ROOT/../go-openaudio}"
+
+if [[ ! -d "$GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT" ]]; then
+  echo "go-openaudio clone not found at $GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT (set GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT to override). Skipping openaudio dev image build."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f "$GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT/Makefile" ]]; then
+  echo "GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT=$GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT does not look like go-openaudio (no Makefile). Skipping."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Image already built
+if docker image inspect openaudio/go-openaudio:dev &>/dev/null; then
+  echo "openaudio/go-openaudio:dev already exists. Skipping build."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "Building openaudio/go-openaudio:dev from $GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT ..."
+( cd "$GO_OPENAUDIO_ROOT" && make docker-dev )
+echo "openaudio/go-openaudio:dev built successfully."